Bass contest Gene McDonald vs Dave Hester

Two of the best basses around( Gene McDonald and Dave Hester} do JD Sumner's walk that lonesome road so I put the low parts in this vid for all of you to determine who does it better.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• JD Sumner
• Gene Mcdonald
• Dave Hester
• music
• bass
• bass singing
• Bass contest
• low notes
• bass singer
• Dove Brothers
• Quartet
• Low song

[mcrider1960]

My vote is for Gene:)

[thebassmanadam]

@mcrider1960

I agree, Having heard everything Gene has done with the Florida boys and on his solo albums I can tell you he is the lower and better sounding of the two!

[MrRileyTM]

OK hate to burst a bubble ... But the First singer in this clip is NOT Gene McDonald. It is Tim Riley from Gold city. I have this album on CD. Came out in 1997. with this song on it.

[thebassmanadam]

@MrRileyTM

Right.....That is why the album I have says Gene McDonald right on the cover. I have every Gold City album ever recorded going back to 1981 and Tim never recorded this song. Not to mention his voice is far different from Gene's. couldn't even name the album this was supposedly on can ya?? if you are gonna try to be stupid and call someone a liar at least try to back it up and prove it. Be aware, any Gold City album you name especially from the 90s I am gonna know the song list!!

[red3005]

His Higher Range sounds better...in my opinion....

[thebassmanadam]

@red3005

His higher range is actually very very nice to listen to. I agree there. He can indeed hit some low notes aswell but they are best sounding when mixed with the group and not on there own. Walk That Lonesome Road is a hard song to do and to try and do it like JD did is a lost cause. I have heard many attempts to do that song and in my view, Gene McDonald does it best because he did the song within his limits and didn't go for the extremely low note only JD could easily hit.

[jiffer60]

Gene McDonald wins this one. Hester was low, definitely, but his notes seemed forced and almost like it hurt him. Gene is natural. So smooth. He went down and came back up gracefully. I felt like Hester was belching. Also, to MrRiley, that absolutely is Gene McDonald. I met Gene and while I was speaking with him he was selling his CDs and autographing them right in front of me. Not to mention, I would know his voice anywhere. I listen to this song daily just so I can hear him hit those notes!!

[JordanBeckworth]

Gene has a beautiful upper register!! Wow!!

[bass1bone]

That said, McDonald is the better singer, and when he stays off the stuff that's really out of his range (which in this case is only the lowest note or two of the song), Hester doesn't really stand a chance.

[bass1bone]

@bass1bone

Whereas McDonald's voice on those same notes sounds like you might be able to hear him if he didn't have a mic, but he'd never rattle a pew with that tone. He's gone past the point where his voice still has richness and fullness---it's all sound and no fury. Hester's got him beat easily on those lowest notes.

[bass1bone]

Hester wins. EASILY. On the lowest notes anyway. McDonald enunciates better, and he MAY have a better sense of absolute pitch (I'd have to listen to more recordings of the two men, but the production quality of the Hester clip sounds a little less clean)---but when they get down to the lowest notes here, Hester's voice is still warm and smooth and sounds like it could make a whole pew shake even if nobody was actually able to hear it.

[toejam498]

@MrRileyTM sorry bud check around the internet you'll see its gm

[DJRanchIncorperated]

@thebassmanadam Hey Adam, While I agree that Gene is the better sounding of the two. I have to say that he is not as low as David. Gene seems to bottom out around the F1, occasional gets down to an E1 but his natural range stops around F. That being said, David Hester has been known to drop down to an occasional D1 to a Db1. Whether or not in chest voice, is anyone's guess. But IMHO David is lower. Love the video. Forget MrRileyTM, he is an ignert. see ya

[DJRanchIncorperated]

@MrRileyTM You really are dumb.

[Transrebal2nd]

Or was it gold city? Either way Gene won!

[Transrebal2nd]

Gene had my vote even before i played the video. Just so smooth and never seems to have any trouble with those low notes. He hit that low note so smoothly and never went up or down, he stayed solid on it. You definently need good accompanists singing in the background for this song to really hit home. When dave hester was singing it, the guys singing in the background didnt have that great blend like gene had in his clip. If im not mistaken I think it was the Vocal Band singing in Genes clip.

[ahp3190]

Gene 100 percent! Dave went lower, but Gene's notes were smoother and had more clarity! But, both are exceptional basses and singers in general

[EnchiladaMan360]

Dave Hester is better.