Best music in early years!

Darrell Criswell · From: Maryland, USA

It seems to me and others have noted that many of the great musical artists best work is in their early years. Two examples which come to mind which I am very familiar with are Loretta Lynn and Johnny Paycheck. The early Lynn recordings on the Decca labels are just exceptional, her other work just doesn't compare in my estimation. I think her singing is superior. Johnny Paycheck's first work on the Lil Darling label is among the best of any country vocalist ever, it is just outstanding. I have read others who have studied Flatt and Scruggs work and say their earliest stuff is by far their best.

I wonder if anyone can speculate on why this is. Is the voice and nervous system just better at a younger age, or is there something about musical greatness that manifests itself at an early age and the creativity/magical quality of their work is never equalled or surpassed?

Thanks so much for any speculation or thoughts you may have about this topic!

Mitch Drumm · From: Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake

The best stuff at an early age is often true--Presley being the all-time classic example. Maybe related to personality--not being self-conscious and a certain lack of inhibition without any particular expectation in the studio.

But there are plenty of instances where age doesnâ€™t appear to be a factor, enough to make me think there are usually mundane explanationsâ€¦â€¦changing times and styles, finding another producer/arranger, and chance above all. Itâ€™s hard to imagine preferring a 1954 Ray Price â€œThe Other Womanâ€ or a 1940 Sinatra â€œCome Fly With Meâ€.

And we have only a highly speculative idea of who has the most responsibility for the final product...Elvis or Sam Phillips; Frank or Nelson Riddle, Marty or Grady Martin, Paycheck or a label bean-counter.

Voices do change over time, but are rarely the reason I donâ€™t like somebodyâ€™s later work. Presley again the classic example.

I've always wanted to see an engineer's explanation of why a 1940 Chevy didn't at least look like a 1955 Chevy. Purely a lack of imagination? Prevented by available technology?

Darrell Criswell · From: Maryland, USA

"Voices do change over time, but are rarely the reason I donâ€™t like somebodyâ€™s later work. Presley again the classic example."

I think Paycheck's voice changed and probably his vocal abilities changed from his smoking and drug use. However if you get a chance compare some of Loretta's singing on the Decca label in the sixties to her later voice. Her earlier work to me has a quality that is just magical and later work sounds much more bland. And by the way I do like the earlier Ray Price, I think maybe because of the musical backup without strings etc. Ray took opera lessons for 8 years when he was younger.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

mytwocents:

When artists first record, they're usually doing songs they like, and sounding pretty much the way they want to sound. But after awhile, they begin to get feedback from their (substantially larger) audience (or label), and that's when things start to go south. Sad

The artists then start doing, more and more, stuff they think their audience would like, and sounding the way they think their audience wants them to sound. So, they become less and less "artists following their own star", as it were, and they become more and more, just "performers", supplying instead, what their audience (or sometimes, the recording company) wants. In science, this is called "the observer effect", whereby the mere act of observing or measuring something can change that which is being observed or measured.

Some people grow to love and cherish things as they were originally. But things seldom stay the same, and when they change that original "spark", the soul or identity, can become lost. Other people want constant change, and they're bored or lose interest when things stay the same.

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

Agreeing with Donny, to an extent.

Most of us here can only speculate on the trials and tribulations of a recording career at the Elvis/Sinatra/Loretta level. As a fan of many artists who, imo, have followed the OPâ€™s pattern of bursting out with a few great recordings and then settling into a more comfortable and predictable groove, I would simply blame it on success. Instead of struggling and scratching and biting to establish an identity with a new audience, the career transforms into catering to the established audience.

I think this â€œarc of careerâ€ perception we have also has to do with personal taste. I might like a more raw, rough edged musical attitude, or I might prefer subtlety and depth, or lush and polished, or clever writing and arranging, or technically advanced musicianship.

Bill McCloskey · From: Nanuet, NY

Many performers best work was done at the end of their career. Johnny Cashâ€™s last work done with Rick Rubin was the best work of his career in my opinion. And in the classical world, Glenn Gouldâ€™s final recording of the Goldberg Variations, released the week he died, was infinitely better than his first version, the first recording he ever made.

Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

This is likely a gross generalization, but it's been my theory for well over a half century that a recording artist often works to perfect their personal style and sound to the point a record company will sign them. Then the pressure is on to produce a specific amount of material to satisfy the contract, and the quality invariably suffers. Lotsa exceptions, no doubt. But there are plenty through the years who seem to adhere closely to this pattern.

Joachim Kettner · From: Germany

With all respect to the great Joe Cocker, I think that was the case with him. I often listen to his late sixties/early seventies records. Thy are great with his backing group the Grease Band. He even co-wrote quite few songs with the keyboarder.
His 80's records were loaded with synths and too much echo.
I think he found himself again, with the last album he made before his death.
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Slim Heilpern · From: Aptos California, USA

While this is often true of vocalists for all the reasons mentioned above, I find this to be much less often the case for instrumentalists. Their early work may be more edgy and raw (sometimes a good thing), but the best players tend to get better in other ways over time (at least up to a point). Take steel players, for example...
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