Once-good singers who can't sing well anymore

[Brian556]

A while back, I watched a video of Peter Cetera singing that was recorded in recent times. His voice was cracking, and he just couldn't really do it anymore.

The other night, I got bored, and started watching 2013 performances by 80's artists using FOIS on demand. I watched Belinda Carlisle's performance of "Heaven Is a Place On Earth", and her singing was downright awful. Anybody at a Karaoke bar could've done better.

How common is it for once-good or great singers to lose their singing ability, and at what age does it typically happen?

[US81]

There's enough physiology involved I'd be surprised if there is a "typical"age. One can take care of one's body - including the sound-producing structures - or not. Jazz and classical vocalists often perform into their sixties and seventies. Performers have a lot of pressure to perform whether or not they have a cold, sore throat, allergies or are otherwise feeling ill.   Even mere fatigue can sap one's voice - ever tried to sing after a long fight with the dry air, jet-lag, exposure to irritants, etc? But many musicians have to do this on a regular basis. So, I'm not sure I would say they've lost their singing ability based on one performance. Of course, many performers (esp non-classical) shout or scream in ways that are destructive to vocal tissue as a standard element of their performances. Many also smoke, sometimes deliberately to get a "husky" voice. These folks will almost certainly lose their ability to perform earlier than they would have otherwise.

[bugo]

I've heard that Rob Halford can't hit the dildo-in-the-ass high notes that he could hit back in Priest's heyday.

I saw Paul McCartney about a year ago and except for some of the screams, he sounded great.

[hbelkins]

Listen to any of the recent Rush live albums, dating back to "Different Stages," and hear how the older songs like "The Temples of Syrinx" are tuned down, and that will tell you plenty about what's happened to Geddy Lee's vocal range.

[The High Plains Traveler]

For me the saddest example was Linda Ronstadt, who has lost her ability to sing due to Parkinson's.

[Henry]

I read somewhere that Whitney Houston attempted a comeback tour shortly before her death, but was booed off stage because she couldn't hit the high notes like she once did. As she once said, "crack is wack..."

[jp the roadgeek]

Jagger can't hit the high notes like he used to, and Dylan's voice has become quite whiny and occasionally indecipherable.  Bob Weir has some trouble with the high stuff that he used to hit with ease when Jerry was around.  On the other side of the coin, John Fogerty sounds exactly the same as 1970.  It's amazing how David Crosby has been through so much yet can still wail out Almost Cut My Hair.  Neil Young still sounds great too. 

[1995hoo]

We saw Billy Joel in concert last weekend. His voice has certainly changed over the years, but he can still sing and he still gives a good performance. He joked with the crowd prior to singing "An Innocent Man" about how he hadn't performed that song very often in recent years due to his difficulty hitting the high notes and how if his voice cracked on us we'd know we were getting our money's worth because it'd prove he wasn't using a recording.

[agentsteel53]

Dylan's voice has become quite whiny and occasionally indecipherable. 

there was a time when it wasn't?

[Coelacanth]

Saw Elton John last year. He's completely abandoned the idea of trying to hit certain notes (cf. 'Crododile Rock'; 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road') but apart from that he sounded pretty good.

I saw Peter, Paul and Mary toward the end of their touring era. They should have billed themselves as Peter, Paul, and some unintelligble growling.

[bugo]

Geddy Lee was once a good singer?

[Thing 342]

I saw Paul McCartney about a year ago and except for some of the screams, he sounded great.

I saw him perform on SNL around the same time and he wasn't very good. He sounded like he had trouble getting up to the higher notes in many of his songs.

[Henry]

I'm sure Billy Joel can still sing some of his old hit songs, while Elton John can't (save for Your Song, which he sang in his normal baritone voice) and hasn't since 1986.

[BamaZeus]

We saw Billy Joel in concert last weekend. His voice has certainly changed over the years, but he can still sing and he still gives a good performance. He joked with the crowd prior to singing "An Innocent Man" about how he hadn't performed that song very often in recent years due to his difficulty hitting the high notes and how if his voice cracked on us we'd know we were getting our money's worth because it'd prove he wasn't using a recording.

We saw Billy in Vegas in June and he sounded far better to me than he did when we saw him in Birmingham about 7 years ago.

Despite having "desert throat" and constantly drinking tea throughout the show, his voice sounded clearer to me than the last time I saw him.  He did "An Innocent Man" at the Birmingham show, but he had his backup singer Crystal covered the high notes for him.  He did not perform the song in Vegas, but I felt his voice was stronger after taking a long time off before this tour. 

[tchafe1978]

Ozzy Osbourne used to have a decently intelligible voice, but the years of drug and alcohol abuse have definitely taken its toll. But I don't think it's so much the voice going as it is the mind. You can barely even understand him talk, let alone sing (growl). And this is coming from a longtime fan of his.

[Jardine]

If I hear/see that Kenny Rogers insurance commercial one more time I think I will go out in the driveway, douse myself with gasoline, and immolate myself.

[Pete from Boston]

I'm sure Billy Joel can still sing some of his old hit songs, while Elton John can't (save for Your Song, which he sang in his normal baritone voice) and hasn't since 1986.

That'll teach Elton John (playing in the background, coincidentally, while I am writing this) to publicly lecture Billy Joel.

If I hear/see that Kenny Rogers insurance commercial one more time I think I will go out in the driveway, douse myself with gasoline, and immolate myself.

Poor Kenny Rogers.  The man finally gets past his infomercial rut and back onto mainstream TV, and the reaction is threats of suicide.  At this rate my "Six Pack II: The Next Generation" script is never going to get off the ground.

[Molandfreak]

Meat loaf has destroyed his vocal range. He basically can't hit a correct note anymore, even by accident...

[golden eagle]

Ozzy Osbourne used to have a decently intelligible voice, but the years of drug and alcohol abuse have definitely taken its toll. But I don't think it's so much the voice going as it is the mind. You can barely even understand him talk, let alone sing (growl). And this is coming from a longtime fan of his.

His rendition of "Take Me Out To the Ballgame" at Wrigley Field is telling enough.

[cjk374]

Ozzy Osbourne used to have a decently intelligible voice, but the years of drug and alcohol abuse have definitely taken its toll. But I don't think it's so much the voice going as it is the mind. You can barely even understand him talk, let alone sing (growl). And this is coming from a longtime fan of his.

His rendition of "Take Me Out To the Ballgame" at Wrigley Field is telling enough.

Who in the bloody blue hell thought THAT was a good idea???    

[hbelkins]

Ozzy Osbourne used to have a decently intelligible voice, but the years of drug and alcohol abuse have definitely taken its toll. But I don't think it's so much the voice going as it is the mind. You can barely even understand him talk, let alone sing (growl). And this is coming from a longtime fan of his.

His rendition of "Take Me Out To the Ballgame" at Wrigley Field is telling enough.

Who in the bloody blue hell thought THAT was a good idea???    

Probably the same idiot in San Diego who had Roseanne "sing" the national anthem all those years ago.

[cjk374]

^^^ I had forgotten all about that fiasco.  You're probably right.   

[roadman65]

Can Todd Rungren sing his songs Hello Its Me and I Saw The Light like he once did?  I think his voice is no longer feminine anymore? 

I am asking cause I myself have not heard him sing lately and when he did I Don't Want To Work his voice sounded more like a man.

BTW I am not knocking his voice at all as I liked the way he sang his classics just as I like Roger Hodson of Supertramp who sings still like Rungren did and most of all enjoy Take The Long Way Home and Give A Little Bit. 

[Stratuscaster]

Paul Stanley. View any recent live performance over the last 5 years (maybe more).

He can still sing better than me, though.

[Roadrunner75]

Can Todd Rungren sing his songs Hello Its Me and I Saw The Light like he once did?  I think his voice is no longer feminine anymore? 

I am asking cause I myself have not heard him sing lately and when he did I Don't Want To Work his voice sounded more like a man.

BTW I am not knocking his voice at all as I liked the way he sang his classics just as I like Roger Hodson of Supertramp who sings still like Rungren did and most of all enjoy Take The Long Way Home and Give A Little Bit.

I saw him front the "New Cars" a few years ago.  Of course most of the time he was doing his best Ric Ocasek impression, but you can get a good feel for what he sounds like now on the (mostly) live album they recorded of Cars songs and a couple of Rundgren tunes.