What's your personal favorite Carrie performance EVER?

[MelissaD]

As much as I love that performance, her vocals were melodyne'd in a few spots.

They were what?

 

[MelissaD]

Mine's a toss-up between the Blown Away medley and Cry Pretty at last year's ACMs.

 

[bigd79]

for me, its her performance of Softly & Tenderly from the CMA Awards in 2017. I was at Route 91. Luckily, i was not among the people who were shot, but i saw the chaos first hand. I ended up locked down at the Tropicana until 4am that night/morning because where i was people were told to run to the Tropicana as fast as you can, so thats where i ended up. I feel so lucky to still be here. It easily could have been me, if he even decided to start shooting an hour before he did. During Jake Owen's set i was right up close to the front. I'm tall so i'm kind of an easier target to hit too. Once his set was done i had left the front area and didn't go back up there. His set probably got done roughly an hour before the shooting because there was at least a 30 min break in between sets from Jake to Jason. But anyways... fast forward to CMA night, Carrie did the tribute, and it had me in tears. Which is something i rarely do. It takes ALOT for me to shed tears, but she did that night. It was the most beautiful performance i have ever seen and i don't see how it will ever be topped for me. She has so many amazing performances. It was that night that she went from being one of my favorite singers, to my absolute favorite singer of all time.

 

[Steven77536]

I thought of a few more:

"Church Bells" at the 2016 ACMs with that drum solo.

"The Sound of Music" at the Grammy special honoring movies.

"Songs Like This" with Brad Paisley and Keith Urban at the 2010CMAs.

"I Will Always Love You" with Reba, Martina, Jennifer Nettles and Kacey Musgraves at the 50th CMAs. (I also liked the version with Dolly herself from the All-star Special)

"Somethin' Bad" with Miranda, 2014 AMAs.

"See You Again" at the 2013 CMT Awards.

"Does He Love You" with Reba on the Opry in 2017.

"Women of Country Medley" with Runaway June and Maddie & Tae from CMT Artists of the Year last year.

 

[mmonahan02]

When she did Blown Away at the Billboard Awards

 

[mbh]

IMO Carrie has had no match by anyone in country and maybe even all genre in great perforomances in award or tribute shows.

I agree! And speaking of Carrie's tribute performances my TOP 2 favorites are: Singing with LEGENDS Stevie Nicks, Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, and Sheryl Crow - tribute to Linda Ronstadt of Rock Hall of Fame. Carrie's voice was just a flashback moment to me during our Linda Ronstadt time. Singing with Usher, Celine Dion, Smokey Robinson, and Jennifer Hudson at the Grammy Awards - tribute to Michael Jackson, Earth Song during the Grammy Awards. Third, tribute performances to Bob Wills, San Antonio Rose, and Don Henley of the Eagles, Desperado during 2007 Grammy Awards. Paradise City at CMA Music Festival 2013 - I know, it is not an official tribute to Axl Rose, but, I always felt Carrie is giving tribute to Axl Rose because Carrie also loves rock songs. Then CMT Music Artist of the Year tribute to legends of Women of Country Music with Maddie & Tae and Runaway Jun and then tribute performance to Tammy Wynette at the Grand Old Opry, Standby Your Man.

 

[Farawayhills]

As much as I love that performance, her vocals were melodyne'd in a few spots.

If it had been, I think that would be very controversial for many fans - and I think they would have commented on it at the time, if it had been an issue then.

However, Melodyne can be difficult to detect - in studio contexts, it's probably the best software available, and it won a technical Grammy for best contribution to recording technology (I think around 2012). Software enhancement can be used to work on single notes, not just wave forms, in principle, to modify what the mike picks up, before the audience even hears it. It's important to bear in mind that, if software had been used, it would presumably have been the broadcaster's decision, not Carrie's - and she may not have been aware of it.

I can't watch the video in question, as the media company have not made it available for my country. From memory, I wasn't a huge fan of the medley at the time, though, as it didn't really come across to me as being as "organic" as some of Carrie's other performances. It's rather difficult to explain what I mean by "organic" - and it is a subjective impression - but, for me, it's to do with harmonizing with the music, having a sense of immediacy, and naturalness in the delivery - Carrie often achieves this better, in my opinion, and, for me, that medley seemed rather over-staged, and too dependent on particular bouts of vocal bravura to be wholly satisfying.

But comparing another performance of "Blown Away" at the CMAs with Carrie's earlier performance of "How Great Thou Art" at an ACM event, I did notice that there were more pitch variations in the long sustained notes of the latter song. This may be influenced by the fact that Carrie was younger, the song was more spiritual, and the delivery was more closely intertwined with the music - but, at least for me, it was a more satisfying rendition. Obtaining the impression of an even pitch in a long sustained note is one of the main uses of Melodyne, and other audio software - but this poster seems to be saying that Melodyne itself is not suitable for live performance, and other software may have to be used instead.
https://www.gearslutz.com/board/music-computers/809175-best-pitch-correction-live-performance.html

If broadcasters of live performances don't use any software enhancement, problems can sometimes arise. For example, EOTY Garth Brooks admitted miming to a recording (which may have been already modified in the studio - making the concept of a live performance problematic). Artist of the Decade, Jason Aldean, unfortunately, has become rather noted for having difficulty in staying in tune in his live duets, whether through nerves or whatever - Kelly blithely sings over him, Miranda pretends he's not there - sometimes you'd almost want some software to come to the rescue!

Even though I'm no expert in the field, and would always generally give mood, expression and sincerity priority over technical perfection (one reason I usually prefer the Opry to the networked spectaculars) - I think Carrie would be about the last person to need this sort of engineering wizardry in any of her showcase performances.

 

[gocountrymusic]

Churchbells at the CMT Awards-- The completely stripped beginning, replacing the guitar solo with the choir and the almost the back and forth between Carrie and choir at the end made this one of my favorite CMT performances from her and they are consistently great
Something in The Water- CMA awards, I've said this before but I felt like she was singing directly to the audience that she is stronger. This song in general just has a fantastic narrative while still feeling deeply personal to Carrie.
I Told You So- American Idol, I actually forgot about this performance but it felt like such a "classic" vocal. Watching Randy be genuinely amazed by her is also great to watch
Jesus Take the Wheel-Walmart sound check, One of my favorite arrangements Carrie has done with this song. This is proof that less can be more when the band pools away and Carrie uses the softness in her voice it was angelic. And then transition back to full band and full Carrie I got goosebumps.
Blown Away/Two Black Cadillacs-Grammy's, This was just jaw dropping the control in BA, I was hanging on to every single word it was captivating. Then 2BC sounded like it had two different arrangements. It just felt like a very complex performance and really showed Carrie's adaptability and versatility.
Cry Pretty-ACM Awards, Carrie wanted to come back strong. We could all see it but there was also a vulnerability there which is what fit the lyrics and her own story well. I know she's been nervous before but you can tell there was a determination to overcome this like she's overcome a lot recently a lot. I felt the performance, we felt it and the audience definitely felt it.

 

[MelissaD]

If it had been, I think that would be very controversial for many fans - and I think they would have commented on it at the time, if it had been an issue then.

However, Melodyne can be difficult to detect - in studio contexts, it's probably the best software available, and it won a technical Grammy for best contribution to recording technology (I think around 2012). Software enhancement can be used to work on single notes, not just wave forms, in principle, to modify what the mike picks up, before the audience even hears it. It's important to bear in mind that, if software had been used, it would presumably have been the broadcaster's decision, not Carrie's - and she may not have been aware of it.

Ah, thanks for providing additional context. Now I can most definitely infer that "Melodyne" is some sort of pitch-correction software akin to Auto-tune. Indeed, the BA Medley uploaded on her channel has an edited vocal that was imposed after the fact and wasn't present during the actual live broadcast. In fact, one of our fellow members here at Carriefans uploaded the performance with the original vocal quickly after the show had ended, and as soon as Carrie's channel uploaded the performance with the edited vocal, the video was removed from the fan channel. Let me tell you, that edited effect on her vocal actually ruined the performance for me. Good thing I had converted the original to mp3 before it was removed from Youtube. She had no pitch issues in the performance, and thus it made no sense to edit her vocal in the first place.

For those that want to be reminded of how it sounded on the original broadcast, here it is:

The vocal was absolutely flawless, and they had to ruin it by subjecting it to unnecessary editing software.

 

[MelissaD]

Even though I'm no expert in the field, and would always generally give mood, expression and sincerity priority over technical perfection (one reason I usually prefer the Opry to the networked spectaculars) - I think Carrie would be about the last person to need this sort of engineering wizardry in any of her showcase performances.

Well, here's an example of where such software was actually needed in one of her performances.

You hear the almost mechanical effect kick in at 3:16? That's because during the actual broadcast, she went quite flat on that note, and the software pitched it up to achieve the correct pitch. Listen to the one from the broadcast and the video that the Opry uploaded side by side. (check for yourself, go to 10:06: https://soundcloud.com/user-263517503/carrie-underwood-first-second-opry-shows-8-11-18)

 

[simonplay]

^ just don't forget that the Opry audio have always been terrible.

 

[MelissaD]

^ just don't forget that the Opry audio have always been terrible.

That wouldn't affect the pitch though, just the overall quality of sound.

 

[Farawayhills]

Thanks - from what I've read, there is an ongoing debate between those who see it as a tool, that can and perhaps should, be used when those involved find it desirable - and those who see it as an intrusion that should be avoided, on the grounds of authenticity. In some ways, that debate parallels those earlier ones involving electric instruments, or even drums. There are differences, though, in that electric instruments can undoubtedly enlarge the range of artistic avenues that musicians can explore (and the same can be said for electronic programming, which Carrie uses significantly on her current album) - whereas pitch correction is not adding something new, so much as restoring an ideal that the programmer finds desirable..

I would lean to seeing such use as generally an unecessary enhancement - I would rate the spirit and expressive interpretation that the musician strives for, in the context of the song, as more important than precision in pitch - but it's pretty much a matter of taste and goal expectation in performance. Some fans do get very defensive over the suggestion that a favourite artist might need correction - but the avaiiability of such tools means they're unlikely to go away, and they are probably more widely used than many realize.

 

[Carrieroxmysox2011]

Church Bells at the CMT awards hands down !

 

[sco]

My choice may be unique but I'm going with Temporary Home at the ACMs when she won the triple crown award.

 

[jptexas]

I Know You Won’t, IHeart show in Vegas.

 

[jaymiee]

Church Bells CMTs, How Great Thou Art, Paradise City CMA fest, Blown Away Medley CMAs.

Those are my go to favorites

 

[glenn7]

1. HGTA very 1st time live at Opry & her PaPa was there to see her in person 2. That live performance of HGTA was the inspiration why the Opry did the Gospel album. It only cost $18 for a ticket to the show for the recording of the Album & it took Carrie 2 takes for the Album as she messed up the 1st time saying 'dad gummit' when she did & had to start over. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCxwyg0v7F4 & 3. Carrie's cover of Alan Jackson's "Remember When"' & for all 3 I was blessed to see her live!

 

[gran29]

How Great Thou Art, hands down. I love many of hers but this one was so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes.

 

[DizzyDollyDee]

Softy and Tenderly - awesome