Tim Riley JD Sumner Mike Holcomb sing I'll Have A New Life

[larmoe542]

j.d. was the lowest!!!!!!

[4x4manonbroke]

damn mike really gets down there...... wwwhhhheeeewwwww ......gotta train for that stuff

[Bravilor]

Ha ha! Mike Holcomb, new favourite. I really love his constant efforts to be as extreme as possible :D

[EnchiladaMan360]

Tim Riley's part is nice, but he goes noticeably flat towards the beginning of it. J. D. is still the best.

[Batman2015]

I just wanna know how the voice is trained to produce such low tones.

[bottomfeeder73]

@Batman2015 It's not trained. Either you have it or you don't. You can't train vocal chords to be long and thick.

[lonemapper]

This isn't a fair comparison for J.D. He is obviously much older hear and not in good health. I have an audio cut of him singing "Hide Me Rock of Ages" and his depth, breath control,etc. where unbelievable to me. He wasn't my favorite, but he was awesome.

[thebassmanadam]

@lonemapper

I have heard that recording and it was really good! Don't be fooled though, JD in his last year still had amazing depth and breath control. Just listen to him on one of the clips I have posted where he nails a really low note at the Gaither homecoming All Day Singing At The Georgia Dome. He easily slides into the double C/C#1 and holds it out for about 5 or 6 seconds. I have that video also and JD made it look easy. He did sound at his best in the 80s and declined some in the 90s.

[carlos010ify]

@thebassmanadam please show me this video

[thebassmanadam]

@carlos010ify

Just type in JD Sumner turn your radio on in the youtube search and you will find it. Its the the video that is about 7 in a half minutes long.

[ArmyAirborne1992]

I agree that J.D. is really good because he is but i'm really liking Tim Riley!

[Devalis]

Tim Riley will always be my favorite, but I have tremendous respect for JD. Mike is a good bass when he's in his "higher range" and has a lot of power there. Thanks for the great song!

[robgouge1]

Singing low is great, but it should also have an enjoyable sound. Hats off to Tim Riley here - Sounds GREAT!

[thehowards6]

Tim Riley is the man. Period.

[randyjsing]

Tim Riley just has the resonance factor and my favorite for consistency. JD...for his era is just legendary. I like Mike Holcomb but I think he shouldn't take so many chances with notes that aren't always consistent. I personally think there's too much fry from him at times. Just my humble opinion.

[thebassmanadam]

@randyjsing

Well said and I agree on all! JD will always be my number 1 favorite though!

[bigmrclean]

@randyjsing Ehhh, Yeah, Sometimes he goes a little far with it.....This last clip just really does not sound good when is down there like that. Mike has such an amazing voice and huge range...he can go to another octave a lot of the times and not do that.

[randyjsing]

@bigmrclean No doubt he's talented.

[bottomfeeder73]

@randyjsing You are right. I myself am a bass and have a bass voice very similiar to Mr. Riley.

[wac3meehan]

@bottomfeeder73 Maybe you could post some clips of you singing. I would love to hear them!

[OneKewpie]

I think Tim Riley's low notes are truer and fuller than the other two. Just my opinion. ~OneKewpie~

[jsox2409]

Buddy liles isnt that low. he blows his notes. he doesnt sing them like tim or any of the other guys.

and Mike Holcomb sounds like a bad bowel movement. it's pitchy

[thebassmanadam]

@jsox2409

Buddy can get pretty low but usually at the end of songs when its blended with a group. Not my favorite bass to say the least. Buddy, the one time he did do a low song "Walk That Lonesome Road" It sounded terrible, just awful. No bass in my opinion will ever be in JD's league as far as natural vocal ability goes.

[WLyouth05]

@thebassmanadam i love jd but i feel he was mainly vocal fry

[thebassmanadam]

@WLyouth05

JD's notes were to smooth and controlled to be vocal fry. plus, the ability to sustain notes for 15 seconds and longer or doing a 26 second one breath slide also contradicts vocal fry. listen to him talk, he talked lower than Tim Riley can sing!

[bigmrclean]

@thebassmanadam J.D. Sumner was ANYTHING but Vocal fry. Give me a break.....JD WAS BASS.

[thebassmanadam]

@bigmrclean

I never said J.D. was vocal fry!!! No one will ever convince me he was!!

[bigmrclean]

@thebassmanadam I know. I was agreeing with you...I was talking to you about what the other feller said.

[WLyouth05]

@thebassmanadam his higher range of bass was alot better than his lower register

[WLyouth05]

@thebassmanadam listen to overwhelming joy with mike holcomb singing lead. thats alot better range for him

[MrKyledude18]

I knew Tim was first.. I know his voice anywhere ... also I noticed that JD is naturally lower of course but Mike's version must be in a lower key because he's singing lower than sumner here.. anyway awesome video I love all three of these guys but Tim has to be the best IMHO.. just his clarity and over all singing voice not taking into account the lowest note because Sumner was super human and he is undoubtably the lowest but Tim is clearer in the low range.

[eri3576w]

whats the order of their singing.. who sings first, middle and last

[thebassmanadam]

@eri3576w

Tim Riley, JD Sumner and Mike Holcomb although I should of put JD on last because he is naturally the lowest.

[eri3576w]

@thebassmanadam thanks. i know. save the best for the last. but mike was awsome too. i just love bass singers!!

[thedglman]

Where can I get the version of JD singing this song at? Thanks!

[thebassmanadam]

@thedglman

Its on an Album called, 20 Southern Gospel favorites. You can find it pretty easily by searching for it on google.

[TheMegalownote]

@thebassmanadam What album is the Mike Holcomb version off of? Can you possibly post the whole song? Thanks so much.

[TheMegalownote]

Respond to this video...  Jd is by far the lowest, although I love Tim Riley

[wmden1]

I pretty much agree with you. Since I learned to sing bass, back in the day, by listening mostly to Mike then several others, along with voice lessons, I am partial to Mike along with George. In defense of Mike; In my opinion he has been and is one of the best around, until he starts frying. Listen to some of his older stuff, without much fry. As a couple of others have stated, J.D. is in a league by himself, as far as low is concerned. Tim is great, but not in top 3 of my favorites.

[seancoxen]

I used to like Mike Holcomb until he came on with this ludicrous vocal fry business. He's not fooling anybody.

[thebassmanadam]

@seancoxen

I agree! I knew it when I first heard that recording that he was doing that! J.D. never sounded that way hitting those same notes as the video proves. I must note that on Mike's two solo recordings he does a lot of actual singing and it sounds really nice. He is good and low without vocal fry. I don't mind vocal fry my self when its done right and doesn't have that burpy sound. But I appreciate the real deal more like J.D. George Younce and Tim Riley

[sp231006]

@seancoxen to me Mike Holcomb is the best bass singer ever! Trust me I've heard him sing plenty of times with out any mics or sound equip and he goes as low as J.D. or Tim or anyone! I challenge you to find a better bass with such an amazing real testimony as Mike Holcomb.

[glh104753]

I'll take Tim Riley any day over either one of the other two. He hits his low notes with ease, strength and clarity! J.D. sounds like he has false teeth that he's trying to keep from swallowing with his breathy voice. Mike Holcomb just sounds plain gross! That's not good bass singing at all to me. Having heard Tim in person and most of the greats from the past, I've never heard a man sing with a group or solo as well as Tim Riley!

[sp231006]

@glh104753 to me Mike Holcomb is the best bass singer ever! Trust me I've heard him sing plenty of times with out any mics or sound equip and he goes as low as J.D. or Tim or anyone! I challenge you to find a better bass with such an amazing real testimony as Mike Holcomb.

[moproducer]

@glh104753 Well, good for you. A lot of folks don't agree, but...good for you.

[glh104753]

@moproducer Thank you. I respect others opinions. I'm not contentious about the matter so don't be upset if your favorite is different than mine. The other guys are great singers too. I was just giving some observations about their styles compared to Tim Riley.

[moproducer]

@glh104753 I think they're all good. JD was incredible, and I met Tim when he was with the Southmen. Quite a showman, as well as bass singer. Personally, my alltime favorite is George Younce, who also became a family friend. Probably the nicest guy who ever lived.

[glh104753]

@moproducer Yes, they are all top of the line basses and I loved them all in their own styles. I have seen all of them and have known some on a personal level. (including JD, London, George,

Big Chief amongst others but not Tim although Tim (I believe) is the most complete bass singer who you can understand the message when he so smoothly and powerfully hits the low notes. Some of the others got sounds out but were muddled. JD got quite low but enunciation -- not so good especially as older

[EnchiladaMan360]

@glh104753 I also happen to like Tim Riley and dislike Mike Holcomb's part it this song. Keep in mind, though, that J. D. was in the twilight of his career at that point, and so didn't quite sound as great as he did at one time. Still naturally the lowest of all these guys. In Mike Holcomb's segment of the video, he seems to be using vocal fry the entire time. Makes me sick thinking just how bad it sounds.

[EnchiladaMan360]

@glh104753 I respect your opinion, but Tim Riley sings through his nose a lot and is repeatedly off-key in the little audio clip of him in this video. I do agree with you that Mike Holcomb's voice just plain stinks. Too much vocal fry.

[bassman3294]

@EnchiladaMan360 i disagree on Tim singin through his nose. he actually sang to me before a concert. no nose singin at all

[EnchiladaMan360]

@bassman3294 I was only referring to him in this lip.

[bassman3294]

@EnchiladaMan360 o alright. sorry bout that

[sgtBilko75]

I really dig bass singers. But not those "over-amplified" electronic voices like Mike Holcomb. It's not even cool.

Tim (like Younce and big Chief) has a good low, full singing voice. It's like normal singing, but then lower. JD is in a league of his own. His raw, low voice is like nobody else has or had. It's not the prettiest voice and not the most versatile, but it's extreme and quite something else from all other bass-singers.

Great clip, I really enjoy these comparisons. A true tribute

[thebassmanadam]

@sgtBilko75

Thank you for the compliments. It was a fun video to put together. I agree with you about all the bass singers you mentioned and what you said. JD is indeed in a league of his own. I have a song of JD singing in his higher range and it shows his versatility quite well. I might post that today.

[AmosBracewellMusic]

flat on his solo work that is...such as "under control"...NOT when he is singing bass

[thebassmanadam]

@AmosBracewellMusic

I don't get what your saying here?Rather he is singing low bass or lead bass or whatever I have never heard him hit a flat note.JD Sumner would not of held the guiness record for lowest note if it was fry because frying does not count as part of ones vocal range Besides who really cares?Just enjoy the music instead of finding something wrong with it. I don't like Russian Basso Profundos but respect what they do and try to enjoy what I do here from a bass singers standpoint

[AmosBracewellMusic]

@thebassmanadam let me clarify then:)...First off Tim Riley is my personal favourite:)....amazing!!!....i am not a fan of vocal fry...just like it clean and real. Blessings:)

[thebassmanadam]

@AmosBracewellMusic

Understood brother! Sorry for the confusion there! Yeah, vocal fry is not my most favorite vocal sound either!

That is why basses like Tim Riley, George Younce, JD Sumner and a few others impress me so much.

Mike Holcomb sounds pretty good on this recording but again, I am a fan too of the natural clean bass sound!

Blessings to you too!

[AmosBracewellMusic]

Vocal fry is just as lame as tenors singing in false etto.....come on...let's give our heads a shake.....it is basically trying to imitate what the real deals can do without any power....I would listen to Tim, even though he sometimes sings a bit flat and his vibrato is no longer as tight as it once was, than listen to some wanna be who needs a mic.

[thebassmanadam]

@AmosBracewellMusic

You are either tone deaf or don't have a clue about the voice! Granted, Mike is likely frying but JD didn't need too nor does Tim! Tim Riley flat? If you say so. He is better now than ever. Who are the real deals? Russian Basso Profundos?I have heard them and they don't have a very pleasing quality or tone to their voice.Vladimir Miller is good but he is the only one I have heard who is but even he could not be heard without a mic if he was singing with an instrument track

[lowluvver]

No doubt JD's the man,Mike's low but he's frying the devil out of that song. The problem with SC and PDK is you can't really hear them on their latest stuff.The best PDK is Ezekiel saw de wheel and The Old Ship of Zion on the early Vocal Band stuff.

[thebassmanadam]

@lowluvver

JD will always be the man. The big difference between fry and full voice is that bumpy gravely sound versus a smooth sound and like in my JD's lowest note clip, he is smooth all the way down to who knows what note that is he hits. Who is SC? PDK, His vocals on How great Thou Art are done impressive. I have that posted here as well. Tim Storms does the bass vocals on VU's Old Ship Of Zion. PDK didn't join VU till the following year. Have you heard him sing Rumor Mill?

[red3005]

I would really love to know how low J.D. really could go....Elvis's piano player said in an interview that he could sing lower than the lowest note on the piano....

[thebassmanadam]

@red3005 I heard Elvis say in numerous concerts that JD would go 3 to 4 notes off the piano but I guess only JD and God knew for sure just how low he could of went.

[red3005]

@thebassmanadam ...True...If you get a chance check out Buddy Liles with The Florida Boys - Sing - That Lonesome Road here on youtube....I don't now how low he goes...but he could hit some pretty low notes too.....I would have to say my second fav. bass singer would be Harold Gilley....

[thebassmanadam]

@red3005

I have heard Buddy Liles sing before! he is another low singer and very very smooth! Harold is awesome! I have a few Palmetto State quartet albums with him on them and he hits some pretty low notes. I have also seen youtube vids with him in them. he is definitely a good low bass!

[red3005]

@thebassmanadam...And Harold also does pretty good imitations of J.D.....and another pretty low bass singer many people may not know about is Ken Turner....I have some cassettes of him hitting some pretty low notes....when he was with the James Blackwood Quartet...

[bassman3294]

@thebassmanadam sum1 said Tim could go 7 notes off the end of the piano. but idk bout all that. the lowest i heard was Gminor in Rainbow of Love & Carol of the Bells

[thebassmanadam]

@bassman3294

Yeah, I would say that is 100 percent false. A friend of mine who knows Tim's fill in bass singer said that Tim's lowest note is E below F1. so about 12 or 13 notes from 7 notes under the piano so almost two octaves higher. If Tim Could go that low he would of done something much lower on Rainbow Of Love or some other recording by now. To me, Tim Doesn't need to be in JD's range because he sounds great where he is. Best bass going today if you ask me!

[bassman3294]

@thebassmanadam yes i agree. i think Tim is the best now days. even when they started out he sounded good but now hes just awesum! and nothin against JD but i think hes just too soft on his real low notes. when u can do like Tim and drop and low note without a mic and the whole church heard it like he did in Mountain Home, thats real talent

[thebassmanadam]

@bassman3294 Is there a video of Tim doing that? Would love to see i.

JD from what I am told had a powerful voice in the 60s and 70s but time and age among other things limited that somewhat. I saw a video a long time ago of JD & the stamps with Elvis and they sang around a piano with no mic and JD dropped a slide and it was very clear and easy to hear.

No doubt Tim Riley is awesome for sure. I have heard that many times about the power of his voice and his ability to project it very well.

[bassman3294]

@thebassmanadam no theres not a video but i wish i had caught it. u should try tlkn 2 him. my bass voice next 2 his made me not wanna tlk. lol

[bassman3294]

i still say Tim is the best by far. and they dont slow it down for him to NAIL his low note in that song later on

[thebassmanadam]

@bassman3294

This Tim Riley part is anew recording the one I think you are thinking of is the one where Tim does the bass off with Christian Davis. I would of used that clip but the tempo just didn't match the other songs. I do agree that Tim while not lower is the over all better singer. JD will always be my second Fav next to George Younce then Tim Riley 3rd

[hugedell]

full of double low C's... awsome versions and the ideea is very good bro !

[thebassmanadam]

@hugedell

Thank you very much my friend! I had fun putting this together. Always thought it would be fun if got to hear these three on one song. The song to me showcases these great basses who have 3 distinctively different sounds at their best.

Glad you enjoyed the video. I was wondering just how low those notes were. Who do you think is lowest here between JD and Mike?

[hugedell]

@thebassmanadam well, JD bearely gets the C1 here, Holcomb is trying the G0 but sounds same with C1, they should stick to C1 as their limit, my oppinion (and JD is the king).

the age of C0-C1 is now for people like Steve Cross, PD Kennamer, and others who use also the amplification techniques available today to produce those notes, in a... still elegant sound.

[thebassmanadam]

@hugedell Yeah, JD is the king no doubt! Steve Cross is incredible! That man has a set of pipes on him. I can't recall, did you see my video on him? Paul Kennamer is another incredible bass who was endorsed by JD as the replacement after his retirement but his passing I believe changed that, at least I believe that is the story. Too bad PD has not done more recording than he has.