is it the voice or the entertainer

A great voice does not equal a good entertainer. I have worked with a few who could sing their azz off, but could not entertain, and a few that had a so so voice but they could hold the crowd. What do you think is more importain, don't say both we know that.

You're limiting this to live performance, and that's what will skew the results. You don't have to be an 'entertainer' to be great in the studio - you just have to have the tools you're looking to record and have the consistency and patience to track and track again.

You don't have to have a great voice to be a great entertainer, but you have to be able to mold your audience to your mindset. Frankly, I think it's easier to be a great entertainer than a great singer, but what do I know?

You're limiting this to live performance, and that's what will skew the results. You don't have to be an 'entertainer' to be great in the studio - you just have to have the tools you're looking to record and have the consistency and patience to track and track again. You don't have to have a great voice to be a great entertainer, but you have to be able to mold your audience to your mindset. Frankly, I think it's easier to be a great entertainer than a great singer, but what do I know?

i UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, BUT I HAVE FOUND THAT A ENTERTAINER HAS GOTTEN THE GROUP A LOT FURTHER THAN A GOOD SINGER.

I think a good voice is more important for live acts where the vocals are the focal point of the music.

But for everything else, the entertainment factor is more important.

^^^ This. Certain styles or genres of music require top-notch vocals, other don't. Joe Strummer was a great vocalist, but put him in an 80s pop metal band and, well,...

A good singer can script a good show to cover the fact that they suck as an entertainer. I played with such an individual and he stuck to the script for live shows. If he ever strayed it was a bit clunky... :poke:

Performers are not always entertainers but they can do a good fake....

You can't "script" a bad vocalist to sound good IMO. Autotune and prerecorded tracks are the solution in that case.

Depends on the gig. Some call for a good singer and others for a good entertainer. Some gigs I sing my ass off and nobody lifts an eyebrow. This calls for a mode change, so I focus a bit more into between-song banter and socialize during breaks. This often does the trick.

I can't put it into words. But it is a combi of talent and huzpah, methinks.

Taylor Hicks won American Idol.....need I say more?

I've been in bands with really good lead vocalists who were weak entertainers and in bands with reasonably good vocalists who where very good entertainers (and in bands with poor singers....but that does not apply to this post).

It has been my experiance that a great singer still needs a very good band to hold a crowd (in essense - the voice alone can't carry the band)....whereas a fair singer who can entertain, does not need as strong a band because he/she can hold the crowd's attention.

If I want to make money - I'll take the entertainer over the singer...any day!

If I want "artistic satisfaction" I'd prefer to work with outstanding musicians (including vocals)