The Osborne Brothers

The Osborne Brothers were an American bluegrass duo composed of Kentucky brothers Sonny Osborne and Bobby Osborne. Known for their tight harmonies and distinct vocal style, they were hugely influential in the history of bluegrass music. Here's how you can learn to sing like the Osborne Brothers:

Vocal Technique

One of the Osborne Brothers' signature vocal techniques is their harmony singing. They were known for their "split singing" style, where Sonny would sing tenor and Bobby would sing lead. To achieve this sound, it's important to focus on blending your voices together seamlessly. This involves experimenting with different vowel shapes, listening closely to each other, and adjusting your volume and dynamics accordingly.

Another key aspect of the Osborne Brothers' vocal technique is their use of "high lonesome" singing. This involves singing in a high register with lots of power and intensity, creating a sound that is simultaneously mournful and uplifting. To achieve this style, you'll need to work on increasing your vocal range, building breath control, and developing a strong resonance in your upper register.

Songs to Learn

One of the best ways to learn how to sing like the Osborne Brothers is to study their music and style. Here are a few songs that showcase their unique vocal sound:

• "Rocky Top" - This classic song is a great example of the Osborne Brothers' harmony style and high lonesome singing. Work on blending your voices together in the chorus and using plenty of power and intensity in your vocals.
• "Ruby (Are You Mad)" - This upbeat tune features some impressive vocal runs and a catchy melody. Focus on nailing the song's fast-paced lyrics and maintaining a steady tempo throughout.
• "Don't Let Smokey Mountain Smoke Get in Your Eyes" - This slow, mournful ballad shows off the softer side of the Osborne Brothers' vocal style. Work on creating a sound that is simultaneously powerful and delicate, using plenty of nuance and emotion in your singing.

Practical Advice and Singing Carrots Resources

• Sing regularly to improve your vocal technique and tone. The Singing Carrots Pitch Training interactive vocal warm-ups and pitch visualizer can help you strengthen your range, agility, and pitch accuracy.
• Practice singing with a metronome or backing track to improve your rhythm and timing. The Singing Carrots song search feature can help you find songs with a specific tempo and difficulty level.
• Focus on your breathing to help you achieve the Osborne Brothers' high lonesome singing style. The Singing Carrots breathing basics and breath support articles can help you improve your breath control and respiration.
• Experiment with different vocal registers to achieve the Osborne Brothers' signature harmony style. The Singing Carrots voice registers and vocal break article has plenty of helpful tips to get you started.
• Finally, remember to have fun and let your personality shine through in your singing. The Singing Carrots blog post on singing with intuition, skills, emotion, and thinking has some great advice on how to cultivate an authentic and unique vocal style.

Singing Carrots Resources

• Vocal range test
• Pitch accuracy test
• Vocal Pitch Monitor
• Pitch Training - Educational Singing Game
• Search songs by vocal range
• Vocal ranges of famous singers
• Educational singing course
• Breathing basics
• Voice registers & vocal break
• Breath support
• Singing with intuition, skills, emotion, and thinking