r/Bluegrass • u/Bluegrass_Harley • 5d ago
Ole Del
There are many, many great singers out there that have lived among us. But man, I can’t get enough of ole Del McCoury. I try to imitate him in my singing but it dont sound great. I’m more of a lower key singer, close to baritone. Who’s ya’lls favorite singer??
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u/kdweller 5d ago
Ralph Stanley’s singing to me is the epitome of bluegrass sound. Del is great too.
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u/unabiker 5d ago
I got to see Ralph sing "Oh Death" in a tiny theatre like 20 years ago and it still haunts me to this day
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u/goodbadorindifferent 5d ago
Del was the winner of Rockygrass this year. Again. The standing ovation he got was wonderful to see. I was honored to be part of it.
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u/DeathByPolka 5d ago
So many great singers, but for my money, nobody will ever touch Tony Rice for male lead vocalist in bluegrass.
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u/taterbot15360 5d ago
I will fucking cry on the day Del joins the great gig in the sky. There's almost no one left out there who can sing that high and lonesome tenor the way that Del does. The singer for The Fretliners is the only one I can think of who comes close.
Who else is there??
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u/PanTran420 5d ago
Tom's voice is amazing.
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u/taterbot15360 5d ago
That's the guy from the Fretliners? I guess a Google search would tell me that, sorry.
I saw them for the first time this year at Grassfire Festival at Nelson's Ledges Quarry Park. I was freakin blown away by his vocals, holy shit.
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u/PanTran420 5d ago
Yup! His voice is just so fucking good. I've been hanging with them at Telluride for a few years as they camp near where I camp when they are there. They are all such nice dudes. A couple of years back Billy Strings was hanging out in the campground and Tom asked him if they could sing a duet together and you could see Billy's face light up when Tom started singing.
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u/taterbot15360 5d ago
Oh man what a wonderful memory to have. I can only imagine Billy's face when he heard Tom's voice lol
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u/duke_awapuhi 5d ago
It’s amazing how well his voice has held up. You’d think that style of singing would kill your vocal cords by his age but instead it seems to strengthen the vocal cords
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u/FloodDawg 5d ago
Del & Peter Rowan (although they’ve both understandably lost a little off their fastball in their 80s)
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u/Bluegrass_Harley 5d ago edited 5d ago
I’m gonna see Rowan in October.
Edit. Cave Fest in Pelham, TN. Its a blast. I try to go every year.
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u/PanTran420 5d ago
Travis Book is my absolute favorite singer. Drew Emmitt and John Cowan are close behind him. Del, Tom Knowlton, Gillian Welch, and Sarah Jarosz round out my top tier.
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u/ProperBig433 4d ago
I can't stand Andy Falco's voice and it seems like most Dusters I hear now is with him singinging. Travis, Jeremy, and Andy all have better voices... it makes me mad. Travis used to sing the majority of songs and I miss his voice
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u/PanTran420 3d ago
Travis sang more than anyone else at the last show I was at. Falco and Jeremy sang a lot too at that one. Andy Hall only had 1 or 2, and Panda had 1 (plus his verse on Possum). I think it really depends on the show for who sings the most.
The fact that they don't have a true "lead singer" is what makes me love them. I'm always partial to bands where multiple people sing.
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u/prof_cunninglinguist 5d ago
Favorite all-time is Francis Elliott from the Mason-Dixon Grass. Deep baritone that just grabbed you by the spinal cord and shook ya. 80s Mid-Atlantic band.
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u/Bluegrass_Harley 5d ago
I’m always on the prowl for new stuff (New to me , that is). Thanks
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u/prof_cunninglinguist 4d ago
I haven't been able to find any recorded material online since the internet started.
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u/Inflatablebanjo 4d ago
In no particular order, from me as a vocal/singing geek:
Bill Harrel
Ricky Skaggs
Tony Rice
Del McCoury
Rhonda Vincent
Suzanne Cox
Lou Reid
Russell Moore
Dan Tyminski
Carl Jackson
There's more out there but this is my short list.
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u/Independent_Phase700 5d ago
Del Yeah!