A backing vocalist or backing singer (or, especially in the U. S. , backup singer or sometimes background singer) is a singer who sings in harmony with the lead vocalist, other backing vocalists, or alone but not singing the lead. In Western music, harmony is the use of different pitches simultaneously and chords actual or implied in Music. The lead vocalist (or lead singer) is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song
In many bands, one or more musicians other than the lead singer take on the duty of backing vocalist while playing their instruments. Some backing vocalists may also have solos from time to time. An example is guitarist John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who sings all backing vocals (few songs are recorded without backing vocals) often singing some parts without accompaniment from lead vocalist Anthony Kiedis. A guitarist is a Musician who plays the Guitar. Guitarists may perform solo pieces or play with ensembles and bands of a wide variety of genres John Anthony Frusciante (pronounced) (born March 5 1970 is an American Guitarist, singer songwriter and record producer Red Hot Chili Peppers are Anthony Kiedis (kiːdɪs "kee-dis" (born November 1 1962 is an American musician and the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. John usually covers a song by himself during concerts. Another example is No Frontiers by the Corrs,which is sung by Sharon and Caroline. The Corrs are a Celtic Folk rock group from Dundalk, County Louth Ireland. Former member of Scottish band Wet Wet Wet, Angus "Gusboyslim" Cameron's dulcet tones can be heard in such classics as "Billy Boys" and "Follow Follow". Wet Wet Wet are a Scottish pop band that formed in the 1980s They scored a number of hits in the British charts and around the world The Billy Boys is a loyalist song from Belfast, sung to the tune of " Marching Through Georgia. "Follow Follow" is a song sung by supporters of Rangers F Other examples include Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance of Avenged Sevenfold,Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy, Mike Dirnt of Green Day, Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park,HIM (band) Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Malcolm Young of AC/DC (along with Cliff Williams, who joined the band in 1977), Nick McCarthy of Franz Ferdinand, Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones, The Edge of U2, Pete Townshend of The Who, Mick Jones of The Clash, Jason Newsted of Metallica, Benji Madden of Good Charlotte, Michael Anthony of Van Halen, Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe, Dusty Hill of ZZ Top, Daron Malakian of System of a Down, and Adrian Smith and Steve Harris of Iron Maiden. Synyster Gates (born Brian Elwin Haner Jr on July 7, 1981) in Huntington Beach, California) also known as Syn, Zacky Vengeance (born Zachary James Baker on December 11 1981 is the rhythm guitarist and back up vocalist for the band Avenged Sevenfold. Avenged Sevenfold is an American Hard rock band formed in 1999 in Huntington Beach California. Peter Lewis Kingston Wentz III (born June 5, 1979) is an American Musician and Songwriter, most famous for his work with the Fall Out Boy is an American Pop punk band from Wilmette, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago) that formed in 2001 Mike Dirnt (born Michael Ryan Pritchard on May 4 1972 in Berkeley California) is the bassist and backing vocalist for the American Punk rock Green Day is an American rock trio Michael Kenji Shinoda (born February 11 1977 is an American Musician, record producer and Artist from Agoura Hills California. Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. HIM is a rock band from Finland formed in 1991 by vocalist Ville Valo, guitarist Mikko Lindström, Joe Perry may refer to Joe Perry (American football (born 1927 Joe Perry (musician (born 1950 Joe Perry (snooker Aerosmith is an American Hard rock band sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston " and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band" Malcolm Mitchell Young (born January 6 1953) is an Australian Guitarist, best known as a founding member Rhythm guitarist Backing AC/DC are an Australian Hard rock band formed in Sydney, Australia in 1973 by brothers Angus and Malcolm Young. Cliff Williams (born December 14, 1949) is an English Bassist, best known for his membership in the Australian Hard rock Nick McCarthy (born Nicholas Augustine McCarthy December 13, 1974) is an English musician Franz Ferdinand is a rock band that formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 2001 Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943 is an English Guitarist, Songwriter, Singer, producer and a founding member of The Rolling David Howell Evans (born 8 August 1961 in Barking, East London) more widely known by his Moniker The Edge, is a Musician known best Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (born 19 May 1945 in Chiswick, London) is an English rock Guitarist, Singer, The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964. The primary lineup consisted of guitarist Pete Townshend Michael Geoffrey "Mick" Jones (born 26 June 1955 was the lead Guitarist and a vocalist of the British Punk rock band The For the debut album by The Clash see The Clash (album The Clash were Jason Curtis Newsted (born March 4, 1963 in Battle Creek Michigan) is an American bassist best known as the former bassist of Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band that formed in 1981 in. Benjamin Levi Madden (born Benjamin Levi Combs on March 11, 1979) is the Guitarist and backup vocalist of the band Good This article is about the Musician For other uses see Michael Anthony (disambiguation) Van Halen is a Hard rock band formed in in 1972 They enjoyed success from the release of their self titled debut album in 1978 Nikki Sixx (born Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna Jr December 11, 1958, San Jose California) is an American bassist, Mötley Crüe ( IPA pronunciation: /'mɒtliː Joe Michael "Dusty" Hill (born May 19, 1949) is the bassist and vocalist with Texas Boogie-Blues-Rock group ZZ Top. ZZ Top (ˌziːziːˈtɒp is an American rock band formed in late 1969 in Houston Texas. Daron Vartan Malakian (born 18 July 1975) was the Lead guitarist, songwriter and sang the sub-vocals in System of a Down until their hiatus in System of a Down (commonly referred to as System or abbreviated as SOAD) is an Armenian American rock band formed in 1994 in Adrian Frederik "H" Smith (born February 27 1957 in Hackney, East London, England) is a Guitarist and one of three Guitarists Stephen Percy Harris (born March 12, 1956 in Leytonstone, London, England) is the Bassist, band leader and primary For other uses see Iron maiden.
Among the pioneers of pop music two producers should be noticed for their work with backing vocals – Phil Spector, who used b vox (backing vocals) and lavish orchestration to create a bombastic sound – and Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys who composed some of the most intricate vocal harmonies in pop music. Harvey Philip Spector (born December 26 1940) is an American Record producer and Songwriter. Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942 in Hawthorne, California) is an American Musician best known as the lead The Beach Boys is an American rock band Formed in 1961 the group gained popularity for its close vocal harmonies and lyrics reflecting a California Youth culture Both producers have greatly influenced the vocal harmony style of The Beatles, who introduced some intricate arrangements themselves on later recordings. The Beatles were a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England formed in 1960 Since all four members of The Beatles sang lead on various songs, all served as creative backup singers for the others at various times. The Beatles were a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England formed in 1960 The same can be said for the (main) members of KISS
The English rock group Queen are very famous for complex harmonies. Kiss (also typeset as KISS) is an American rock band formed in New York City in December 1972 Queen were an English rock band formed in 1970 in London by guitarist Along with dynamic lead vocalist Freddie Mercury two bandmates Roger Meddows-Taylor and Brian May have strong voices which blend intricately together along with Freddie's voice and Queen songs were rarely recorded, particularly early on, without backing vocals. Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara; 5 September 1946 – 24 November 1991 was a Zanzibar -born British Musician, best known as the lead Roger Taylor (born Roger Meddows-Taylor on July 26, 1949 in Dersingham, Norfolk later moved to Kings Lynn is an English Musician Brian Harold May, CBE
In the recording studio, some lead singers choose to record their own backing vocals. Ian Gillan of Deep Purple is one of the best known examples, as are Brad Delp of Boston, who recorded all lead and backing vocals on the first three Boston albums, Lemmy of Motörhead, following the departure of Eddie Clarke, Justin Hawkins of The Darkness, Sting of The Police, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, Rob Halford of Judas Priest, Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, Ronnie James Dio of Dio, Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin and Thom Yorke from Radiohead. Ian Gillan (born 19 August, 1945 in Hounslow, London) is an English Rock music Vocalist and Songwriter Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertfordshire in 1968 Bradley E Delp ( June 12 1951 &ndash March 9 2007) was an American Musician. Boston is an American rock band from Boston Massachusetts that achieved its most notable successes during the 1970s and 1980s Lemmy (born Ian Fraser Kilmister, December 24 1945) also known as Lemmy Kilmister, Ian Willis or Lemmy von Motörhead Edward Clarke (born 5 October 1950, Twickenham, London) better known as "Fast" Eddie Clarke, is a Guitarist Justin David Hawkins (born 17 March 1975 in Chertsey, Surrey, England) is an English Musician and Singer-songwriter, best The Darkness were a multi- BRIT Award -winning British Hard rock / Glam rock band Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, CBE (born October 2, 1951) better known by his Stage name Sting, is a three time Academy Award The Police were a three-piece rock band consisting of Sting ( vocals, Bass guitar) Andy Summers ( Guitar, Stephen Victor Tallarico (born March 26 1948 in Yonkers New York) better known as Steven Tyler (and often nicknamed The Demon of Aerosmith is an American Hard rock band sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston " and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band" Robert John Arthur Halford (born August 25, 1951) is an English singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist for the heavy metal band Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in 1970 in Birmingham. Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20 1967 – c April 5 1994 was an American musician who served as lead singer, Guitarist, and songwriter for the Seattle Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen Washington. Ronnie James Dio (born Ronald James Padavona on July 10, 1942 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA is an American heavy Dio is an American heavy metal band led by Vocalist Ronnie James Dio, who formed it in 1982 after leaving Black Sabbath. Robert Anthony Plant (born 20 August 1948 West Bromwich, England) is an English rock singer and songwriter famous for his membership in the Led Zeppelin were Thomas Edward Yorke (born 7 October 1968 is a Grammy -winning English Musician, best known as the lead singer and principal songwriter of the Radiohead
Many metalcore and some post-hardcore bands, such as As I Lay Dying and Alexisonfire, feature a main vocalist who does the lead singing/screaming, whilst the backing vocalist sings harmonies during choruses to create a contrast to the music tone's color. Metalcore is an umbrella term used to describe fusion genres that incorporate elements of the Hardcore punk and heavy metal genres Post-hardcore evolved from Hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader Punk rock movement As I Lay Dying is a Grammy -nominated Metalcore band from San Diego, California. Alexisonfire (pronounced Alexis-on-fire is a five-piece band that formed in Some bands, such as My Chemical Romance and Hawthorne Heights flip this process, and have screaming to highlight specific lyrics in contrast to the more harmonic and traditional lead vocals. My Chemical Romance (often shortened to MCR or' My Chem') is an American alternative / post-hardcore quintet that formed in 2001 Hawthorne Heights is a band based in America. The band formed in Dayton Ohio, in June 2001 their line-up currently consists of vocalist and guitarist JT Woodruff
Finally, there are several bands who, rather than harmonizing with the lead vocalist, use backing vocals in order to contrast with the lead singer who may be performing an unusual vocal technique. For example, the former lead guitarist of the band KoRn performed backing vocals on several songs, and notably on the song "Ball Tongue" screamed the chorus while lead vocalist Jonathan Davis sang incomprehensible scat vocals. Lead guitar refers to the use of a Guitar to perform Melody lines instrumental fill passages, and Guitar solos within a song structure Korn, occasionally typeset as KoЯn or KoRn, is an American Nu metal band from Bakersfield California, and is often credited with popularizing Ball Tongue is a song by the band Korn. The track is listed as track #2 off their debut self-titled album Korn. Jonathan Houseman Davis (born January 18, 1971) is the American vocalist for the multiplatinum Nu metal band Korn. Similarly, the Canadian deathcore group Despised Icon features two vocalists, one performing screams and another performing death grunts who alternate, and sometimes sing in unison to highlight certain lyrics. Deathcore is an amalgamation of two musical styles Metalcore and Death metal. Despised Icon is a Deathcore band from Montreal, Quebec. The band was formed by members of Neuraxis, In Dying Days and Heaven's Cry in January cf Death rattle, a sound sometimes made by the dying A death growl, also known as death metal vocals, gutteral vocals
Famous singers who began as backing vocalists:
- Phil Collins
- Whitney Houston
- Gwen Stefani
- Mariah Carey
- Diana Ross
- Luther Vandross
- Melissa Manchester
- Patti LaBelle
- The Pointer Sisters
- Cher
- Glen Campbell
- Marc Anthony
- Minnie Riperton
- Deniece Williams
- Patti Austin
- Anita Baker
- Linda Ronstadt
- Laura Branigan
- Bon Scott
- Tony Spinner
- Donna Summer
- Madonna
- Dionne Warwick
- Phyllis Hyman
- Chaka Khan
- Florence Ballard
- Mary Wilson
- Marvin Gaye
- Michelle Williams
- Elton John
- Bette Midler
- Martha Reeves
- Brian Wilson
- Telma Hopkins
- Marianne Faithfull
- Joe Hahn
- Mike Shinoda
- Richard Z. Kruspe
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