What Makes a Good Head Singer?

[BPlenty]

For my 200th post I thought I'd bring up this often overlooked aspect of singing. Drum etiquette, knowledge of song structure, knowledge of language, and basic common sense are all very important to becoming a good singer and/or a member of a drum, but the head singer is what ties all of this together. Everything that goes on and around that drum is his responsiblity. So what do you guys think makes a good one? Head singers have to be able to deal with a lot of different situations and a lot of different (and I mean different) kinds of people.

One thing I do want to state though; I'm talking about the head singer, not necessarily the lead singer. I know what you're thinking, aren't they the same thing. Not really. I know some groups who have one head singer and one or more lead singers; the lead singer being the person(s) who generally leads the songs. Sometimes the head singer is the lead singer, but this is not always the case. I make a pretty decent lead singer, but would make an absolutely horrible head singer; I hate conflict, and head singers have to deal with it a lot. Let's get some good discussions going on this...I know we have several head singers on this board.

P.S. SingerMD and Robert...with this being my 200th post, do I get a cake or anything

[[]FlyByNyte[]]

1. Have all of there brains in there head.

2. Have an understanding between the song that is called for and the song that is deliviered by the singers

3. A good head singer is like a DJ at a club or party...once a tone is set, 9 times out of 10 it is up to the knowledge of that singer to keep the good mood going with the right songs...and if it is not there to be able to pick the right song to deliver and get the good jammin mood that should be at the powwow with all the dancers and other groups singing...

4. A positive attitude in the acknowledgement of their drums duty to provide satisfactory songs for the duration of the gathering.

5. Needs to be a good person with an excellent outlook on things and can get along with the singers at his drum as well as creating a respectable relationship between thier drum and other persons.


that is all for now...until something else can be thought up...hehe



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Ancial

Work like you don't need the money, Love like you never been hurt, and Dance like nobody is watching.

[Beth]

A good healthy ego. Head singers take a lot of beating for everything imaginable. Don't they Brownhornet. Not an over blown ego for nothing but one that knows what he is about and does his job. I sometimes think that people on this sight take the hornet's replies for bluster. Not me and we have had our differences over the years. I usually take it for a healthy ego. Don't know too
many singers around that you can sit there and unexpectedly ask for trot dance, buffalo,
sneak-up, wolf songs, and other songs you normally don't hear at a powwow and have the person pull them out one after another. I put the Hornet through that already and whether he liked it or not gave me every odd
song I requested. OK, hornet, get your ego in check.

[Tvskekee]

Everything Truewarrior said
Also the head singer must be able to able to keep his anger and emotions in check unless something outrageous has happened concernign the drum.
1)They must be able get along with EVERYONE! whether they like the person or not.

2)Its the head singers responsibilty to carry that drum and protect its spirit or spirits

3)Know the songs, origins, who wrote it(if possible) everything about the songs that are sung. You never know when you might get called on it.

4)Sometimes, if not the drum keeper, the head singer has the responsibility of "feeding" the drum..nuf said on that

5)Head singer is the mediator between the drum/singers and everyone not with the drum. Be abel to handle that with, tact, poise, and respect.

Cant think of anything else for now, too early and I havent had my coffee yet

[DCP]

This is a really good topic. All of the posts so far have been great.

I think an important responsibility for a head singer is to be a "diplomat." He needs to be able to deal with people and situations in a good way.

This diplomat role is not only between the drum and the rest of the powwow, but also within the drum group itself. I have witnessed problems around drums that could have been handled differently by the head singers. Political BS seems to always creep into things. A head singer needs to keep a finger on the pulse of his singers and step in when necessary for the good of the whole.