Can you think of any vocalists that actually got better as they grew older?

And when I say older, I'm talking about middle age and older years.

There seems to be a trend in which a vocalist's range (atleast in respect to rock and pop) seems to deteriorate as they move farther into middle age (about their fifties) and especially as they get old. I'm sure this is a perfectly normal symptom of aging, but can you guys think of any vocalist that defied this trend (I can't think of any at the moment)? Use videos to make your case.

Edit: just to focus the thead more, I'm defining a middle aged vocalist as someone atleast in their fifties.

No. Bruce Dickinson seems to be able to sound just as good as he did back in the day, but not better.

PJ Harvey ?ClassyDawg

I was thinking more about vocalists that are in their fifties and later tho. The vocal deterioration seems to happen much later than 43, which is PJ Harvey's current age.

Kurt Cobain because he died and stopped making music.

Justin Timberlake when he switched from singing to acting.

yesthegerg

Who?

Luciano Pavarotti.

Pavoratti had a great voice until the day he died.

 

Luciano Pavarotti.

0rbs

I swear you posted 1 sec before I did! :evil:

[QUOTE="0rbs"]

 

Luciano Pavarotti.

TheHighWind

I swear you posted 1 sec before I did! :evil:

gotta be fast.

Could also do bocelli.

Michael Jackson

Johnny Cash maybe.

Johnny Cash maybe.

True_Chaos_UK

Just about to say him too. Some of his older stuff his voice got kind of croaky. Croaky, but still good.

[QUOTE="True_Chaos_UK"]

Johnny Cash maybe.

TheHighWind

Just about to say him too. Some of his older stuff his voice got kind of croaky. Croaky, but still good.

I'm a fan of his older stuff but that is probably more to do with the emotion behind it than his voice.

Michael Jackson

BuryMe

I can't really agree with this one. I think his voice got more and more nasal as he got older (which might have alot to do with him constantly fvcking around with his nose). If you watch the movie This Is It, you'll see that his vocals (and his dancing) were really quite a bit shakier than they used to be.

Pavoratti had a great voice until the day he died.

 

TheHighWind

I'm thinking his voice held up better because he was an opera singer. Opera and singers in theater tend to sing more "correctly" than pop and rock singers, which preserves the vocal chords.

Brody Dalle became pretty different.. Some would say better.FrostyPhantasm

She's pretty young tho.

Actually, when I was in high school, my chorus teacher explained that as you age, you get better at singing because your voice develops more. So essentially, your singing ability peaks in your 50's.Reed_Bowie

But even if one is at peak singing ability in their 50s, it seem it doesn't work out that way in practice. Perhaps this is due to most vocalists not singing in the proper way. Even many Broadway singers don't sing properly.

[QUOTE="FrostyPhantasm"]Brody Dalle became pretty different.. Some would say better.GreySeal9

She's pretty young tho.

[QUOTE="GreySeal9"]

[QUOTE="FrostyPhantasm"]Brody Dalle became pretty different.. Some would say better.FrostyPhantasm

She's pretty young tho.

That's not usually what is thought of as middle age.

[QUOTE="FrostyPhantasm"][QUOTE="GreySeal9"]

She's pretty young tho.

GreySeal9

That's not usually what is thought of as middle age.

[QUOTE="GreySeal9"]

[QUOTE="FrostyPhantasm"] 34 doesn't count as middle aged?FrostyPhantasm

That's not usually what is thought of as middle age.

But they may simply classify 30s as middle age for organizational purposes. In our society, people in their thirties are considered to be fairly young. If you're in your early thirties, you were in your twenties not too long ago.

Ray Charles.

[QUOTE="FrostyPhantasm"]

[QUOTE="GreySeal9"]

That's not usually what is thought of as middle age.

GreySeal9

But they may simply classify 30s as middle age for organizational purposes. In our society, people in their thirties are considered to be fairly young. If you're in your early thirties, you were in your twenties not too long ago.

Kurt Cobain because he died and stopped making music.

Aljosa23

Hmmmm...Tom Waits I s'pose as his earlier less damaged vocals weren't nearly as effective for the type of music he traffics in.

Roger Daltrey

Off the top of my head, Sammy Hagar

Matt Bellamy from Muse. He sounded really young and high pitched on Muse's first record. Now he has amazing control and vibrato. lonewolf604