Calvin Richardson is the kind of singer that, if you knew about him, you’d love him. He’s just got that kind of a voice.
It is ironic that someone as easy on the eyes as Calvin isn’t plastered everywhere considering how sexualized black male singers usually are. But I suspect that his previous four labels didn’t think they could sell the pretty since it was coupled with an earnest soulfulness. But who knows? He’s an independent artist now, dropping his new album, When Loves Comes last month.
It can be difficult to talk about what specific aspects of a soul artists makes them appealing, because most soul artists’ music is deceptively simple and straightforward. One then runs the risk of overselling what is really a genre that is mostly about a singer’s interpretive approach to a song.
This is what Calvin does that few of his contemporaries do.
His voice is an emotive marvel, capable of a low rumble all the way up to a full-blown wail. But, he’s actually a singer of uncommon subtlety. He doesn’t oversing but he doesn’t under-sing either. He just simply understands instinctively what emotion is required from a song and communicates it. It is the kind of singing that is harder to do than it sounds.
Also – Having just seen him last night at the Birchmere, I can attest to his live vocal skills.
Dude is major!
Check out some of his videos:
Keep on Pushin’ from 2:35PM
This is probably one of his greatest songs ever. The opening seals the deal, y’all.
Not Like This, from 2:35PM
Sang No More, from the new album When Love Comes
This live performance of Your Love Is definitely shows Calvin’s live show chops. Again – Dude is MAJOR!
This is Calvin’s cover of Bobby Womack’s Wish He Didn’t Trust Me So Much, a classic. Calvin’s voice has been compared to Womack’s fifty-leven times, and he acquits himself nicely here.
True Love, from Country Boy
More Calvin Richardson:
Calvin’s website
Calvin’s Myspace Page
More Introductions:
My Introduction to Sy Smith
I really like the one, Keep On Pushing. He does old school well.
I absolutely love Calvin Richardson. I don’t have his new CD just yet though.