Hey there!!!

I would like to start with a great compliment to your music. I have been an avid fan for 5 years now. I really like your stuff!!!
However, the question is: how come when you perform live you don't like to sing the high parts? I mean, I am a singer myself, and I understand that it is rather stressful on your vocal cords and all. But at the same time, I saw you guys for the first time just last weekend, and I did not get as much satisfaction out of the show as I do get from the record, because Brent just kept avoiding the high notes and instead was singing flat. What the FUCK? I truly admire Brent's voice, and I do believe that he is more than capable, but, seriously, WHAT THE FUCK??

You gotta realize that those high notes that you speak of don't just get sung that night. He has to sing them day after day after day due to their touring schedule. So, there's something to be said for the fact that Brent can sing every night whether he sings those high notes or not because, as we all know, Brent sings with a lot of intensity. So, for him to be able to sing every night is a testament to just how strong his voice really is. And, I personally think that he finds great ways to sing these songs and make them sound amazing while not having to blow out his voice on those high notes and ruin the rest of his performance.

Man, I have been to so many live concerts of various performers, it's too long to list. I can tell when the musicians tune down their instruments to "save their voice" for the rest of the tour. I have heard the backup vocalists "carry" the lead singer on hard parts. I have also heard bands sing just outright flat live.

My point is: I have a great deal of respect for the bands that can sound just as good live as on record.

I actually did do some youtubing last night. Some of the Shinedown shows and acoustic performances sound really good. Like I said, it was my first time seeing them live and I was not impressed. I will give them another shot, though.

I'm not saying that he's trying to "save his voice" necessarily, but I am saying it may get to the point where the vocalist may do it so much that it becomes physically impossible to do the amazing things that he can do in the studio. You said that you're a singer as well, as am I, so you and I both know that most of the time if you sing as hard as he does you're not going to sound as well at the end of an hour and a half set than you did in the beginning. Now imagine doing that 3 or 4 nights in a row. But, at the same time that I make this argument, I know exactly where you're coming from. I found myself in the crowd of my first Shinedown show thinking the exact same thing that you brought up in the first place. But, i guess that after seeing them over the course of the last two albums, I had unfortunately not gotten to see them during the tour for Leave a Whisper, and a bunch of shows, I have just come to realize that what he does is necessary.

But if you really want to hear what he can do then check this out.

There is a new video on YouTube posted very recently of the band Performing 45. Apparently Brent was in the process of losing his voice. He announced it and apologized for it, but there is absolutely nothing he could do. He's been on tour for over a year already and he's not stopping til after Christmas. It happens, especially if you try and do you absolute best on every performance you do. Here's the Vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjPtPq7vq8g

This next video is HONESTLY Brent's best performance on the 08 tour. You can see he is hesitant at first. But the crowd was giving him sooo much energy to feed off of, and He took it, and went out on a limb, and hit EVERY high note in the song. He really sang his heart out and completed the song with such power, it was completely UNREAL and quite amazing to watch. The whole show, apparently was phenomenal. I really wish I could have been there. The song was Devour. Really worth watching.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWEsJEaxKAg

Bobbay, Shiner 45, thank you for your feedback. As you can tell from the first video Bobbay mentioned, a Shinedown fan was not impressed. I think i was actually at that show, the video was posted right after they played in Nampa, ID. However, the second video, Devour, happened just a couple of months ago and Brent nailed it right on the money!!!
thank you!