Your Take: What Makes A Great Country Duo?

wow…I get to start. Ummm…I’d like to start out by stating that Johnny-June pairing are most believable for a few reasons: Johnny was stubborn about marrying her and even went so far as to change his ways for her after his drug addiction bouts ended, they are still together even after so many years until Johnny’s dying breath, and their love transcended well across audience, despite the initial marriage of John to that other woman (forgot her name). As for record companies and reality shows pitting two people together is a RARE occurrence of success if you ask me. Based on the article, I see only ONE example of an executive with such success, and I’m willing to bet that there were numerous examples of this happening all the time with no impact like Brooks & Dunn. As for reality shows…they are mainly a hit-and-miss type of thing. How many actual success has reality shows (including American Idol) contributed to an artist’s vision of persistence?? I’d say slim (with exception of the above-mentioned Joey+Rory. In my humble opinion, I think being exposed on TV garners more audience compared to an artist who deals his/her hands with just music biz venture. The more audience you get, the better your chances are heard…not that there’s anything wrong with this approach, it just seems to be rather a shortcut.

I think that a successful duo can be spliced together by a music exec, and frankly, I don’t care if that’s the case if the music is good. What does it matter how Brooks & Dunn formed as long as they put out good stuff like “Neon Moon”? Admittedly, this argument starts to lose steam now that B&D has taken a turn toward the schlock, but that first album of theirs was great.

I haven’t given Caitlin & Will a listen yet, but if their songs and their harmonies are excellent, I can overlook the fact that Naomi Campbell helped put them together (as a side note: what the hell is Naomi Campbell doing on a country music reality show?)

My favorite all-time duo is The O’Kanes (Jamie O’Hara and Kieran Kane). Their voices were interesting and recognizable separately, but when you put them together, their harmonies absolutely soared. It didn’t hurt that they were both talented songwriters who refused to follow the mainstream. I miss the days when country radio not only played their bluegrass-inspired songs but gave them #1 songs and hit records. It’s just a shame that they were around at the same time as the Judds, as country radio has always had this bizarre rule of having only one dominant duo at a time.

Sam, Naomi Judd, not Campbell.:)

I just want duos to sound good together, as if it’s natural for their voices to blend together. The problem with B&D is that they’ve never sounded like a duo, even when their songs were good. Ronnie sounded great on songs like “Neon Moon” and “Brand New Man”, etc, but they’ve never sounded like a duo. On the other hand, while I’m not a Montgomery Gentry fan, they actuallly sound like a duo. Their voices can both be heard singing together. The same goes with Big & Rich. In fact, B&R actually sound very good together. As for Sugarland, they certainly don’t sound like a duo. I feel like any other guy could be contributing vocals and we wouldn’t really notice, which is another part of being a true duo. If someone other than Naomi sang harmony in the Judds, I’d notice in an instant. Likewise, for B&R, MG, etc., but not B&D.

So, those are my scattered thoughts on the matter…

Oh yeah, my favorite famous duo is Johnny and June whith the Judds as a distant second.

I’ll second all of Leeann’s comments. Except I think that Kristian Bush’s vocals are pretty recognizable. Listen to their latest single for an example.

And my favorite Duo is Sugarland, then Brooks & Dunn, and The Judds.

Some of my favorite pairings of solo stars include Rodney Crowell & Rosanne Cash, Reba & Vince Gill (or Reba & Ronnie Dunn), Conway & Loretta, and of course George & Tammy.

But Leeann, Kix Brooks plays that guitar and dances around. Isn’t that basically what Kristian Bush does (albeit with a mandolin)?

Kix is sort of Country music’s Flava Flav.

I think there has to be more than just two good vocalists to make a great duo on. It’s the connection between the two artists. With Johnny and June – it was the love. With Big & Rich – it’s the yin and yang of the way they look and sound. With B & D – I think it’s it’s the “X” factor. There’s something about them together that just clicks with people . With Conway and Loretta – I always felt like they really liked and respected each other. My favorite duet ever is David Frizell and Shelley West “You’re the reason God made Oklahoma” and, if memory serves, wasn’t she involved with or married to his brother? I remember it was a little complicated…..anyway, David’s voice was really pure country and Shelley sounded like the girl next door. Bottom line for me – a great duo is like love….it’s doesn’t alwaly make a lot of sense ya’ know. Sometimes, it just works……

#1 favorite – Big & Rich

My favorite currently active duo is husband and wife team Adam and Shannon Wright. I really, really like the music Joey + Rory are making but I prefer The Wright’s sound and I listen to The Wright’s CDs far more than Joey + Rory’s and Joey’s “Strong Enough To Cry” album, great as they are. I wonder if The Wright’s can get on the next CMT “Can You Duet”? They sure could use the media exposure.

Gals whom I would love to hear more great duets from are Sunny Sweeney (with maybe Radney Foster), Elizabeth Cook (with maybe Jeff Bates), Amber Digby (with maybe Darryl Singletary), and Ashley Monroe (with maybe Matt Jenkins). Well, that’s my wish list anyway…

Wow! Not much love for Kix Brooks here today. I suppose most of the comments are correct though. He doesn’t add much to the act overall. I like the harmony of Vince Gill and Patty Loveless. Alison Krauss also collaborates well with just about everyone (James Taylor, Brad Paisley, Shenandoah, Robert Plant, John Waite, Alan Jackson, Kenny Rogers, John Michael Montgomery, etc.). As far as actual duos go, however: I can’t stand Big and Rich. My all time favorite duo is The Judds. Naomi’s contribution was significant enough and I will always love them! :)

The key to a great duo is the vocal blend – without that, a duo is not really a duo. If I had to rate the duos, it would be in the following order:

Phil & Don Everly
Buck Owens & Don Rich
Dolly Parton & Porter Wagoner
Carter & Ralph Stanley
Ira & Charlie Louvin
Jim & Jesse McReynolds
George Jones & Melba Montgomery
Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper
Johnny Cash & June Carter
Loretta Lynn & Conway Twitty

honorable mentions
Jim Ed Brown & Helen Cornelius
Ernest Tubb & Loretta Lynn
George Jones & Tammy Wynette
Emmylou Harris and almost anybody
Montgomery Gentry
Vince Gill and almost anybody
Charlie Louvin & Melba Montgomery

Buck Owens and Don Rich were never listed as a duo, but they were, in fact, the absolute best non-family duo at blending their voices together. When Don RIch died in 1974 the classic Buck Owens sound was lost forever

Oh, and Miranda Lambert & Buddy Jewel’s version of “Today I Started Loving You Again” is amazing.

Seconded! Miranda has never sounded better, IMO.