injest
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YES!!! Mark Wiegle. That's him.
And you're right about solo artists being perceived as "being themselves" onstage. There is a mixture. Whether I'm playing the role of a Norse god, or singing an old Negro Spiritual, there is a part of that performance that is ME, and part that is designed to direct the emotions and understanding of the audience. Make no mistake (not that you did, Jess), there is a balance of truth and artifice in every performance.
I think Mark has a very nice voice..as good as most of the artists being played on the radio right now...
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JudgeHolden
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I dont know how you would categorize Luther Vandross but I remember back in the 90s his song "Here and now" was played at every other wedding (George Strait's "I Cross my Heart" was played at all the others). I believe he had gospel roots, and after he passed away a couple years back, it come out that he was gay, but was never able to be out for the obvious reasons Milo mentions above.
So it seems to me that if a singer has an image of being a romantic figure, he cant be openly gay the way performers that are freaky or come across as neuter can. The only one i cna think of where I would be very surprised if he was straight is Ricky Martin, who, though he comes across as kinda nell, is still kinda sexy (the way a hairdresser who works out a lot can be sexy until he opens his mouth "GuurrrL!!").
I think there was actual pix of Martin on a beach "wrestling" with some dude and the combined square footage of their swimsuits was about 6" square, but so long as he mouths the words "were just buds" and does not explicitly say, "I am a big homosexual", those squealing girls at the mall can hang onto their illusions.
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Milo
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he is a 'countertenor'?? I have never heard of that.. I have heard of bass, soprano, tenor...
A countertenor is a man who sings an entire octave above the regular tenor range. They are also called "sopranists" and "falsettists." They sing entirely in their falsetto voices. Because of the revival of Baroque opera, which used castrati, there is a market for countertenors on the international opera stage. BTW, Pritchard sucked. His Italian is HORRIFIC!!! If you wanna see a real countertenor, check out David Daniels: A man. No hair-do's (or don'ts), no eyeliner, no jewelery. Just him & his voice. And his languages are clean.
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JudgeHolden
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A countertenor is a man who sings an entire octave above the regular tenor range. They are also called "sopranists" and "falsettists." They sing entirely in their falsetto voices.
Because of the revival of Baroque opera, which used castrati, there is a market for countertenors on the international opera stage.
BTW, Pritchard sucked. His Italian is HORRIFIC!!!
If you wanna see a real countertenor, check out David Daniels:
A man. No hair-do's (or don'ts), no eyeliner, no jewelery. Just him & his voice. And his languages are clean.
Uh they dont take hormones or nuttin do they (Christ, imagine going thru that just to sing high, and Bono does it alrite and they let him keep his nads). I got to admit here I get the willies on some guy singing falsetto, though Tom Waits does it and I love Tom Waits, but again, he can sing so low his voice almost disappears. In general I like a deep, dark male voice, like rolling thunder or black coffee (shit, Im drunk), but with some raspiness, like he took a file to it. If you can listen to Josh Turner though, milo, I guess I can giv opera a whirl. I did hear a duet once between 2 males, not in English, theyre supposed to be freinds and supposedly theyre singing about some chick, but I swear it sounds like a love song. Though if it was, I dont know if I could handle watching that, I admit I got some real mixed feelings on the idea of a Brokeback opera. Not the plot of 2 guys in love but the idea of them, I dont know, EXPESSING theirselves all over the place. That could get funny fast, and not intentionally.
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Milo
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Uh they dont take hormones or nuttin do they
Naw. Any man can make noise up that high. It happens when the thyro-aretinoid, and crico-thyroid muscles disengage, and just the vocalis muscles are vibrating. Being able to male beautiful, expressive music out of that combination is the hard part that only a few can do. If you can listen to Josh Turner though, milo, I guess I can giv opera a whirl.
Josh and I sing in the same range: the basement. The fact that he's hotter than jalapenos just adds to the fun. Honestly, I never gave CW music a second glance until I saw Brokeback. Its a cultural anomaly for an urban black man. Now I can't get enough of it. Besides Josh, I like George Strait, Rascal Flats, Toby Keith and Garth Brooks. Now that we have Darius Rucker representin', I'm even more attracted to the genre.
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JudgeHolden
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Not Johnny?? Toby Keith I can sure see, the other guys are at the mid to upper range Id say, but Im not an expert. I had no idea it was that technical, but it makes sense, as muscicians are so technical. I personally dont see why more blackfolks dont get into country, as the overlap between CW and blues is so wide at points its almost indistinguishable. Purely cultural is my assessment, as CW is basically white mans blues, and like so many gospel and soul singers, they all get started in church.
I know blues these days is seen as kind a old-fashioned, kids surely dont listen to it, but its the true roots of all American music. You could add some Walon Jennings to that collection if your serious, Merle Haggard, Charlie Louvin, Dale Watson and Porter Waggoner, and I personally get all goosebumpy at Ray Bensons voice :guitarist for Asleep at the Wheel, plays all those old Bob Wills tunes my folks listened to.
Also got to plug 2 Texas boys that sing in the basement and the attic respectively, Junior Brown and Don Walser,who is sadly no longer with us.
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MagicM
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The popular Australian singer Peter Allen was openly gay. Then of course there is k.d. laing from Canada.
Freddie Mercury put on a macho persona on stage but in private was the opposite.
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“Beauties in vain their pretty eyes may roll; charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.” Alexander Pope
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injest
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KD Lang was a rising star for a while in country music, as was Ty Herndon (and I am not saying he is gay...just that there is the rumor) but with popular music it is hard to tell if their careers were damaged or not...there are so many artists that make it real big and fade fast. I am not sure how you would know if it was the gay thing that lost them support or if it was their music.
If I compare it with the "Dixie Chicks" who I KNOW lost their careers thru public backlash I have to say it was their music (or else the discrimination was more subtle) With the Dixie Chicks, there were public demonstrations, radio stations making a point to pull their music, stores refusing to carry their CDs, cancelled concerts, etc....I never have heard any of that around KD Lang OR Ty...
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