Musicans who can't play any instruments

[Glacier]

Here are three I can think of off the top of my head. Feel free to add to the list.

1) Ronnie Hawkins (founder of The Band)...



2) Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath)


3) Ray Sawyer (Dr. Hook)...

[GordonH]

Couple that come to mind:
Roger Daltrey
Robert Plant... imo tambourine does not count lol

[ferri]

Mick Jagger! Gilda Radner even mentioned it in her tribute to him.

[normaM]

Beyonce, Grande, CardiB - guess that is why they are called Singers :)
I thought you meant people who just play really really badly

[LANDM]

Mick Jagger! Gilda Radner even mentioned it in her tribute to him.

Jagger plays guitar, harmonica, bass and piano.

[OldBlindDog]

Couple that come to mind:
Roger Daltrey
Robert Plant... imo tambourine does not count lol

They are no virtuosos, but both of these guys play guitar and harmonica.

[LANDM]

Is this thread simply about singers who don’t play musical instruments?

As someone who does play different instruments, I have long maintained, personally, that a singer is not a musician. However, I realize that this stance has flaws and don’t want that to become the discussion. I also, jokingly, think that many instrument players are not musicians and appreciate the many jokes that exist about such players.
However, my appreciation for such players increases exponentially when I then try and play their instrument or sing.....

What is the intent of this thread?

[kgcayenne]

I believe that the voice is an instrument, it takes time, discipline, and knowing how to avoid buggering-up one’s vocal cords. However, the contemporary consumer has limited interest in things like that and much lower standards in music, especially here.

This thread made me think of a recent article from a local advertising magazine. A couple of quotes from it:

“The music scene in the Okanagan is very different from large cities. There are very few full-time musicians here with most players working in other jobs and only playing music on a part-time basis. Full-time musicians tend to have much higher standards regarding learning music inside and out.”

“People like to spend $125 per night per musician here regardless of the quality. It’s hard on the artists and doesn’t help to create the vibrant live music scene we could have.”

[Btfsplck]

A good buddy of mine is a drummer, and a good one at that.
My favorite thing to say to him is... "...then the musicians went up on stage for the show, as well as the drummer"

[ferri]

Mick Jagger! Gilda Radner even mentioned it in her tribute to him.

Jagger plays guitar, harmonica, bass and piano.

I hope you know you almost ruined that song for me. haha

I honestly didn't know that about Mick. I have never seen him play anything. I've always been mesmerised by the way he moves.

[Verum]

Pedant mode: Basically anyone alive can play some instrument, even if only the triangle or cowbell, and even if badly. Those dead are just decomposing.

If one reads the topic as musicians who don't play any instruments well, then the list is going to be very long and include band members who actually do play. Personally, I think Dylan falls into this, even if he is a good writer, but there are many, many not great musicians out there.

[Glacier]

Bob Dylan can neither play an instrument nor sing, but he gets full marks for trying. I'm only half joking because I think he really could sing prior to about 1985, and he largely played and sang songs that were simple but catchy. Lots of famous "singers" are not very good at singing. Matt Goode, Dylan, Neil Young, Rihanna, Katy Perry, etc., but they still get appreciation for their talents. You can still write and sing catchy tunes without a great voice.

Take the Guess Who for example. Randy Bachman was not a great singer while Burton Cummings had one of the best vocals in rock'n roll, and yet Bachman's top songs are every bit as catchy. Same goes for the Beatles. I kinda like Ringo Star's songs the best (Yellow Submarine, etc.) even though McCartney and Lennon were more talented vocalists.

Singing ability comes down to several factors because the voice is an instrument every bit as complex as an artificial one. Range, pitch, tone/timbre, etc. all come into play.

What makes a person a good singer (ie. pleasing to listen to) is not always easy to define. There are many different music tastes and different types of people. Johnny Cash is another. A very interesting voice I like to listen to, but not really that talented technically speaking, but like Dylan and others, he more than makes up for it in expressivity, soul, dry wit, etc.

Anyway, for some reason I've always assumed that if you were a singer you would have learned the guitar, piano, or some other instrument, but I've obviously not given that much thought before. LOL.

Singing and playing is really like playing two instruments at once, which takes talent, especially when drumming.



P.S. Rolling Stone Magazine lists Aretha Franklin as the top singer of all time... https://www.rollingstone.com/music/list ... s-20101202

[seewood]

I believe that the voice is an instrument, it takes time, discipline, and knowing how to avoid buggering-up one’s vocal cords

If the voice is an instrument, then I believe most of the girl singers today can't play an instrument. They all sound like 12 year old's. ( maybe they are) The guys that have to be auto-tuned, much the same.

[kgcayenne]

That's a fair observation, indeed.

[flamingfingers]

This disproves that assertion:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZH6L6dxd_1U

Can't dispute that voice is indeed an instrument and extremely well played.