If you’re in a band and you’re lucky enough to have a standout singer at your disposal, that’s a wonderful thing. Two standout singers in a band can be considered an embarrassment of riches.
But what of those bands with at least three singers who can solo with aplomb while also providing stellar harmonies? Well, these four groups provide examples of how much can be accomplished with three or more singers of exceptional ability.
The Beatles
The Beatles made it a point to give George Harrison the chance to sing lead on a song or two per album in their earliest days, even when he wasn’t writing much. (They did the same for Ringo Starr, albeit to a lesser extent.) John Lennon and Paul McCartney often sang together in tight, two-part harmony, modeling themselves on the example of The Everly Brothers. When Harrison joined in three-part harmonies on early songs like “This Boy”, the effect could be overwhelming. On Abbey Road, the last album that The Beatles recorded together, they included more vocal harmony parts than they had in many years. Listening to those interwoven voices, you never would have guessed these guys weren’t getting along.
The Band
Robbie Robertson wrote many of The Band’s most famous songs, but he rarely sang them. Why would he? In the trio of Rick Danko, Levon Helm, and Richard Manuel, he had access to three of the finest, most distinct voices in rock and roll history. Danko provided a bit of trippy soul, Manuel delivered the heartbreaking pathos, and Helm offered equal parts grit and grace. These three men could stop a show when given a solo vocal to perform. But then there are the Band songs when they weaved in and out of one another, often in a call-and-response fashion. Or they could suddenly unite in off-kilter harmonies that would take your breath away.
The Eagles
Just about every member of Eagles, past and present, has been an outstanding singer. That was true right from the start, when they emerged as one of the leading lights of the country rock movement. As members came and went and the band shifted to more of a rock-oriented outfit, they maintained an impeccable vocal blend. From chief writers Don Henley and Glenn Frey to supporting players like Randy Meisner, Bernie Leadon, and Timothy B. Schmit, these guys could all belt when stepping out to the forefront. And then there were the harmonies, gleaming, airtight, and soulful, that could elevate any song to the stratosphere.
Fleetwood Mac
For the first decade or so of their existence, vocals were almost secondary to the effect that Fleetwood Mac was trying to achieve. They focused instead on blues-rock excursions driven by a series of talented lead guitarists. That all changed when Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham came to the band together in the mid-70s. They joined Christine McVie, who had already been a part of the Mac for a few years. Suddenly, Fleetwood Mac changed into a pop-rock-folk, song-oriented group. With the voices they had on display, they couldn’t help but make that move. Often singing the songs that they wrote, these three vocalists helped take this long-running band to sudden superstardom.
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