What Are the Different Sonorous Styles of singer-songwriters?

Singer-songwriters are artists who compose, write, and perform their original musical composition, including melodies and lyrics. In the United States, this genre is typically represented by the folk-folk tradition, though this role has transcended through time through other forms of popular entertainment. In general, singer-songwriters focus on one or two musical instruments, such as piano, guitar, keyboards, or drums, while working from original written songs. A number of contemporary singer-songwriters work exclusively with one or few instruments, whereas others are songwriters who attempt to use a wide variety of instruments.

Folk-rock singer-songwriters often write about themes related to agriculture, religion, or life in general. Other genres that have singer-songwriter niches are country music, urban, jazz, and classical. In recent years, many traditional types of music have begun to incorporate vocalist-singer hybrids, creating new hybrid styles of music that cross traditional boundaries. Examples of more recent hybrid types include punk, pop, metal, reggae, and indie-rock.

One of the first artist-singer hybrids to emerge wasiscoid hit songwriter Jelly Dupree, who formed the band The Doobie Brothers with Paul McCartney and George Harrison. The group's early songs, like "I Remember You," "Relax" and "I'm a Believer," featured original writing credits shared by Dupree and McCartney. Other early 1970s artist-singer hybrids included The Cars, who had several hit songs featuring Cars, and The Osmosis Band, who had hits including "Green Onions" and "Don't Take Me Out."

Another early 1960s singer-songwriter combination was made by American folk singer-songwriter Robert Hunter and English singer-songwriter Davy Graham. Their first album, titled Folk Music, included collaborations that were unprecedented in their genre: acoustic guitar, stringed instruments, harmonica, and horn arrangements. The album reached No. 1 on the U.S. album charts. They also developed a following in Europe, where their music reached the top of the European charts.

During the 1970s, there was a resurgence of Italian songwriters. This was mostly because the Italian music scene was revitalized by the Popular Music generation that came to America during the late 1960s and early '70s. Most Italian music was geared toward traditional, folk, and jazz elements, but there was some influence from European traditionalists who saw the Italian tradition as an alternative to the "easy" American way of life. The most notable Italian songwriter of this period was Ennio Morricone, who wrote and sang for groups such asorsi everittati, and for solo artists including Diego Maradona, Joanna Di Lucciano, and Piero Paolo Merzetti.

Another hallmark of singer-songwriters is their use of traditional forms and instruments, especially if those instruments are in fashion at the time. This can range from traditional woodwind instruments to contemporary instruments, such as electronic keyboards, samplers, and electronic drum machines. It can also include a fusion of musical styles, which is common with many contemporary Italian singers. For instance, Ennio Morricone will use an Ennio style of acoustic violin for a piece he will be singing about. Many modern-day Italian bards use keyboards, samplers, and electronic drums to create new traditional compositions.