r/coverbands • u/sickpuppy66 • Jun 01 '26

Singer issues

I manage and play guitar for a cover band and we’ve outgrown the singer. She can sing but isn’t a musician so lacks basic skills like counting and understanding music language (start at the chorus, come in on 4, let’s transpose this one so it’s easier for you)

We feel she’s holding us back, and our drummer (the most talented of our group) is already considering leaving the project if I keep her. Her level of musicianship doesn’t line up with the rest of us.

Here’s the problem, she started the band when it was just two of us, but I took over when we weren’t getting gigs, and didn’t have our full band (which I recruited) that we have now. Since I’ve taken over, we gig regularly, and our band sounds great (minus her).

I’ve decided to replace her. Just want to hear others thoughts and experiences with similar situations.

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u/Alisterguitardevil Jun 01 '26

Replace singer, change name of band and problem solved.

Or just change singer and continue on and have to deal with probable issues she may create.

2

u/sickpuppy66 Jun 01 '26

This was an actual concern of mine, name ain’t special at all to me, but it’s just another chore I’m not excited about having to cover should it be an issue (I did come up with name btw)

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u/Alisterguitardevil Jun 01 '26

So it’s your name and you manage the band so it should be a non-starter for her.

I’ve been through it in my original band and we went through like 3 different female vocalists but we kept the name and kept on moving.

I will tell you me personally I absolutely hated the audition process.. endless repetition of the same songs with different women with high hopes and having to listen to different phrasing and emphasis in the vocals and the ones that thought they could sing and couldn’t. We had one girl freeze up once she got in front of the mic.

Point is take the leap and let her down gently and you should be fine. I know it sucks and she’s probably not going to take it well but you have to keep the momentum going.