Luther had 'em, Freddie did, and so did other male artists.

Does this not exist anymore?

That never looked right to me. Your backup singers should primarily be the same gender as you. I guess Luther wanted his music and stage shows to have a certain ambiance that female voices could provide, but still...I don't too much care for female backup singers echoing "I love you girl" on some male singers record. Seems weird.

[Edited 9/15/13 10:24am]

I think the best use of male singers and female background vocalists was Marvin Gaye. Everyone else followed behind him with Luther Vandross coming closest.

But it never looks right unless said male singer was a heartthrob for the ladies.

Rod Stewart has female background singers. One of them is Di Reed, a former member of Jade. This is a recent performance, and Di is in the middle.

John Fogerty also has female singers:

Here's a merengue group called Los Toros Band with women background singers.

phunkdaddy said:

Isaac Hayes always had female background singers and Isaac is as manly as you can get.

Hell yes....

Bowie's been pretty much everything BUT a heartthrob

MickyDolenz said:

Rod Stewart has female background singers. One of them is Di Reed, a former member of Jade. This is a recent performance, and Di is in the middle.

One of the members of Jade is backing up Rod? Damn...never knew that.

Wasn't Lisa Fischer backing up Mick Jagger/Rolling Stones?

ADC said:

Your backup singers should primarily be the same gender as you.

[Edited 9/15/13 21:35pm]

Maxwell has a female background singer that sounds a lot like him at times.

Stevie Wonder had female backup singers too.

And that one guy named Prince.

Mr. Leonard Cohen.

Duran Duran also tours and records with female background singers.

Why the hate for the cross gender artists/back up singers combination? Personally, I don't think it looks/sounds wierd, but I can only speak for myself.

Alexander O'neal had female back up singers too for some of his songs like Criticize, Used, The Lovers, etc. I forgot about him.

But in today's music (let's say 2000-present) you barely see that anymore like we did in the 1980's and prior?

mrjun18 said:

Why the hate for the cross gender artists/back up singers combination? Personally, I don't think it looks/sounds wierd, but I can only speak for myself.

Alexander O'neal had female back up singers too for some of his songs like Criticize, Used, The Lovers, etc. I forgot about him.

But in today's music (let's say 2000-present) you barely see that anymore like we did in the 1980's and prior?

Because then they gotta pay people.

Nowadays the "producer" can just run Britney/Katy/Justin/Baby Jesus's voice through their Macbook, alter it, and turn her into a whole choir. Bing bang boom. That's why it all sounds so cheap and does poorly - it is cheap and done poorly.

jeidee said:

mrjun18 said:

Why the hate for the cross gender artists/back up singers combination? Personally, I don't think it looks/sounds wierd, but I can only speak for myself.

Alexander O'neal had female back up singers too for some of his songs like Criticize, Used, The Lovers, etc. I forgot about him.

But in today's music (let's say 2000-present) you barely see that anymore like we did in the 1980's and prior?

Because then they gotta pay people.

Nowadays the "producer" can just run Britney/Katy/Justin/Baby Jesus's voice through their Macbook, alter it, and turn her into a whole choir. Bing bang boom. That's why it all sounds so cheap and does poorly - it is cheap and done poorly.

Sure but even on tour/on stage, you just dont see that anymore like you used to.

I think Rick James always used background singers (The Colored Girls)...they complimented his voice. Can U imagine male vocalist doing the background on "You And I"? The only time I can recall him using male vocalists were on "Standing On The Top" with The Temptations.

[Edited 9/16/13 17:39pm]

They dont want the background singers outshining the lead singer.

I like the way some Artitsts put together their bands. I think B-Girl still has the ALL Chick band...I like that when i saw it years ago...It's just different.....I watched Adele perform on Letterman and she had a predominately Black band with all Black background singers..The singers did good..What shocked me the most was Adele's performance. Vocally she was on-point but as the song Climaxed she should have made Love to that Microphone and worked that stage...She needed to move..She just stood there the whole time...How could she not feel the Power of her own music from the pit of her Soul? Is she capable of letting herself become the music? That's the sign if of an authentic Music Diva...Being Free on stage regardless of who is in the audience....

Chancellor said:

She needed to move..She just stood there the whole time...How could she not feel the Power of her own music from the pit of her Soul? Is she capable of letting herself become the music?

Singers like Johnny Mathis & Astrud Gilberto just stood around, and so does many country singers. Some folk and blues performers sit on chairs or stools the whole show. It isn't necessary for someone to dance or run around (or do karate moves like Elvis ) if that isn't their style or can't do it. Do people that go to see monks sing or chant expect them to jump around? Probably not and it is not their purpose to do that.

MickyDolenz said:

Singers like Johnny Mathis & Astrud Gilberto just stood around, and so does many country singers. Some folk and blues performers sit on chairs or stools the whole show. It isn't necessary for someone to dance or run around (or do karate moves like Elvis ) if that isn't their style or can't do it. Do people that go to see monks sing or chant expect them to jump around? Probably not and it is not their purpose to do that.

Everything you posted is 100% true. When we look at Adele it's obvious we're seeing different things. I feel she's VERY mysterious. Adele is probably the most secretive & mysterious Singer we've seen in a long time. I feel she's still trying to connect with her audience even though they connect with her everytime she opens her mouth to sing....I might be 100% WRONG but I think she's holding back something when she performs...It's even deeper than just moving hips & legs and "Diva hand gestures"....I have a feeling she's HOLDING back and she's not sure if she should allow herself to be FREE(or freeER) with a live crowd.....That's just my opinion now that I've seen her do her thing.....I feel an artists Famous Face & stage production is secondary when they're performing Live...You want to see their TRUTH as a Performer when you go to their shows......I guess the EASY way to put it is i don't see complete COMFORT when Adele is standing before thousands of adoring fans.......

uhhhhhh lol Prince?

Lisa Coleman, Jill Jones, Wendy Melvoin, Susannah Melvoin, Cat, Boni B ... when I loved him best with female background vocals, complimented his style well

jeidee said: mrjun18 said: Why the hate for the cross gender artists/back up singers combination? Personally, I don't think it looks/sounds wierd, but I can only speak for myself. Alexander O'neal had female back up singers too for some of his songs like Criticize, Used, The Lovers, etc. I forgot about him. But in today's music (let's say 2000-present) you barely see that anymore like we did in the 1980's and prior? Because then they gotta pay people. Nowadays the "producer" can just run Britney/Katy/Justin/Baby Jesus's voice through their Macbook, alter it, and turn her into a whole choir. Bing bang boom. That's why it all sounds so cheap and does poorly - it is cheap and done poorly.

I agree with this. Only a few artists sound really good multitracked or stacked up with Michael and Janet Jackson being the main two I can think of. Otherwise, for other pop people like Justin Timberlake, it just reminds me how weak of a singer he is LOL.........Thats when you would get in session backing vocalists and it boosts the song more than you think. Alot of 80's pop music I hear still has the luminaries that use to sing backing vocals. Luther always used the same group I've noticed, whilst Richard Marx first started doing professional backing vocals, as of course did Luther for Bowie. Personally, I've never found it odd at all that females sing on lead male vocalist's songs. In the session heyday of the 80's, a group of women called The Waters are on so many people's songs it's ridiculous, and they sound damn great too.

[Edited 9/25/13 16:53pm]

Kid Creole and The (upgraded version of the) Coconuts are still touring. And they have always been female backing vocalists backing the lone male lead vocalist.

Also in the case of Fivestar (all five siblings reunion recently), Stedman & Delroy are always the male backing vocalists backing their sisters, especially Denise, that are on lead vocals.