3 Dual-Threat Drummers Who Could Sing and Play Simultaneously

If you are a musician or specifically, a drummer, you know just how difficult it is to sing and play at the same time. The talent one has to have to keep time and sing the melody at the same time is otherworldly. Additionally, the amount of coordination drummers need to have physically and vocally to perform such a feat matches that of a high-level athlete. Furthermore, drumming is very laborious, so you run out of breath, hence, it makes it harder to sing. It’s extremely difficult, plain and simple.

Despite the level of difficulty this act entails, there are several musicians to not just do it but do it at the highest of levels. It’s not something for the faint of heart or the mediocre. Instead, it is for the generational music savants, and here are three of them.

Phil Collins

Phil Collins is arguably one of the greatest musicians of all time, and he has garnered that unofficial title thanks to his knack for structure and melody. However, part of his musical repertoire that is overshadowed is his ability to sing and play at the same time. Collins has done this a plethora of times live. However, the most notable is undeniably his performance of his all-time greatest hit, “In The Air Tonight.”

When Collins would perform this song in his heyday, he would seamlessly transition onto the drum set and not miss a note with his voice. The song is already incredible, but when you realize Collins is performing two of the main parts at the same time, it makes it all the more mesmerizing. Consequently, Collins is one of the most influential drummers of all time.

Karen Carpenter

Karen Carpenter has always been praised for her vocal control and range, and what helped her acquire those praises was her ability to do it all while playing the drums. Furthermore, her drumming renditions weren’t slow and relaxed, instead, they were fast-paced and had a fervent tempo. Thus, making it all the more impressive.

One example perfectly illuminating her talent is when she performed on Your All-American College Show at 18-years-old. In the performance, Carpenter plays a swift jazz style of drums and perfectly keeps pace all while singing the song’s melody and lyrics. To this day, drummers are still scratching their heads and wondering how she did it.

Don Henley

This comes as no surprise, as Don Henley is one of the most talented musicians of the 20th century. Thanks to his ability to drum and sing simultaneously, nobody can ever deem Henley’s musical expertise and talent as average. If he wanted to, Henley could very well be a one-man band, and his performance of “Hotel California” proves just that.

In a 1977 performance of “Hotel California,” Don Henley showed the world his nearly supernatural drumming and vocal ability. Nothing about “Hotel California” is simple, thus, Henley’s dual performance is a testament to his sheer musical aptitude.

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