When I posted at 3:09 p.m. above, somehow I goofed and cut off the first part of my first paragraph, which should have read:

"GUEST,vvvv, I hadn't heard of Shinedown until I read your post, but then I don't usually travel in those musical circles. So I pulled up a batch of videos of them on YouTube and listened to them."

Well ye-e-e-e-e-ah, PoppaGator, but I sure wouldn't advise someone to do it unless they have a pretty good grounding in basic vocal technique (breathing, placement, and such). That raspy, gravelly sound is hard on the vocal cords no matter how you slice it.

The guys you mention do it and seem to get away with it, but that's very much like walking a tight-rope. Some folks manage it without mishap because, even without voice lessons, they've learned (sometimes the hard way!) how to handle it. But lots of others topple off and land with a sickening splat.

Heck, I don't sing "soft and pretty" (!??) all the time (hard to sing a sea chantey "soft and pretty!").   But I don't make constant belting and snarling a regular part of my singing style.

I've been told I sound like Gordon Bok. I wish that was true (!), but maybe people say this because my voice is deep like his.

Don Firth