Comments on: Your Take: What Makes A Great Country Duo?

By: Leeann Ward

Leeann Ward — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:04:03 +0000

I’ll third that.

By: CMW

CMW — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 23:40:47 +0000

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

Seconded! Miranda has never sounded better, IMO.

By: Courtney

Courtney — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 23:28:18 +0000

Loretta & Conway are good. I would buy anything she ever sang. I think Tim & Faith’s duets are believable so they are therefore good. And I like Johnny & June duets. Oh, and Miranda Lambert & Buddy Jewel’s version of “Today I Started Loving You Again” is amazing.

By: Paul W Dennis

Paul W Dennis — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 04:21:18 +0000

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

By: Linda

Linda — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 23:40:43 +0000

Sure, a studio creation can be believable, as long as they have chemistry together and make good songs. I’m not a fan of Brooks & Dunn but it seems they have those things since they’re successful despite apparently not being a true duo. I didn’t know they were created by a label exec. If they were pop singers, the public would be scorning them for being inauthentic.

The Judds have great harmony. That’s what a duo should have. Too bad SHeDAISY isn’t a duo, otherwise I would pick them too.

By: Michael

Michael — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 18:15:44 +0000

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! :)

By: Vicki

Vicki — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 17:56:02 +0000

I think what makes a good duo is if their voices sound good together. Also, that both partners can sing as well. They are both equal partners as well, not dominated by one or the other. I love Joey and Roey. They are so laid back, relaxed and let their love for one another shine through. (BTW, anyone know if GAC is ever going to have them as a group for vote for on top 20? I mean I realize they were first recognized on a CMT show..but they are so much more than that show)

I often wonder why Sugarland and Brooks and Dunn are duos for one is the dominant singer which doesn’t make it a duet. In fact, the true duos right now are Montgomery-Gentry.

By: Rick

Rick — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 01:52:26 +0000

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…

By: CF

CF — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 01:18:34 +0000

I’m a huge fan of Brooks & Dunn, but I agree with Leeann. They don’t really sing together. The only song I know that they really truly sing like a duo is “Born and Raised in Black and White” (I don’t own their earlier albums, pre-GH, so I don’t know about those). Some other songs that I can actually hear them singing together is like “Rock My World (Little Country Girl)” (which Dunn’s vocals are only really obvious at the end lol) and like “Only In America”, in which Kix sings the background vocals, and maybe a few others, but overall, Montgomery Gentry, who I’m not crazy about, are more of a “duo” than Kix & Ronnie. B&D are my favorite classified, established “duo”, though.

My favorite duo/duet team would have to be… George and Tammy. It is really hard to not pick them.

My favorite collaborators of all time would be Loveless and Gill. Every time they’re together, it’s magic. They have only one true duet so I didn’t really see them as a “duo”, but they could be considered one. Unlike B&D, their vocals are very much obvious in their collaborations.

By: dothanal

dothanal — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 21:42:46 +0000

#1 favorite – Big & Rich