Post by Anacrusis on Apr 4, 2022 1:32:56 GMT
Robert Lawrence Welch Jr. (August 31, 1945 - June 7, 2012)
Associated Acts: Fleetwood Mac, Paris
Recorded Range: C♯2 - G5
Voice Type: Sentimental Tenor
{Bio and Voice Summary}
Bob Welch was an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter best remembered for co-fronting Fleetwood Mac in the early ‘70s and for his successful solo career in the late ‘70s, which included the hits “Ebony Eyes” and “Sentimental Lady”. Although Welch’s role in Fleetwood Mac was rather brief, he practically saved the band from dissolving as he gradually assumed both songwriting and management duties despite the group’s ongoing legal and internal issues. And while he was at the helm, Welch steered the British blues rock band toward a very unique musical direction.
Since joining in 1971, Welch contributed songs that continued the driving blues rock for which Fleetwood Mac was known, while also sharing songs that introduced a more experimental sound: a sound with familiar blues riffs at its core, but adorned with chromatically deviant progressions, multi-layered harmonies, and jazz-inspired guitar and vocal melodies. Compared to surrounding eras in the band’s history, Welch’s time with the group brought them to places that were loose, ambient, and sometimes downright haunting musically. And his vocals served to elevate this.
Welch’s silky tone infused these dreamy soundscapes with a distinctive ethereal quality. In fact, even when he’d belt more forcefully, Welch’s tone remained on the smoother side, much to his advantage as a vocalist. And on top of this, he demonstrated a tenor-esque ability to sustain long high notes in a very soothing mixed voice. At its strongest, his mixed voice would fuse together in harmonies with alto bandmate Christine McVie and sound particularly androgynous in leads, with “Born Enchanter” being perhaps the best example of this effect. All in all, Welch’s voice was perfectly suited not just for the hypnotic sounds he explored with the band, but also for his songwriting approach, which often involved weaving fluidly between harmonies in one section and then leads in the next.
Although Welch’s period with the band is sadly overlooked now, it stands out in review as Fleetwood Mac at perhaps their most adventurous and unrestrained, at least within a popular song format. Granted, the band has been something of a veteran of internal struggles, even with Welch fronting it, but compared to surrounding eras, the band’s work during this period is relatively hard to describe. Thus, the early ‘70s are often referred to as a transitional phase for Fleetwood Mac. It was a transition from the traditional blues rock of founder Peter Green’s era in the ‘60s to the more widely-known pop rock hits of the late ‘70s and beyond, marked by Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joining the band.
For all that time in between, the band lacked a clear musical identity, which meant that Welch and McVie, the two main songwriters during that time, were in better position to let loose and have fun creatively. And in turn, so did the whole band. In songs from this era, jams were frequent and inventive, song structures were loose but organic, and the overall genre was quite ambiguous, unified mostly by the luscious sound textures and passionate performances the band routinely laid down.
Personally, while I enjoy songs from all parts of Fleetwood Mac’s career, this short transitional phase has struck me as my favorite ever since I first heard “Hypnotized” on the radio several years ago. Whichever period of the band you may prefer, it’s hard to hear some of those ethereal moments on songs like “Hypnotized”, “Coming Home”, or “Future Games” and not fall into a brief trance from the music’s haunting beauty.
At the end of this period, in 1974, Bob Welch left Fleetwood Mac due tobeing fed up with all the baggage that comes with being in that band burnout from touring and legal struggles, bringing a sudden end to his time with the group while also leaving a clear mark on their rich history. From there, Welch explored a few different styles. He started with a Led Zeppelin-esque hard rock, complete with soaring Robert Plant mixed voice, through his short-lived power trio Paris. And when Paris fell apart in ‘77, he went right to work with his solo career, translating both Paris’ hard rock foundation and his developing tenor range to sounds that were popular at the time, namely disco, soul, and pop ballads. This is also the point that brought him the most commercial success, as his debut solo album French Kiss went platinum and peaked at #12 on the Billboard chart in ‘78.
Welch kept his productive pace going into the mid-’80s, though with declining commercial success, which eventually caught up to him. He halted his main career abruptly with 1983’s Eye Contact, his sixth solo album and fourteenth overall studio release. From then until his passing in 2012, Welch focused on other ventures, returning to music occasionally to re-record old tracks or release an unheard single.
Sadly, despite his talent and persistence, Welch never quite achieved the following or commercial success that he may have hoped for. But considering the places he’s been and the impact he’s had (Fleetwood Mac would have likely dissolved before Rumours without him), his legacy certainly won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
Bob Welch was an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter best remembered for co-fronting Fleetwood Mac in the early ‘70s and for his successful solo career in the late ‘70s, which included the hits “Ebony Eyes” and “Sentimental Lady”. Although Welch’s role in Fleetwood Mac was rather brief, he practically saved the band from dissolving as he gradually assumed both songwriting and management duties despite the group’s ongoing legal and internal issues. And while he was at the helm, Welch steered the British blues rock band toward a very unique musical direction.
Since joining in 1971, Welch contributed songs that continued the driving blues rock for which Fleetwood Mac was known, while also sharing songs that introduced a more experimental sound: a sound with familiar blues riffs at its core, but adorned with chromatically deviant progressions, multi-layered harmonies, and jazz-inspired guitar and vocal melodies. Compared to surrounding eras in the band’s history, Welch’s time with the group brought them to places that were loose, ambient, and sometimes downright haunting musically. And his vocals served to elevate this.
Welch’s silky tone infused these dreamy soundscapes with a distinctive ethereal quality. In fact, even when he’d belt more forcefully, Welch’s tone remained on the smoother side, much to his advantage as a vocalist. And on top of this, he demonstrated a tenor-esque ability to sustain long high notes in a very soothing mixed voice. At its strongest, his mixed voice would fuse together in harmonies with alto bandmate Christine McVie and sound particularly androgynous in leads, with “Born Enchanter” being perhaps the best example of this effect. All in all, Welch’s voice was perfectly suited not just for the hypnotic sounds he explored with the band, but also for his songwriting approach, which often involved weaving fluidly between harmonies in one section and then leads in the next.
Although Welch’s period with the band is sadly overlooked now, it stands out in review as Fleetwood Mac at perhaps their most adventurous and unrestrained, at least within a popular song format. Granted, the band has been something of a veteran of internal struggles, even with Welch fronting it, but compared to surrounding eras, the band’s work during this period is relatively hard to describe. Thus, the early ‘70s are often referred to as a transitional phase for Fleetwood Mac. It was a transition from the traditional blues rock of founder Peter Green’s era in the ‘60s to the more widely-known pop rock hits of the late ‘70s and beyond, marked by Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joining the band.
For all that time in between, the band lacked a clear musical identity, which meant that Welch and McVie, the two main songwriters during that time, were in better position to let loose and have fun creatively. And in turn, so did the whole band. In songs from this era, jams were frequent and inventive, song structures were loose but organic, and the overall genre was quite ambiguous, unified mostly by the luscious sound textures and passionate performances the band routinely laid down.
Personally, while I enjoy songs from all parts of Fleetwood Mac’s career, this short transitional phase has struck me as my favorite ever since I first heard “Hypnotized” on the radio several years ago. Whichever period of the band you may prefer, it’s hard to hear some of those ethereal moments on songs like “Hypnotized”, “Coming Home”, or “Future Games” and not fall into a brief trance from the music’s haunting beauty.
At the end of this period, in 1974, Bob Welch left Fleetwood Mac due to
Welch kept his productive pace going into the mid-’80s, though with declining commercial success, which eventually caught up to him. He halted his main career abruptly with 1983’s Eye Contact, his sixth solo album and fourteenth overall studio release. From then until his passing in 2012, Welch focused on other ventures, returning to music occasionally to re-record old tracks or release an unheard single.
Sadly, despite his talent and persistence, Welch never quite achieved the following or commercial success that he may have hoped for. But considering the places he’s been and the impact he’s had (Fleetwood Mac would have likely dissolved before Rumours without him), his legacy certainly won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
Significant High Notes:
G5 ("Breathless")
F♯5 ("Precious Love" 2003 re-recording)
F5 ("Black Magic Woman" live at The Paramount 1972, "Outlaw Game", "Pale Horse, Pale Rider", "Spanish Dancers")
E5 ("American Girls", "For Your Love", "Jealous", "Precious Love", "Silver Heels", "Victoria")
E♭5 ("Big Towne, 2061", "Black Book", "China", "Easy to Fall", "Precious Love" 2003 re-recording, "Red Rain")
D5 ("Black Magic Woman" live at The Paramount 1972, "Don’t Rush the Good Things", "Here Comes the Night", "She’s Changing Me")
C♯5 ("Big Towne, 2061", "Blue Robin", "Carolene", "Lose My Heart", "Reason", "Red Rain", "Religion", "Solitaire", "Something Strong", "Watch the Animals")
C5 ("3 Hearts", "Born Enchanter", "Bright Fire", "Coming Home", "Ebony Eyes" 2003 re-recording, "My Funny Valentine", "Narrow Gate", "Nightmare", "S.O.S.", "Spanish Dancers")
B4 ("Beautiful Youth", "Bernadette", "Black Book", "Breathless", "Can’t Hold Your Love Back", "Carolene", "Coming Home", "Danchiva", "Easy to Fall", "For Your Love", "Lay It All Down", "Love on the Line", "Narrow Gate", "Nazarene", "Outskirts", "Precious Love", "Reason", "Rock of Ages", "S.O.S.", "Sentimental Lady" French Kiss, "She’s Changing Me", "Straight Up")
B♭4 ("1 in 10", "B666", "Born Enchanter", "Breathless", "Can’t Hold Your Love Back", "China", "Church", "Costalarico", "Dancin’ Eyes", "Ebony Eyes", "Fever", "For Your Love", "The Ghost of Flight 401", "Jealous", "Little Star", "Mystery Train", "Nightmare", "Oh Jenny", "Outlaw Game", "Rebel Rouser", "Red Rain", "Religion", "Rock of Ages", "Spanish Dancers", "Starcage", "Straight Up")
A4 ("Bend Me, Shape Me", "Bird", "Black Magic Woman" live at The Paramount 1972, "Czar", "Devil Wind", "Fate Decides", "The Girl Can’t Stop", "Heart of Stone", "Here Comes the Night", "Justine", "Love on the Line", "Miles Away", "Money Love", "Narrow Gate", "S.O.S.", "Silver Heels", "Stay")
G♯4 ("American Girls", "B666", "Big Towne, 2061", "Black Book", "China", "The City", "Don’t Rush the Good Things", "E-Ticket to Fly", "Easy to Fall", "Ebony Eyes", "Future Games" 2003 re-recording, "He’s Really Got a Hold on Her", "Hypnotized" 2003 re-recording, "Janie", "Lay It All Down", "Little Star", "Lose My Heart", "Mystery Train", "Nazarene", "New Orleans", "Oh Jenny", "Outskirts", "Paris", "Rattlesnake Shake" live at The Roxy 1981, "Rebel Rouser", "Red Rain", "Sentimental Lady" 2003 re-recording, "Silver Heels", "Something Strong", "Straight Up", "Victoria", "Watch the Animals")
G4 ("3 Hearts", "Bend Me, Shape Me", "Bernadette", "Bird", "Black Magic Woman" live at The Paramount 1972, "Born Enchanter", "Breathless", "Can’t Hold Your Love Back", "Danchiva", "Devil Wind", "Don’t Let Me Fall", "Fever", "For Your Love", "Future Games", "The Ghost of Flight 401", "Good Things (Come to Those Who Wait)", "Head West", "I’ll Dance Alone", "Like Rain", "Live in Cherai", "Man Overboard", "Miles Away", "Narrow Gate", "Oh Jenny", "Outlaw Game", "Revelation", "Secrets", "She’s Changing Me", "Somebody", "Spanish Dancers", "That’s What We Said", "Those Days Are Gone", "To My Heart Again", "Two to Do")
F♯4 ("1 in 10", "American Girls", "Angel", "Beautiful Youth", "Blue Robin", "Carolene", "Church", "Coming Home", "Costalarico", "Don’t Rush the Good Things", "Easy to Fall", "Emerald Eyes" 2003 re-recording, "Forever", "Future Games" 2003 re-recording, "The Ghost", "The Girl Can’t Stop", "Heart of Stone", "Hot Love, Cold World", "Hurry Up", "Hustler", "Hypnotized" live at The Roxy 1981, "I Saw Her Standing There", "If You Think You Know How to Love Me", "Imaginary Fool", "Janie", "Justine", "Lose My Heart", "Lose Your Heart", "Night Watch", "Outskirts", "Precious Love", "Rattlesnake Shake" live at The Roxy 1981, "Reason", "Rebel Rouser", "Remember", "Secrets", "Sentimental Lady" Bare Trees, "Slave Trader", "So It Rains", "Solitaire", "Starchild", "Watch the Animals", "You Can’t Do That")
Significant Low Notes:
E3 ("American Girls", "Angel", "Breathless", "Can’t Hold Your Love Back", "Come Softly to Me", "Coming Home", "Devil Wind", "Emerald Eyes", "For Your Love", "Forever", "Good Things (Come to Those Who Wait)", "He’s Really Got a Hold on Her", "Lose My Heart", "Miles Away", "Night Watch", "Oh Well" 2003 re-recording, "Precious Love", "Revelation", "S.O.S." "Safe Harbour", "Sentimental Lady" All versions, "She’s Changing Me", "Silver Heels", "Something Strong", "Victoria")
E♭3 ("1 in 10", "American Girls", "Big Towne, 2061", "China", "Costalarico", "Danchiva", "Ebony Eyes", "Future Games", "Little Star", "Man Overboard", "Narrow Gate", "Oh Jenny", "Outlaw Game", "Pretty Things", "Reason", "Rebel Rouser", "Someday", "That’s What We Said", "Watch the Animals")
D3 ("Black Magic Woman" live at The Paramount 1972, "Bright Fire", "The City", "Coming Home" live at The Record Plant 1974, "Fate Decides", "Fever", "The Ghost of Flight 401", "Good Things (Come to Those Who Wait)", "Here Comes the Night", "I Got Rhythm", "Live in Cherai", "Love on the Line", "Miles Away", "Night Watch", "Starcage")
C♯3 ("Emerald Eyes", "Forever", "Hustler", "Lose My Heart", "Lush Life", "Sentimental Lady" Bare Trees, "She’s Changing Me", "Silver Heels" 2003 re-recording, "Starchild", "Straight Up", "Those Days Are Gone")
C3 ("Bermuda Triangle", "Bird", "Bright Fire", "Church", "Devil Wind", "Don’t Let Me Touch You", "Fever", "Here Comes the Night", "Hypnotized", "Like Rain", "Lush Life", "Man Overboard", "Oh Jenny")
B2 ("Forever", "Future Games" 2003 re-recording, "I Saw Her Standing There", "Miles Away" 2003 re-recording)
B♭2 ("Bermuda Triangle", "Future Games", "Moody’s Mood for Love", "My Funny Valentine", "Starcage")
A2 ("Come Softly to Me", "Coming Home", "Emerald Eyes" 2003 re-recording, "The Ghost of Flight 401", "Hustler", "It’s What Ya Don’t Say", "Revelation")
G♯2 ("Big Towne, 2061", "Lush Life")
G2 ("Bermuda Triangle", "Bird", "Don’t Let Me Touch You", "Hypnotized" 2003 re-recording, "I Got Rhythm", "Live in Cherai", "So It Rains")
F2 ("Bird", "E-Ticket to Fly", "Hustler", "Moody’s Mood for Love")
E♭2 ("Moody’s Mood for Love", "So It Rains")
D2 ("E-Ticket to Fly")
C♯2 ("My Funny Valentine", "So It Rains")
{Questionable Notes}
A5 ("Money Love" [2])
E5 ("Love on the Line" [2], "Night Watch" [2] Could be Christine McVie)
B♭4 ("Bird" [2])
A2 ("Miles Away" [1, 3])
G2 ("Somebody" [1])
F♯2 ("Heart of Stone" [1, 3], "Outlaw Game" [5] Pitch is good, but tone is lacking)
F2 ("Telepathy" [4])
B♭1 ("Hustler" [2])
A1 ("Coming Home" [3] Toneless spoken fry)
..................................................
1. Brief jumps into high or low range (eg. Yelps, trills, anacrusis, etc.).
2. Notes whose singer is unclear.
3. Non-melodic (ie. Spoken or off-key) notes that also lack a clear pitch.
4. Possibly pitch-shifted notes.
5. Notes that do not fit the labels above but whose quality is still unrepresentative of the singer's usual work (eg. excessively distorted screams or sustained, but non-projected vocal fry).
A5 ("Money Love" [2])
E5 ("Love on the Line" [2], "Night Watch" [2] Could be Christine McVie)
B♭4 ("Bird" [2])
A2 ("Miles Away" [1, 3])
G2 ("Somebody" [1])
F♯2 ("Heart of Stone" [1, 3], "Outlaw Game" [5] Pitch is good, but tone is lacking)
F2 ("Telepathy" [4])
B♭1 ("Hustler" [2])
A1 ("Coming Home" [3] Toneless spoken fry)
..................................................
1. Brief jumps into high or low range (eg. Yelps, trills, anacrusis, etc.).
2. Notes whose singer is unclear.
3. Non-melodic (ie. Spoken or off-key) notes that also lack a clear pitch.
4. Possibly pitch-shifted notes.
5. Notes that do not fit the labels above but whose quality is still unrepresentative of the singer's usual work (eg. excessively distorted screams or sustained, but non-projected vocal fry).
{Range Timeline}
With Head West:
Head West (1970): C♯3 - B♭4 - E5
With Fleetwood Mac:
Future Games (1971): B♭2 - G♯4 - B4
Bare Trees (1972): C♯3 - F♯4
Penguin (1973): A2 - G4 (chest) - C5 (mix) - E5
Mystery to Me (1973): B2 - B♭4 - E5
Heroes Are Hard to Find (1974): G2 - A4 - D5 - E5
With Paris:
Paris (1976): B♭2 - B4 (chest) - E♭5 - G5 (mix)
Big Towne, 2061 (1976): G♯2 - B♭4 - E♭5 - F5
Solo work:
French Kiss (1977): C♯3 - G♯4 (chest) - C♯5 (mix) - E♭5
Three Hearts (1979): A2 - A4 - E♭5 - E5
The Other One (1979): C♯3 - B4 - C5 - F5
Man Overboard (1980): C3 - B♭4 - C♯5 - E5
Bob Welch (1981): A2 - A4 (chest)
Eye Contact (1983): G2 - B4 - C5 - E5
Bob Welch Looks at Bop (1999): C♯2 - G♯4 - A4 - C5
With Head West:
Head West (1970): C♯3 - B♭4 - E5
With Fleetwood Mac:
Future Games (1971): B♭2 - G♯4 - B4
Bare Trees (1972): C♯3 - F♯4
Penguin (1973): A2 - G4 (chest) - C5 (mix) - E5
Mystery to Me (1973): B2 - B♭4 - E5
Heroes Are Hard to Find (1974): G2 - A4 - D5 - E5
With Paris:
Paris (1976): B♭2 - B4 (chest) - E♭5 - G5 (mix)
Big Towne, 2061 (1976): G♯2 - B♭4 - E♭5 - F5
Solo work:
French Kiss (1977): C♯3 - G♯4 (chest) - C♯5 (mix) - E♭5
Three Hearts (1979): A2 - A4 - E♭5 - E5
The Other One (1979): C♯3 - B4 - C5 - F5
Man Overboard (1980): C3 - B♭4 - C♯5 - E5
Bob Welch (1981): A2 - A4 (chest)
Eye Contact (1983): G2 - B4 - C5 - E5
Bob Welch Looks at Bop (1999): C♯2 - G♯4 - A4 - C5
..................................................
• Blue: Falsetto, head voice, and/or whistle register (projected mixed voice is kept in black).
• Bold: Some of the singer's arguably most impressive notes within a given register. Click on a bolded song title to hear audio of that note.
• Italics: Non-melodic notes (ie. Spoken or off-key).
• Underlines: Notes that are buried in the song's mix or which blend together with the other voice(s) in a harmony.
