I'm on the side of allowing vocal "coloring" of a song to reflect the song's nature, regardless of the "natural" accent of the artist involved.

I mean, it's not as if I pretend I'm from Kentucky when I sing a song that "feels" *country* to me. But a country accent naturally comes out because it's part of the entire package of THAT particular song's "vocabulary". Similarly, when I sing Irish songs, the Irish accent naturally comes out...

I don't use the same voice coloring for pop songs as the one I use for rock songs... Similarly, "Broadway" songs have their own unique vocal style attached to them.

What's worse than hearing a beautiful operatic voice...TRYING to sing a pop song while the artist insists upon using the operatic qualities of their voice? The voice may be BEAUTIFUL...but if the accent and tone are wrong for the genre, it's simply awful to listen to! What works for one style doesn't necessarily translate well to a different one... (I don't sing opera because, despite the other things my voice might be able to do, it doesn't "translate" well in that particular genre...)

After all, almost ANY song can be produced for marketing to several different genres, depending upon the instruments used, the vocal stylings, the arrangement selected, etc. The accent is just one of those tools to keep the song "true" to that genre.

So I believe the "acquired" accent is legit so long as it's there to convey the flavor of a particular song.

And, face it--if the artist of whom you speak were trying to be a sell-out (and "fool" his fans), he'd use the country accent not only when he sang, but when he spoke, as well...

Just my opinion...



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Earthy songs about heaven...and heavenly
songs about more earthy things, too. - Will Cheshier