Tommy Shaw (4,012 views)

[BAZanine]

Tommy Roland Shaw (11 September 1953 - present)
Years Active: 1967 - present
Vocal Range: C2 - B5

Significant High Notes:

B5 ("Heavy Metal Poisoning")
A5 ("Piledriver")
G♯5 ("Don't Let It End (Reprise)" Caught in the Act 1983, "I Am the Walrus")
G5 ("Come Again", "Coming of Age", "Dirty Dog", "Lay Them Down", "Love in the Midnight", "Reach for the Bottle", "Renegade" live, "Tell Me How You Want It")
F♯5 ("Love You Too Much", "Reach for the Bottle", "This Is Not a Test")
F5 ("Brave New World (Reprise)", "Diamond" live Ohio 2016, "Jealousy", "Midnight Ride" live San Francisco 1976, "No Such Thing", "Shooz", "Straight Down the Line")
E5 ("Are You Ready for Me", "Bad Reputation", "Can't Find My Way Home", "Captain America", "Come Again", "Damn Yankees", "Double Coyote", "Fifteen Minutes of Fame", "Girls With Guns", "Gone Gone Gone", "The Grand Finale", "Half Penny Two Penny", "Heavy Water", "How You Gonna Get Used to This", "Hundred Million Miles from Home", "Khedive", "Kiss Me Hello", "Lady" live / 1995 version, "Lay Them Down", "Lights", "Man in the Wilderness", "Miss America", "Mystified", "Outside in the Rain", "The Outsider", "Put Me On", "The Race is On", "Runaway", "Shooz", "Straight Down the Line", "Superstars", "This Is Not a Test", "The Weight of the World")
E♭5 ("Brave New World (Reprise)", "Don't Tread on Me", "Fallen Angel", "High Crimes & Misdemeanors (Hip-Hop-Cracy)", "In This Night", "Just Fell In", "Mademoiselle", "No Such Thing", "A Salty Dog", "Tell Me How You Want It")
D5 ("All in How You Say It", "Ambition", "Are You Ready for Me", "Back in Your Kitchen", "Bad Reputation", "Best New Face", "The Best of Times", "Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)", "Can't Find My Way Home", "Cold War", "Come in and Explain", "Coming of Age", "Damn Yankees", "Dangerous Game", "Dirty Dog", "Double Coyote", "Down on the Ground", "Ever Since the World Began", "Everything Is Cool", "Fallen Angel", "Fifteen Minutes of Fame", "For What It's Worth", "Free to Love You", "Gone Gone Gone", "Great White Hope", "Heads Up", "High Enough", "How You Gonna Get Used to This", "Hundred Million Miles from Home", "I Am a Rock", "I Am the Walrus", "I Can See for Miles", "I Don't Need No Doctor", "I'll Always Be With You", "Inspiration", "Khedive", "Lay Them Down", "Lights", "Locomotive Breath", "Lonely School", "Love in the Midnight", "Love You Too Much", "My Hallucination", "Number One", "The Outsider", "Reach for the Bottle", "Renegade", "Rockin' the Paradise", "Runaway", "See Me Now", "Silence Is Broken", "Snowblind", "Someone to Believe", "Stop Knockin'", "Straight Down the Line", "These Are the Times", "This Is Not a Test", "Trouble at the Big Show", "Waiting for Our Time", "Where You Goin' Now")
C♯5 ("Brave New World", "California Dreamin'", "Captain America", "Dangerous Game", "Diamond", "Dirty Work", "Do Things My Way", "Don't Let It End", "Firefly", "Girls With Guns", "The Grand Illusion", "Great White Hope", "Nature of the Beast", "Put Me On", "The Race is On", "Rock City", "She Cares", "Show Me the Way" live, "Sing for the Day", "Somewhere in the Night", "Stop Knockin'", "Sweet Emotion", "Talkin' About the Good Times", "The Weight of the World", "Who I Am", "Your Move")
C5 ("Bad Reputation", "Best New Face", "Brave New World (Reprise)", "Cold War", "Come Again", "Come Sail Away", "Dirty Dog", "Don't Leave Me Now", "Don't Tread on Me", "Down on the Ground", "Down That Highway", "Ever Since the World Began", "Everything Is Cool", "Fading Away", "Fifteen Minutes of Fame", "Firefly", "First Time", "Friendly Advice", "Great Expectations", "I Am the Walrus", "I Can't Live Without You", "I Stumble In", "I Will Be Your Witness", "Inspiration", "Jealousy", "Just Fell In", "Just Get Through This Night", "Kiss Me Hello", "Lonely People", "Mademoiselle", "Mister Please", "More Love for the Money", "Mystified", "No Such Thing", "Ocean", "One Way Out", "Radio Silence", "Reach for the Bottle", "Red Storm", "Shooz", "Someone to Believe", "Summer in the City", "Superstars", "Sweet Emotion", "Tell Me How You Want It", "This Side of Hell", "Time May Bend", "Too Much Time on My Hands", "Umpteen Miles", "Where You Goin' Now", "Who I Am", "Yesterday")
B4 ("Are You Ready for Me", "Bad Times", "Blue Continental", "Brave New World", "Can't Find My Way Home", "Captain America", "Cavalry", "Come in and Explain", "Coming of Age", "Crystal Ball", "Damn Yankees", "Dance With Me", "Don't Tread on Me", "Everything Is Cool", "Fields of the Brave", "For What It's Worth", "Genki Desu Ka", "The Grand Finale", "Half a Mind", "Haven't We Been Here Before?", "Heads Up", "Heavy Water", "High Enough", "How You Gonna Get Used to This", "Hundred Million Miles from Home", "I Am a Rock", "I Can See for Miles", "I Can't Live Without You", "I Stumble In", "I'll Always Be With You", "I'll Be Comin' Home", "In This Night", "Inspiration", "Lights", "Locomotive", "Lonely School", "Lords of the Ring", "Love in the Midnight", "Love You Too Much", "Man in the Wilderness", "Miss America", "Mission to Mars", "My Hallucination", "Nature of the Beast", "Never Say Never", "Number One", "One With Everything", "Open Arms", "The Outpost", "Outside in the Rain", "The Outsider", "Piledriver", "A Place to Call My Own", "Put Me On", "Queen of Spades", "The Race is On", "Radio Silence", "Remo's Theme (What If)", "Rock City", "Runaway", "Sawmill", "See Me Now", "Silence Is Broken", "Somewhere in the Night", "Stop Knockin'", "Straight Down the Line", "Summer Breeze", "Talkin' About the Good Times", "These Are the Times", "This Is Not a Test", "Time of the Season", "Uprising", "Waiting for Our Time", "The Weight of the World", "What Have They Done to You?", "Wishing Well", "Your Move")
B♭4 ("Ambition", "Back in Your Kitchen", "Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)", "Boat on the River", "Clair De Lune / Ballerina", "Diamond", "Dirty Dog", "Dirty Work", "Down on the Ground", "Fallen Angel", "First Time", "Free to Love You", "Get on the One", "The Grand Illusion", "Haven't We Been Here Before?", "Heads Up", "High Crimes & Misdemeanors (Hip-Hop-Cracy)", "High Time", "I Can't Live Without You", "I Will Be Your Witness", "Jealousy", "Locomotive", "Lonely People", "Mademoiselle", "One of My Turns", "Renegade", "Shadows in the Moonlight", "Silence Is Broken", "Snowblind", "Summer in the City", "This Side of Hell", "True Confessions", "Who I Am")
A4 ("All in How You Say It", "Bad Times", "Borrowed Time", "Brave New World", "Cavalry", "Clair De Lune / Ballerina", "Cold War", "Come Again", "Count on You", "Dance With Me", "Dangerous Game", "Diamond", "Do Things My Way", "Don't Leave Me Now", "Everything Is Cool", "Fading Away", "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)", "For What It's Worth", "Free to Love You", "Friendly Advice", "Girls With Guns", "Goodbye Roseland", "Great Expectations", "The Greater Good", "Half a Mind", "Haven't We Been Here Before?", "Heavy Water", "High Enough", "How You Gonna Get Used to This", "I Am a Rock", "I Can See for Miles", "I'll Be Comin' Home", "In This Night", "It Doesn't Show", "Just Get Through This Night", "Kiss Me Hello", "Kiss Your Ass Goodbye", "Lights", "Little Girl World", "Locomotive Breath", "Lonely School", "Lords of the Ring", "Man in the Wilderness", "Mister Please", "My Hallucination", "Mystified", "The Next Right Thing", "The Night Goes On", "Number One", "Ocean", "One of My Turns", "One Way Out", "One With Everything", "Open Arms", "Outside in the Rain", "Pieces of Eight", "Piledriver", "A Place to Call My Own", "Red Storm", "Rock City", "Runaway", "A Salty Dog", "Sawmill", "See Me Now", "She Cares", "She Thinks I Still Care" live Nashville 2013, "Shooz", "Sing for the Day", "Someone to Believe", "Summer Breeze", "Superstars", "Sweet Emotion", "Tell Me How You Want It", "Ten Thousand Ways", "This Old Man", "Time May Bend", "Too Much Time on My Hands", "True Confessions", "Umpteen Miles", "Uprising", "Waiting for Our Time", "What Do You Want from Life", "What Have They Done to You?", "Where You Goin' Now", "While There's Still Time", "Why Me", "Wishing Well", "Yes I Can", "Your Move")
G♯4 ("Back in Your Kitchen", "Bad Times", "Borrowed Time", "California Dreamin'", "Cavalry", "Don't Leave Me Now", "Don't Let It End (Reprise)", "The Great Divide", "The Greater Good", "High Time", "Mademoiselle", "Mission to Mars", "More Love for the Money", "Nature of the Beast", "Never Say Never", "The Next Right Thing", "Number One", "One With Everything", "Overture", "Summer in the City", "Talkin' About the Good Times")
G4 ("All in How You Say It", "Best New Face", "Blue Continental", "Boat on the River", "Bourgeois Pig", "Brave New World (Reprise)", "Can't Find My Way Home", "Come Sail Away", "Come to Be My Friend", "Count on You", "Crystal Ball", "Dance With Me", "Do Things My Way", "Don't Talk to Me Anymore", "Double Coyote", "Down That Highway", "Ever Since the World Began", "Find the Cost of Freedom", "For What It's Worth", "Get on the One", "Goodbye Roseland", "The Grand Finale", "The Great Divide", "Gypsy", "I Stumble In", "I Will Be Your Witness", "I'm O.K.", "Jealousy", "Jennifer", "Just Fell In", "Locomotive Breath", "Love in the Midnight", "Man in the Wilderness", "The Night Goes On", "Nothing Ever Goes as Planned", "Ocean", "One Way Out", "Pieces of Eight", "A Place to Call My Own", "Radio Silence", "Red Storm", "Remo's Theme (What If)", "Renegade", "Sawmill", "Shadows in the Moonlight", "She Thinks I Still Care" live Nashville 2013, "Sing for the Day", "Somewhere in the Night", "Superstars", "Too Much Time on My Hands", "Umpteen Miles", "What Do You Want from Life", "While There's Still Time", "Why Me", "Wishing Well", "Yes I Can", "Yesterday")

Significant Low Notes:

E3 ("Afraid to Love", "Bad Times", "Brave New World", "Cavalry", "Cold War", "Come in and Explain", "Crystal Ball", "Do Things My Way", "Double Coyote", "Fields of the Brave", "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)", "For What It's Worth", "Girls With Guns", "Gypsy", "Half a Mind", "How You Gonna Get Used to This", "I Can See for Miles", "Killing the Thing That You Love", "Kiss Me Hello", "Little Girl World", "Love in the Midnight", "Money", "Never Say Never", "The Night Goes On", "Number One", "One of My Turns", "One Way Out", "Outside in the Rain", "The Outsider", "Radio Silence", "Remo's Theme (What If)", "Someone to Believe", "Stop Knockin'", "Straight Down the Line", "Vera", "Wishing Well")
E♭3 ("The Great Divide", "Locomotive", "Mr. Roboto", "The Sound of Silence", "Summer in the City")
D3 ("Afraid to Love", "Blue Collar Man" Big Bang Theory version, "Boat on the River", "Cavalry", "Cold War", "Dance With Me", "Diamond", "Do Things My Way", "Down on the Ground", "Fading Away", "Give 'Em Hell Harry", "I Am a Rock", "I'll Always Be With You", "Man in the Wilderness" live 7DZ Chicago Borders, "Reach for the Bottle", "Sawmill", "See Me Now", "Shadows in the Moonlight", "She Thinks I Still Care" live Nashville 2013, "Straight Down the Line", "Umpteen Miles", "Vera", "What Do You Want from Life", "Who I Am", "Yes I Can")
C♯3 ("Mr. Roboto", "She Cares", "The Sound of Silence")
C3 ("Brave New World (Reprise)", "Count on You", "Find the Cost of Freedom", "Friendly Advice", "Give 'Em Hell Harry", "Just Get Through This Night", "Mystified", "Summer Breeze", "Umpteen Miles", "What Do You Want from Life")
B2 ("All in How You Say It", "Brave New World", "I'll Always Be With You", "Radio Silence")
B♭2 ("Back in Your Kitchen", "Best New Face", "Down on the Ground", "Give 'Em Hell Harry", "The Great Divide", "Just Fell In")
A2 ("All in How You Say It", "Bad Times", "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)", "My Hallucination", "Mystified", "One Way Out", "What Do You Want from Life")
G2 ("Everything Is Cool", "Friendly Advice", "Just Fell In", "One of My Turns", "Reach for the Bottle", "Renegade" live Riverport 2000, "Sawmill", "Shooz")
F♯2 ("Brave New World", "Just Fell In")
F2 ("Back in Your Kitchen", "Give 'Em Hell Harry")
E2 ("Friendly Advice")
C2 ("Give 'Em Hell Harry")

…………………………………………………………………….
*Blue marks clear falsetto notes.
*Italics mark non-melodic notes.
*Boldface marks notes that are considered impressive in relation to this person's vocal capabilities.
*Underlines mark notes obscured in the mix of the song.

A memorable voice in classic rock, Tommy Shaw is one of the lead singers of Styx. Beyond this, he has been involved in other projects such as Shaw-Blades, Damn Yankees, and a solo career. As a singer-songwriter, Shaw helped bring Styx to fame with his general blending of acoustic guitar and hard rock elements as well as his timeless contributions to the band's legacy in the form of tracks such as "Blue Collar Man" and "Renegade". Vocally, many would argue Shaw is the most proficient and versatile of the group, able to handle slow ballads, hard-driving uptempo tracks, and anything in between. Well into his 60s, Shaw has hardly lost a step vocally and is still a very capable live performer, able to handle some of his most difficult tracks of the '70s in stride.
 

SPOILER: Click to show

{Questionable Notes}G♯6? ("Summer in the City"^[5])
F♯6 ("One Way Out"^[3])
C6 ("Diamond"^[5])
B♭5 ("Best New Face"^[5], "First Time"^[2])
G5 ("My Hallucination"^[3])
E♭5 ("Back in Your Kitchen"^[5])

D2 ("Reach for the Bottle"^[1])
B1 ("Heavy Water"^[3])
G♯1 ("Double Coyote"^[3])

.......................................................
[1] marks yelps and short trills in high range or anacrusis and short dips in low range.
[2] marks notes of questionable identity that cannot be confirmed to be the singer in question.
[3] marks non-melodic notes that don't have a significant enough pitch to warrant inclusion.
[4] marks notes that possess uncertain pitch or have been pitch-shifted.
[5] marks notes that do not fit the previous criteria but are not of a substantial enough quality to warrant counting towards the singer's range.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Album Ranges}With Styx:
Crystal Ball (1976) (G2 - E3 - F5)
The Grand Illusion (1977) (A2 - E3 - E5) (Baronessa )
Pieces of Eight (1978) (F3 - D5)
Cornerstone (1979) (D3 - G5) (Baronessa )
Paradise Theatre (1981) (C♯3 - D5 - E5)
Kilroy Was Here (1983) (C3 - C♯3 - D5 - B5) (Baronessa )
Brave New World (1999) (F♯2 - G2 - B2 - F5) (Baronessa )
Cyclorama (2003) (D3 - E5)
Big Bang Theory (2005) (A2 - D5 - G♯5) (Baronessa )
The Mission (2017) (B2 - E5)

Solo:
Girls With Guns (1984) (D3 - E5)
What If (1985) (E2 - G2 - F♯5 - G5) (Baronessa )
Ambition (1987) (E3 - G5)
Seven Deadly Zens (1998) (A2 - D5 - F5)
Sweet Emotion (2007) (G2 - C♯5)
The Great Divide (2011) (C2 - F2 - D5) (Baronessa )

With Damn Yankees:
Damn Yankees (1990) (A2 - G5 - A5) (Baronessa )
Don't Tread (1992) (E3 - E5 - G5)

With Shaw-Blades:
Hallucination (1995) (A2 - B2 - D5 - E5) (Baronessa )
Influence (2007) (C3 - D5)

SPOILER: Click to show

{Top 10 Performances}1. Reach for the Bottle
2. Man in the Wilderness
3. Brave New World
4. Love in the Midnight
5. Shooz
6. Lay Them Down
7. Come in and Explain
8. This Is Not a Test
9. Crystal Ball
10. Renegade

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