Haha!
It has always sounded like Bob has the worst head cold imaginable whenever he sings. Nasally as all get out and gravely too. Not a good combination, lol. I love him as a songwriter, but his voice is highly misophonic (sounds/voices that cause misophonia) to me - like nails on a chalkboard. It's so funny how voices or sounds can just be almost painful to the listener. It's not always indicative they are a bad singer. Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland has a voice that will drive me batty too. OMG. I'm sorry, lol, but it's just one of those voices. It's not that I even mind twangy vocals - but nasally or congested voices wear on me. At least Jack and JD's voice aren't provoking the reaction in me that Bob's and Jennifer's voices do. So, to be funny - if Sugarland is playing on TV my folks will turn it up so I can hear it in whatever room I'm in. Thankfully, Sugarland aren't as popular anymore and aren't on TV much if at all. But back when they were on every country awards show and had live TV performances in the mid 2000s it would make me go crazy. Also I'd throw Gary LeVox from Rascal Flatts in that group with Jennifer and Bob. I think I'd rather hear rocks in a tin can rolling down a bumpy hill than to listen to them sing. I know that's terrible to say. I remember someone once telling me Rod Stewart sounded like he needed a cough drop especially with his Faces and early solo material and it drove them crazy. But I LOVE his raspy tone. So there you go, TEHO.
-Austin-
Resident Guitar Slinger
Fan of the Eagles from 1972-2016 #NOGLENNNOEAGLES
RIP Glenn Frey and Randy Meisner
"So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains and we never even know we have the key..."
How funny, WF! I usually disagree with you musically because I like country /folk/bluegrass and you do not, but we are totally united in thought on this one! I can't listen to Jennifer Nettles or Gary Le Vox. I think for me it is the peculiar sounds they make, although they can sing. (IMO, obviously)
Jennifer will delve into odd cartoonish interpretations with different accents inexplicably thrown in, and pseudo-r&b.
Gary puts in these whiny overtones I can't bear, and holds notes in strange ways. That, and just hearing that he changed his last name to Le Vox because it translates to "The Voice" was too much for me!
I don't intend to upset their fans, I just find it humorous that WF and I , with our divergent tastes, agree on these points.
"Be part of something good--
Leave something good behind."
I'm with y'all re: Gary DeVox and Jennifer Nettles. I'm not a huge country music fan either, especially of the twangy, whiny voices. However, I do think both of these artists are very good singers - but as you both said ... it's just not my thing. But, despite not being a real fan, I have actually seen both of them live.
I will have to say, Rascal Flatts does put on an entertaining show. I would have never gone on my own to see them, but two of my nieces are big fans so I took them to Charlottesville to see a show around 10 years ago. They covered Hotel California so that was the highlight of the show for me just because it was Hotel California. However, to be kind - it was a real botch job on the song. And I cringe every time I think about Rascal Flatts beating out the Eagles for the CMA vocal group of the year - I'm pretty sure it was in 2008.
I have to say that when Soda, DonFan, and I went to the CMAs to see the Eagles perform in 2007, Jennifer Nettles gave a standout vocal performance.
TBH, I don't remember the song she sang (may have been Stay), but her powerful voice was memorable enough that I never forgot it.
"People don't run out of dreams: People just run out of time ..."
Glenn Frey 11/06/1948 - 01/18/2016
@Austin, oh, I SO agree with you on Dylan's voice! Drives me nuts! And my hubs is a major Dylan fan. I don't mind Jack's voice too much. Partly because I think he knows he's not a "singer" per se. He's a songwriter. Kris Kristofferson doesn't have the most fab singing voice ever, but he can interpret a song like nobody's business. Same with Stevie Nicks (ducks the flying debris).
I love country music. Well, GOOD country, of which there isn't much around these days. I don't mind some twang. Doesn't bother me at all. Now, if you want to hear one of the best singers in the genre, listen to Marty Stuart. He has a wonderful voice and can also interpret the heck out of a song. Plus, he's an accomplished instrumentalist and widely regarded as one of the best pickers in Nashville. He might make you re-think some of your opinions on country. LOL. I also like Zac Brown. If you like the country-rock genre, check out his "Colder Weather." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oouFE51HcqM
It's very reminiscent of the singer/songwriter stuff from the 70s. I can so hear James Taylor or Dave Messina singing it.
But I liked OMWF. It's a shame Glenn never got to record it. It would have been a great track for him. Perfectly suited to his voice.
Joe Don Rooney (lead guitarist for Rascal Flatts) and I have the same birthday. I think he's a pretty good player. The only song of theirs I liked was Me And My Gang, which had the Richie Sambora/Bon Jovi "Livin' On A Prayer" style talkbox with drop D tuned guitars thing on it. Shows my bias, lol, for guitars and 70s/80s rock. Their producer Dann Huff is studio guitarist from the 80s in LA, moved to Nashville as a producer.
Dreamer - their version of Hotel California drove me batty. I'm sorry, but what a fail that was! And I agree on the CMAs. Really?! Even though I think of them as a guitar band, the Eagles are known for vocals. They should have won that. I remember watching them play the CMA's. I wasn't on The Border yet, but I remember being excited to see them. I became a music fan in 2007 and they were why I started playing.
FF - Haha well I'm glad we agree on that. It is funny though how we can agree on those two singers. Nasally voices are just not my thing. In fact, as good as singers they may be, it doesn't matter because it causes such a strong borderline-painful reaction for me. I truly mean no harm, but I won't pretend to like their voices, either. I don't doubt they are good singers. But I'm just can't stand their tone/accent.
Pippin - I guess you could say I'm a diehard rock and roll fan. I love the blues, I love some country, I love RNB. The country songs I tend to like are more in the rock camp. And I don't mean Eagles, CSNY, Flying Burritos country rock. But more classic rock sounding guitar with country type lyrics and/or vocals. I don't really care for rap or electronic music that is prevalent in today's country. I love RNB and even some pop, so I like some of Thomas Rhett's stuff. I really miss the mid 2000s/late 2000s country rock when Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan were starting out with rock-tinged country songs, before they went to rap/hip-hop or EDM. I also loved Montgomery Gentry, because that had that Lynyrd Skynyrd-like guitar sound on there. I really love Eric Church and he's always stayed true to himself. I love that Stonesy guitar on his records. Marty Stuart is a great guitarist and instrumentalist, but it's just not my thing if I'm being honest. I think growing up hearing AC/DC (dad's fav band) and Guns N' Roses (mom's fav band) so much tainted me.
-Austin-
Resident Guitar Slinger
Fan of the Eagles from 1972-2016 #NOGLENNNOEAGLES
RIP Glenn Frey and Randy Meisner
"So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains and we never even know we have the key..."
See Austin. I'm the opposite. I don't like today's country music. I grew up listening to the 90s country music (even 80s country music) when Tim, Faith, Vince, Garth and others were starting around that time. I get very turned off with today's country. I like twangy, but not too much twangy. Thomas Rhett. I was listening to his father back in the 90s. Jennifer Nettles voice is annoying. Same as Sara Evans.
Back to the song. I just don't like Jack's voice. Its a great song, but I almost couldn't listen to the whole song.
Brothers for life. RIP Glenn
I'm not sure I believe in fate, but I know that crossing paths with Glenn Lewis Frey in 1970 changed my life forever, and it eventually had an impact on the lives of millions of other people all over the planet. It will be very strange going forward in a world without him in it. But, I will be grateful, every day, that he was in my life. Rest in peace, my brother. You did what you set out to do, and then some." -Don Henley
I'm just the opposite. I don't care for classic country music. The twang, pedal steel guitar, acoustic-heavy instrumentation is very boring to me. I'm used to hearing AC/DC and seeing Angus Young play through 4 100 watt Marshall full stacks all the way up with his Gibson SG electric guitar.
It feeds into why I don't "get" the early Eagles sound with Bernie. I don't get into them until On The Border, but One Of These Nights was more my bag. And of course you know how I feel about Hotel California and The Long Run. I think once I got the rock bug, mellowness became a turn off.
I like the country songs that are more southern/classic rock or alternatively more RNB influenced. I don't like the rap stuff though, I'll admit that.
-Austin-
Resident Guitar Slinger
Fan of the Eagles from 1972-2016 #NOGLENNNOEAGLES
RIP Glenn Frey and Randy Meisner
"So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains and we never even know we have the key..."
In my opinion, my favorite Glenn and Jack song is Smuggler's Blues.
Not counting Eagles songs. As Glenn solo songs (by any writer), I like YBTTC and THIO. But when I think GF solo masterpiece, I think of Smuggler's Blues. Just like I think the DH solo masterpiece is TBOS.
-Austin-
Resident Guitar Slinger
Fan of the Eagles from 1972-2016 #NOGLENNNOEAGLES
RIP Glenn Frey and Randy Meisner
"So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains and we never even know we have the key..."