Singers who smoke

[Droopy]

I was watching a little bit of a tribute to the Dean Martin Variety Show that was on earlier today. It showed a few clips of the show and in one of them there was ol' Dean smoking a cigarette while singing in that silky, smooth voice of his. I don't see how that's possible.

I do a lot of driving and I like to listen to the radio and try to sing along sometimes to help pass the time. I'm also a smoker. I can't sing for more than a few minutes without hacking up a lung. And I don't smoke a lot, either. Probably around a pack a day. So how do singers who smoke maintain their singing voice?

[bigwillq]

1. A pack a day is a lot, imo

That's what I'm up to.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

2. Well, you eventually sound like Tom Waits. Listen to his earlier stuff

("Closing Time" and "Heart of Saturday Night") and then listen to anything more recent.

If, like Waits, your music happens to go well with that kind of sound, good for you, heh.

[Wapsie B]

3. The same way

Respiratory Therapists do it. They're just addicted. Logic doesn't apply.

[Droopy]

4. What I'm saying is

How can a singer smoke and still maintain his/her singing voice? Sorry if I wasn't clear.

[johnnie]

5. I've been smoking my whole "singing career"

In one way it makes it tough, but then I also get a rasp out of it. I sing enough that my lungs are pretty strong.
If you listen to my band's music though, you can hear the cigarettes.
www.echogrove.com

There are tunes there. If you click on "State of mind" off the first album, it starts with my smoker's cough..lol.

[Droopy]

6. "State" rocks

You should put that link in your sig line.

[johnnie]

8. Thanks Droopy

That song made me a few bucks on local college radio..lol.
I guess I could put that link in my sig line. Let me check it out.

[maynard]

7. Rolling Stones

Keith Richards and Ron Wood chain smoke during their concerts.

[Karenina]

9. Out with the bad air

In with the good.
OUT with the bad air
IN with the GOOD!
:evilgrin:

[DS1]

10. Shit, look at Marianne Faithful, unlistenable now

Scarily so.

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. Was just gonna say that

[graywarrior]

12. Dylan didn't like how his voice sounded when he quit,

so he started up again.

[Misunderestimator]

13. As a former singer who smoked...

It's possible, but it DEFINITELY CATCHES UP WITH YOU!! Anyone who says it doesn't affect the breathing and the quality of the tone of the voice is full of shit. It does. (Not to mention that continuous coughing is very, very bad on the voice.)

[johnnie]

14. It makes me sound cool though..LOL

Of course I'm a hack of a singer anyway, so it doesn't matter much. Honestly, people have been telling me I have improved a lot in the last few years. I guess I should double my smoking then.

[Misunderestimator]

15. Yeah... That's a great idea...

:eyes:

I'm 3 1/2 weeks without smoking myself :P

[johnnie]

18. Very cool!

Is it getting easier?

[Misunderestimator]

20. Yes, it's quite easy now actually.

And I LOVE being able to breathe deeply again without coughing. :)

[ElsewheresDaughter]

16. Whittney Houston smokes.....i was her on Bravo channel

[Bluebear]

17. Listen to what it did for Joni Mitchell!

I am not anti-smoking, I still miss it time to time but I do know since I quit I can reach another SIXTH above what my range was!

[khashka]

19. Their voices change

Witness KaTe Bush. She has a deeper scratchier voice now. Courtney Love totally stripped hers (though probably not just from cigs). Tori Amos smokes and I haven't noticed a difference but give her a few years.

Khash, a pack a day man.