White Folks - Singing Like Black Folks

Roy...you got a problem with white girls having "Soul?" Just kidding..
A friend and I sang this really fun song called "Shackels" in a praise service that we had. It is sung by Mary Mary, and we are two white girls...and this one for one had to work HARD to do justice to that song. I finally just decided to let go and have fun with it.

 

I honestly don't have a problem with white people singing a certain style, just as long as they can "pull" it off, and do the style justice. Of course, I'm probably more of a progressive than others you may find on this board.

As to the number of white folk who are on the top 10, here's what I can come up with:

Rock: Every one of the top ten consists of at least a white guy fronting the band. A strong rock singer, Lenny Kravitz, is black, but he sings more "white" than he does "black" (Note that the descriptions are merely for referencing those who don't know why Kravitz is.)

Rap: The #1 artist today is white - the venerable Eminem. The remainder are black. Rap originated in Harlem in the late 70's and has been predominantly black ever since. Vanilla Ice at first made a big step into the genre, but is now the topic of derision.

Blues: Some of the best blues artists I've heard are white - but these were live performances from people who weren't nationally known. I don't have enough exposure to the top ten here to speak with any authority.

Jazz: Some of the best jazz artists are white. THE best jazz musician, though, is Wynton Marsalis, hands down.

Gospel: Depends on how we define gospel. The best goapel choir out there is a mixed group - Brooklyn Tabernacle, Christ Church Choir is also a great gospel group. That's at one end, with the other end being Kirk Franklin and Hezekiah Walker - both black.

Metal: Strictly white, except for a few groups that have Asian-Americans as part of the band.

I am very thankful that our generation doesn't have Barbra Streisand ("Feelings...Nothing more than feelings...") We've got a wider variety of music that is out there, and so much of it is excellent, from groups like Nickel Creek to musicians like Pat Mathenty, to Christian artists such as Caedmon's Call.

And I was raised on Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole myself!

 

I am a music major in college, and while that may not mean anything for credentials, it does mean I take voice lessons.
As such, I have been taught never to use 'Ebonics' or, as some would say, "Sing like a Black Person." Even though I have been taught not sing like that, I understand that certain songs sound better with different styles. And even though Ebonics are typically used by Black people, certain songs sound better with those voice influctuations.
Now, if someone overdoes it then it disgusts me; but if it is done tastefully, then it can sound really good.

 

Strongly disagree. Black is beautiful, but so is white, or Asian, or hispanic, or the most beautiful is probably when they're mixed(POD!!).

Take a look at the most popular artists over the last 3 years or so, you get Creed(white), U2(white), Linkin Park(mostly white with something else I can't identify), POD(7 races between all the members), Britney Spears (blonde hair/blue eyes), Christina Aguilara(white), Justin Timberlake and the rest of the boy bands(white, maybe occasional hispanic or asian), Matchbox 20(white), Eminem(white), virtually every country artist ever(white).

Really the only genre that is predominantly black is Rap/Hip-hop, which I believe has always been black. In fact for years there wasn't a white rapper in existence. Now the most popular rapper over the last couple years has been Eminem, most certainly white.

Oh but we do, CD's of those people are readily available. They're just boring. And I don't think Frank Sinatra is any better of a role model then POD, or U2, or Creed. I'm pretty sure your generation had role models just as bad as today's, but the bad faded with time while the good memories endure.

 

Ahhh....Dr. Bob, I don't know that I would particularly want anyone looking up to your picks as role models either! They may have done good music, but their personal lives sure left a lot to be desired. How about Jim Nabors (who earned a gold record for his rendition of "The Lord's Prayer") and Tennessee Ernie Ford (who always closed his show with a hymn) as better examples?

Ruth

 

Every era's music has been objectionable to (most) people over 30.... probably as long as there has been music. I remember when I was a teenager saying "If you don't like my music, It's because you're old" Now, I remember those words when I don't like the music I hear...Guess that means I'm old now...when did that happen?

But back to the subject. My father was the choir director for the First Assembly of God, and they sang what he calls "Negro Spirituals" So,this isn't anything new. That was 42 years ago. From what I hear, that's how Elvis got a lot of his style too. People had a problem with Elvis for the same reason at the time.

This issue of white people singing in a black style is pretty rediculous in my opinion. I think we forget how much of American music has roots that aren't "white".

[ September 11, 2003, 05:57 PM: Message edited by: Wisdom Seeker ]

 

WHO CARES if a style is sung by predominatly black people or has roots in that culture. Anyone can sing anything sytle they want, its not wrong. If white people want to sing rap music, let them sing rap music. If a black wants to sing in some old school opra, then by all means.

Why don't we all just go back to God's music, the gregorian chant that preceeds all those worldly instramental, of the devil hymnals that came out when classical music was the Devil's fad. NOW THOSE BOYS COULD SING!

 

Roy, did you ever want to express something musically and it was so emotional you felt that there weren't adequate words in English to express it? How Great Thou Art moves me much more when sung in Hawaiian (is that their language ) than it does in English.
I'd think that the same would be true in musical styles. Sometimes a song is just better expressed in the way you want it to be if it's sung a different style, and it doesn't matter if you're black or white. ROFL! Sorry, had to throw the MJ line in there.
Gina

 

Absolutely - BUT if that genuineness sounds a certain way, whether black or white, the important part is that it is genuine. I believe Crystal Lewis to be genuine, and for months listening to her, I thought she was black. She's actually not. Genuineness is more important than style. It doesn't matter if the person or the music is black or white.

Sounds quite racist to me, as if they were mocking either Ray Charles or the whole method of culturally black worship. I probably would have left during that myself. Spending 6 and a half years in Alabama in my life, though, I'm not surprised.

I would argue that it's more sinister than that. Even if it is in good fun, can you imagine how outraged the white community would be if they heard that a black church in the area had parodied the "white" way of doing church? They'd probably be livid. (Again, just speaking from knowing the general culture in Alabama...)