ACM Top Female Vocalist Predictions..

[bamafan2102]

I agree 100%. I love all of those woman and own everything by all of them. I was just adding that some of the Sara Evans fans were trashing Lee Ann Womack for CROSSING OVER. I could care less if George Strait came out with a R&B album or Alternative album (although highly unlikely). he is just doing what he feels is best and trying something new. I actually like Something Worth Leaving Behind and Forever Everyday.(the only singles released from that album). Really nothing groundbreaking in either the country genre or the AC genre. It was kind of stuck in the middle. I even agree that Three Chords wasn't the best album but she was doing what she loved at the time and saw that it wasn't working in the climate of country music at the time. All in all I just want everyone to be put on the same playing field. I know that everyone's a critic and that's what makes this board but be a critic of the people you like and the people you don't like.

[gcook]

Well, I hope that Sara wins the award this year because I feel she deserves it. I think "Tonight" was not the best single choice and if it was pulled (although I had not heard that until now) it was probably because she is not a superstar enough to let just any single go through and become a huge hit like Martina has been lately.

[sevansfan]

Her webmaster/fanclub guy told us they stopped promoting the single so they could "hopefully" have a single from the new album out in April with a summer release of the album. If you don't mind me asking where did you get the info that she is 4-5 songs into it? Craig (webmaster) also told us he has heard some of the new songs and that this cd is gonna be incredible!

Devin

[2shane7]

First of all, can we focus on the facts with Sara Evans' "Restless" album?  The CD was very successful from a singles standpoint: it wasn't just "Suds" that was a huge hit ... "Perfect" was a steady, consistent builder and a huge Top Five hit on BOTH R&R and Billboard.  Not to mention that "Backseat" was a solid Top 20 hit in a year when (pathetic) country radio was not playing a thing by women.

However, I have a question about the ACM's (and CMA's) Female Vocalist Award ... is it generally given to the person who had the most successful year chart-wise, sales-wise, etc., OR ... to the person who has the tired old definition of best vocal meaning "greatest range?"  Because from my understanding, it's the latter ... vocalists like Martina, Reba, and Trisha have been awarded, because they have technically strong voices.

That's why I think Sarah has the best shot at winning over Martina.

I mean, to ME, Terri Clark has a fantastic voice!  But it's sort of like the whole Madonna-Whitney Houston thing in Pop ... Madonna puts a whole heck of a lot more emotion into her songs than Whitney, but Whitney will always be considered a better singer because she's "technically" solid and has great range.  Terri just doesn't compare to Martina and Sara in terms of range, although to me that doesn't make her voice any weaker.

[musicbuff78]

2shane7 said:

First of all, can we focus on the facts with Sara Evans' "Restless" album?  The CD was very successful from a singles standpoint: it wasn't just "Suds" that was a huge hit ... "Perfect" was a steady, consistent builder and a huge Top Five hit on BOTH R&R and Billboard.  Not to mention that "Backseat" was a solid Top 20 hit in a year when (pathetic) country radio was not playing a thing by women.

However, I have a question about the ACM's (and CMA's) Female Vocalist Award ... is it generally given to the person who had the most successful year chart-wise, sales-wise, etc., OR ... to the person who has the tired old definition of best vocal meaning "greatest range?"  Because from my understanding, it's the latter ... vocalists like Martina, Reba, and Trisha have been awarded, because they have technically strong voices.

That's why I think Sarah has the best shot at winning over Martina.

I mean, to ME, Terri Clark has a fantastic voice!  But it's sort of like the whole Madonna-Whitney Houston thing in Pop ... Madonna puts a whole heck of a lot more emotion into her songs than Whitney, but Whitney will always be considered a better singer because she's "technically" solid and has great range.  Terri just doesn't compare to Martina and Sara in terms of range, although to me that doesn't make her voice any weaker.

First off, not only was Perfect a Top 5, but it was a #1.

For your awards question, it seems that the Female Vocalist award goes to the one that's most respected by the industry, hence why Martina keeps winning.

But I have to TOTALLY disagree with you on Reba....she's not stong vocalwise at ALL

[drock89]

"Perfect" peaked #2 BB, not #1 ;)

Although I would like to see Sara or Reba win, Gretchen will. Hands down, IMO. Huge singles, lots of publicity, industry favorite, 4x platinum album, yeah, they will give it to her.

[musicbuff78]

shaniagotchagood said:

"Perfect" peaked #2 BB, not #1  ;)

Although I would like to see Sara or Reba win, Gretchen will. Hands down, IMO. Huge singles, lots of publicity, industry favorite, 4x platinum album, yeah, they will give it to her.

Too early for a debut artist to win that award. I think we will have to wait for her to be around longer to win. Gotta get the respect from the acadamies, ya know? That you can't get overnight.

[drock89]

Steelo said:

Too early for a debut artist to win that award. I think we will have to wait for her to be around longer to win. Gotta get the respect from the acadamies, ya know? That you can't get overnight.

True, in fact, I thought you had to win Horizon or New Artist before you could be nominated for Top Female/Male..

[WhySoSerious?]

shaniagotchagood said:

True, in fact, I thought you had to win Horizon or New Artist before you could be nominated for Top Female/Male..

I don't know where this belief started, but it's never been the case.  Look at Alison Krauss who won Horizon and Female Vocalist of the year at the CMAs in 1995.

[bamafan2102]

I hate to be negative but the Sara over Martina contest can go with how well their singles have done and maybe even album sales, but Sara over Martina vocally?????? NO WAY!! Just an opinion but Martina sings circles around Sara. I like Sara but her voice is not one of the strongest in country music. I base most of my opinion on live performances that I have seen. Although I haven't seen Sara Evans a whole lot live I have seen her enough to know that Martina blows her out of the water. I have seen Martina in person twice and just to be an ass decided to see how many notes she missed. TWO all night. Once again just an opinion. (This post was just an opinion if you didn't notice)

[Spidey]

bamafan2102 said:

I hate to be negative but the Sara over Martina contest can go with how well their singles have done and maybe even album sales, but Sara over Martina vocally?????? NO WAY!! Just an opinion but Martina sings circles around Sara. I like Sara but her voice is not one of the strongest in country music. I base most of my opinion on live performances that I have seen. Although I haven't seen Sara Evans a whole lot live I have seen her enough to know that Martina blows her out of the water. I have seen Martina in person twice and just to be an ass decided to see how many notes she missed. TWO all night.  Once again just an opinion. (This post was just an opinion if you didn't notice)

Which begs the question, should a Top Vocalist award be based 100% on actual vocal prowess, or should other factors be involved?

IMO, Martina has more raw vocal talent then the other women in this catagory. But also IMO, someone like Alison Krauss is just as strong as Martina vocally, if not stronger. So why isn't Alison up for this award?

[WhySoSerious?]

If you sing you're a vocalist. The award isn't for who had the best vocal performances of the year, it's just a way to keep instrumentalists from being nominated.

[Spidey]

TCorey said:

If you sing you're a vocalist.  The award isn't for who had the best vocal performances of the year...

Which makes sense.  Vocal talent can't really be "proven".  Nobody can "prove" that Martina has a better voice than Allison (or whoever, or vice versa), since it's all based on strictly opinion.

[someguy]

Alison isn't nominated because she and Union Station are listed in the vocal group category.

[bamafan2102]

There should be some sort of rules posted on the CMA website for nominating a person. It is really vague. I am sure they aren't voted on by just vocal talen but what else is there. Sales, single success, touring??? This is a very interesting thread.

[KMCB]

bamafan2102 said:

but Sara over Martina vocally?????? NO WAY!! Just an opinion but Martina sings circles around Sara. I like Sara but her voice is not one of the strongest in country music. I base most of my opinion on live performances that I have seen.

I always respect your opinions because you state them so intelligently!  I have seen both Martina and Sara several times (M- twice, Sara - 4x). Yes, Martina has a stronger voice but... she doesn't have a lot of diversity in what she does. She kind of sings everything one way. That's why I love songs like "God-Fearin' Women" and "Love's the Only House."

Sara's voice, IMO, is prettier. I think she uses it more, has variety and texture in her voice that Martina's latest recordings have severely lacked.  And in comparing their 2 latest CDs, Sara seems to be having a lot more fun and growing more, while Martina almost seems to be boring herself.

I love them both, but I think right now, it's time for Sara.  At least it should be. I think as far as the award, the only one who can take it from Martina this year is Gretchen.

[Spidey]

bamafan2102 said:

There should be some sort of rules posted on the CMA website for nominating a person. It is really vague. I am sure they aren't voted on by just vocal talen but what else is there. Sales, single success, touring???

Good questions. I agree, it's rather vague.

[bamafan2102]

Just watched Nashville Star on TIVO from Tuesday night when Sara opened the show with Suds In The Bucket. First of all i have to say I really dislike the song so it may skew my view of her performance a little but she didn't do very well. I think Sara has a wonderful voice (and not to shabby looking either) but she still needs that big breakthrough song. I know she has had a couple of number ones but if you were to ask your casual listener about five popular female country singers, I wonder how many would know Sara?

[musicbuff78]

bamafan2102 said:

Just watched Nashville Star on TIVO from Tuesday night when Sara opened the show with Suds In The Bucket. First of all i have to say I really dislike the song so it may skew my view of her performance a little but she didn't do very well. I think Sara has a wonderful voice (and not to shabby looking either) but she still needs that big breakthrough song. I know she has had a couple of number ones but if you were to ask your casual listener about five popular female country singers, I wonder how many would know Sara?

Eventhough it was a #2 hit and not a #1, I believe her remake of I Could Not Ask For More was her breakthrough hit.

[sevansfan]

Ya I agree with Steelo, Born To Fly was her breakthrough album! jShe had a #1, consecutive week #2, a top 5 hit and a top 20 hit from that album. She also received tons of nominations with this album. At the 2001 CMA's she had 7 nominations! How often does that happen unless its Tim, Kenny, Toby or Alan!?

[sevansfan]

bamafan2102 said:

but Sara over Martina vocally?????? NO WAY!! Just an opinion but Martina sings circles around Sara. I like Sara but her voice is not one of the strongest in country music. I base most of my opinion on live performances that I have seen.

I believe Sara has just as strong a voice as Sara! I went and dug up an editorial review from Amazon to back me too! Just so you know Im not the only one who thinks this way!


Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This is the companion CD to Canada-based CMT's live-concert television special recorded in March 1999, and it features four of the most-popular female artists of 1990s contemporary country--all of whom are not coincidentally BMG labelmates. If nothing else, it's an accurate snapshot of Nashville at the turn of the century: spunky two-steppers and heart-tugging ballads of widely varying quality; an album cover full of flawlessly airbrushed women in fetching poses; and a sonic production that's usually as airbrushed as the album cover. All four women have considerable vocal talent, although Evans seems to know best how to use it. The question, as usual, comes down to the ratio of country elements to adult-contemporary pop, and even when a fiddle or steel guitar pops up, it too often seems like a contrivance. Unfortunately, the pabulum has a tendency to obscure the real meat here, which is often quite rewarding. Problem is, even the spiciest of meals is lost when it falls on deadened taste buds. --Marc Greilsamer

[musicbuff78]

sevansfan said:

I believe Sara has just as strong a voice as Sara!

I would sure hope that she has a voice as strong as her own!

[sevansfan]

Whoops! You all know who I was talking about though!

Devin

[musicbuff78]

sevansfan said:

Whoops! You all know who I was talking about though!

Devin

hehehe Yes, I sure did. Just had to give ya sh!t and tease ya about it.

[Free2Bme]

I copied this from another thread that was unfortunately locked because it turned into another Shania debate. I thought this would be an appropriate thread to continue this discussion.

IMO, The following list partially explains why Martina continues to get nominated and rewarded by the ACM for her work.


PLEASE STAY ON TOPIC!
Thank you TCorey for so graciously providing us with the following stats....


From post 9/11 to today, though keep in mind that Faith and Reba have had less output than Shania and Martina.

Martina McBride
Top 40 hits: 10
Top 10 hits: 5
Top 5 hits: 5
#1 hits: 1

Reba McEntire
Top 40 hits: 5
Top 10 hits: 3
Top 5 hits: 2
#1 hits: 1

Shania Twain
Top 40 hits: 7
Top 10 hits: 4
Top 5 hits: 1
#1 hits: None

Faith Hill
Top 40 hits: 4
Top 10 hits: None
Top 5 hits: None
#1 hits: None

[FrancineLangeInNY]

Free2Bme said:

I copied this from another thread that was unfortunately locked because it turned into another Shania debate. I thought this would be an appropriate thread to continue this discussion.

IMO, The following list partially explains why Martina continues to get nominated and rewarded by the ACM for her work.

Because she has a powerful voice, unlike several other poptry "superstars"?

[KMCB]

And for Sara:

Top 40 hits: 5 (and Tonight was 41)
Top 10 hits: 3
Top 5 hits: 3
#1 hits: 1

She rates right up there with those right under Martina...

[Deleted]

I think the ACM Female Vocalist Award will come down to the industry's Old Favorite (Martina) vs. the industry's New Favorite (Gretchen).

Sara has a chance, but it's going to take some vote splitting for her to get the trophy.

Terri Clark is far back in the pack this year. I would be very[/I] surprised if she got the Female Vocalist trophy, especially this year. She's had better years than this one and didn't win. I don't think she'll win this year and I, personally, don't think she deserves to win either.

Lee Ann Womack doesn't deserve the award either. She had 1 new single out that barely made the cut off date. That's it. Next year she might be more deserving, depending on what the rest of the year holds in store for her, but definitely not this year.


Personally, out of those nominated, I would vote for Sara Evans. I definitely would not vote for Sara for Album of the Year, but I would vote for her in the Female Vocalist category.

Sadly, as I said, it will come down to the 2 Favorites (Martina vs. Gretchen).

It will also depend on whether or not the industry will want to give Martina her 8th Female Vocalist Award. (She currently has 4 Female Vocalist trophies from the CMA awards and 3 Female Vocalist trophies from the ACM awards.)


Who WILL Win: Martina or Gretchen
Who SHOULD Win: Sara Evans

[countrymusicfan6]

I disagree with MusicSTfan.

I don't think Sara Evans had that great of a year. It certainly wasn't her best(think back to the born to fly years). I do think she has a chance though.

Martina Mcbride doesn't deserve the award this year. She hasn't even had a top ten hit or a new album out.

Gretchen is too knew and hasn't proven herself to be a TOP female vocalist. She deserves the NEW artist award hands down and maybe this award next year.

Lee Ann Womack hasn't had a lot of success either. The album was just realesed and the single has barely cracked top ten.

IMO, it is Terri Clark's year. This is her tenth year in the business and she hasn't won one award. IN the past year she has;become a member of the Grand Ole Opry, had a number one single, realesed a Greatest Hits album(her fastest selling album), had a number one video on CMT, went on a major country tour(with toby keith), and become a spoksperson for a big corporation-DODGE! It doesn't get much better that that. Plus, SHE HAS NEVER BEEN ACCUSED OF BEING A TRAITOR. The only women, in my opinion, to not go pop when it was the cool thing to do. She has always stayed true to her country roots.

To me it is a clear choice.

[musicbuff78]

I can't agree with the Terri choice. If she were to win it, it would have been the year that her Pain to Kill album came out. THAT was her year.

As for Martina not having an album out this yr, her's isn't much older than Sara's.

If I had to choose, it would be between Sara and Martina. Martina I know has the respect from the academy and I'm not sure if Sara has as much respect as Martina.