# Music duos **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 12, 2011, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-duos/602733 "2011-11-12T22:35:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-duos/602733/21 "2011-11-13T07:38:12Z")
[The Righteous Brothers](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0Zinw1uDJo&feature=related), of course. Proof that in the best duos, the voices need to complement each other - between them, they cover virtually the entire range of audible sound. Of course, [identical voices](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM0sTNtWDiI)also works. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-duos/602733/22 "2011-11-13T09:08:45Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > Hall and Oates? > Seals and Crofts? > Loggins and Messina? > England Dan and John Ford Coley (okay, that’s a stretch) > Ferrante & Teicher > The Smothers Brothers > Wham! > > I might add Alliota Haynes and Jeremiah, but I never was sure if that was two dudes or three! :smack: Huge Wham! fan and didn’t even think of that! Ditto Smos Bros. Great list. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-duos/602733/23 "2011-11-13T09:55:08Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Probably getting a bit off-topic, because they weren’t exactly an official duo, but until he fired her, the way Damien Rice and the beautiful Lisa Hannigan’s voices worked together was [magical](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZduDvIBu3EU). I saw her at the Sydney Opera House a couple of days ago in [The Songs of Nick Drake](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvaqqk3pHLw&feature=related). Awesome. ---
**Author:** ![nudgenudge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9f8e36/32.png) [@nudgenudge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nudgenudge)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-duos/602733/24 "2011-11-13T09:56:51Z")
Pet Shop Boys Tears for Fears Erasure Yazoo Soft Cell um, Jedward? And who could forget Glenn & Chris (Hoddle and Waddle)? (Could they contact me with advice as to how I might forget too?) ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-duos/602733/25 "2011-11-13T10:02:50Z")
> [@nudgenudge](#): > > Pet Shop Boys Egads. I’ve actually MET Pet Shop Boys multiple times (favorite. act. evar.) and didn’t even think of them. D’oh! ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-duos/602733/26 "2011-11-13T10:18:24Z")
Flat and Scruggs Sugarland Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty John Prine and Iris DeMent I really like country music. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-duos/602733/27 "2011-11-13T16:05:51Z")
Not exactly what you asked for, but both Frank Sinatra and B.B. King have albums of duets with various partners. And one of my all-time favorite duet songs is Dean Martin and some chick doing “Baby It’s Cold Outside.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-duos/602733/28 "2011-11-13T16:16:28Z")
[Willie & Lobo](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFWtLEvAvVc) [Two Siberians](http://www.progarchives.com/mp3.asp?id=1005) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-duos/602733/29 "2011-11-13T16:25:06Z")
If jazz is your thing [Jackie and Roy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_and_Roy) did some good stuff. Check out some of their work at [Jackie & Roy - Don’t Be Blue](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmiJpzwUjnU) and nearby clips. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-duos/602733/30 "2011-11-13T18:09:29Z")
Jan & Dean Carly Simon & James Taylor ---
**Author:** ![kevja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@kevja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevja)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-duos/602733/31 "2011-11-13T19:43:03Z")
The Carpenters. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-duos/602733/32 "2011-11-13T22:00:56Z")
[Brewer and Shipley](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQrNWZ4Y5tU#t=01m48s) [The Proclaimers](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uActryeSj7w&feature=related) [Bowser and Blue](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33VY7Db5iIA#t=00m25s) ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-duos/602733/33 "2011-11-13T23:23:47Z")
> [@Toffe](#): > > Alternatively, what are some good pieces of music that work well adapted for a duo? For example, I once heard a pair of musicians playing Buddy Holly and Johnny Cash songs on the street, which worked really well. Piano/Hammond and guitar work well as a duo format – keys can cover the bass, and basically style of music will work. George Jones ballads, honky-tonk, straight-ahead jazz, funk, rock and roll, rhythm and blues. I can’t think of any piece of music that wouldn’t work, especially if the musicians are good at getting the right sounds and know how to play. I have a feeling you’re thinking more about pop music with vocals, though, but nothing’s precluded as long as someone can/wants to sing in the duo. ---
**Author:** ![Flip\_Pancake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f1d935/32.png) [@Flip\_Pancake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flip_Pancake)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-duos/602733/34 "2011-11-14T10:05:03Z")
Flipping through my very dusty cassette tape collection: Eurhythmics, Roxette, OMD, and erm… Air Supply. Also: [Everything But the Girl](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7Fw2M_rjlw) [Kings of Convenience](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpcYwZr6L2o) [Uh Huh Her](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_utFz2wmtE) [Flight of the Conchords](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4zV4pJ8MwM) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-duos/602733/35 "2011-11-14T13:03:34Z")
> [@Flip\_Pancake](#): > > Flipping through my very dusty cassette tape collection: Eurhythmics, Roxette, OMD, and erm… Air Supply. Oh yeah… Speaking of the 80s, there’s also Naked Eyes. Somewhat more recently, Fleming & John. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-duos/602733/36 "2011-11-14T15:36:42Z")
[Garfunkel and Oates](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG3EU2lphwA#t=2m38s), anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Toffe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19adc/32.png) [@Toffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toffe)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-duos/602733/37 "2011-11-14T18:21:58Z")
I’m loving all these suggestions; thanks a lot, everyone! > [@Jaledin](#): > > Piano/Hammond and guitar work well as a duo format – keys can cover the bass, and basically style of music will work. George Jones ballads, honky-tonk, straight-ahead jazz, funk, rock and roll, rhythm and blues. I can’t think of any piece of music that wouldn’t work, especially if the musicians are good at getting the right sounds and know how to play. > > I have a feeling you’re thinking more about pop music with vocals, though, but nothing’s precluded as long as someone can/wants to sing in the duo. Actually, literally anything goes, definitely not just pop music. The background - my wife was a professional musician (singer, and rhythm guitar) before university cut down on her time for gigs. I’ve been an amateur musician all my life (mainly brass and woodwinds, but also electric bass and mandolin). We are - again - floating the idea of playing together, hopefully with regular gigs, and I want to see what’s been done in the past, and what we could do well together. However, I fear I’ll have to learn to play her spare guitar to really fill up the melodic counterpoint and harmony; we’ve already tried playing together with guitar&flute and guitar&mandolin, and it just sounds too thin. This thread is for inspiration and ideas 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-duos/602733/38 "2011-11-14T20:12:10Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > Flat and Scruggs > Sugarland > Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty > John Prine and Iris DeMent > > I really like country music. Brooks & Dunn 62 West and how about Johnny & June Carter Cash? Would they count as a duo? In R&B: Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terell Ashford & Simpson In classic rock: Loggins & Messina David Crosby & Graham Nash (released a few records in the mid-70s w/o Stills or Young) In alternative: Indigo Girls Shakespeare’s Sister Throwing Muses (the last album at any rate was just Kirsten Hirsch and one guy.) ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-duos/602733/39 "2011-11-14T21:00:12Z")
> [@Toffe](#): > > I’m loving all these suggestions; thanks a lot, everyone! > > Actually, literally anything goes, definitely not just pop music. The background - my wife was a professional musician (singer, and rhythm guitar) before university cut down on her time for gigs. I’ve been an amateur musician all my life (mainly brass and woodwinds, but also electric bass and mandolin). We are - again - floating the idea of playing together, hopefully with regular gigs, and I want to see what’s been done in the past, and what we could do well together. However, I fear I’ll have to learn to play her spare guitar to really fill up the melodic counterpoint and harmony; we’ve already tried playing together with guitar&flute and guitar&mandolin, and it just sounds too thin. This thread is for inspiration and ideas 🙂 Let me second Gillian Welch (w/David Rawlings), if you’re into the country end of alt-country. And, if we’re in alt-country, and not limited to particular established bands/groups, then I’ll add to the list of great duos: Willie Nelson with anybody (you’d think the ability to hold a pure note would be a prerequisite for being a good dueter, but somehow being the opposite of David Rawlings works, too); and EmmyLou Harris with nearly anybody. She really gets around, and usually improves things when she does. ---
**Author:** ![sco3tt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@sco3tt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sco3tt)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-duos/602733/40 "2011-11-14T22:08:15Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > They Might Be Giants, at least back when They were just John & John. And Ween, back when they were just Gene & Dean. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-duos/602733.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-duos/602733.md?page=3)