The Crooner

A crooner is a singer (usually male) of a certain kind of popular music, often called "standards" or "American standards". The style, which is characterized by a relaxed and intimate posture by the performer, became poss

A crooner is a singer (usually male) of a certain kind of popular music, often called "standards" or "American standards". The style, which is characterized by a relaxed and intimate posture by the performer, became possible with the invention of electric amplification in the early 20th century. Prior to the introduction of this technology, in order for a singer to be heard in a large venue, he or she had to be able to project the voice a substantial distance. This skill usually required extensive formal voice training. Singers of the pre-electronic-amplification era are characterized by powerful, professionally trained voices. However, with amplification, singers who did not possess powerful, trained voices could aspire to become popular performers. Crooning became one of the early styles made possible by these circumstances. Indeed, this form of music dominated popular American music from the 1940s to the 1960s. After that time, popular music became dominated by other styles, such as rock 'n' roll. However, crooners have not completely disappeared, with contemporary performers such as Harry Connick Jr., Tony Bennett, Michael Bublé, and Rod Stewart keeping the form alive. While both male and female singers sang in this style, the term "crooner" is rarely used to describe a female singer.