Crooner

A crooner is a singer (usually male) of a certain kind of popular music, often called Standards or American Standards. The term song stylings is often used to identify this style. This style of music, characterized by a relaxed and intimate posture by the performer, became possible with with the invention of electric amplification in the early 20th century. Prior to introduction of this technology, in order for a signer to be heard in a large venue, the singer had to be able to project his or her voice a substantial distance. This skill usually required extensive formal voice training. Voice artists of the pre-electronic amplification era are characterized by powerful, professionally trained voices. However, with amplification, singers who did not possess powerful, trained voices could aspire to become popular performers. Crooning became one of the early styles made possible by these circumstances. Indeed, this form of music dominated popular American music from the 1940s to the 1960s. After that time, popular music became dominated by other styles, such as rock 'n' roll, disco, and hip hop. However, crooners have not completely disappeared, with contemporary performers such as Harry Connick Jr. keeping the form alive. While both male and female singers sang in this style, the label "crooner" is rarely used to describe a female singer.

List of Famous Crooners

See also: Crooner, Al Martino, Andy Williams, Barry Manilow, Billy Eckstine, Bing Crosby, Bobby Bare, Bobby Curtola, Bobby Darin, Bobby Troup