Who are your favorite tambourine players all-time?

Cypress

Well-known member
My top three:

Davey Jones - The Monkees
Tracy Partidge - The Partidge Family
Stevie Nicks - Fleetwood Mac

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Nice picks! My choice would be THE guy who inspired Bob Dylan to write his legendary song, "Mr. Tambourine Man".

It kills me to say this, but I think Robert Plant might have wielded the tambourine on occassion.

My mind just does not want to accept that the mighty Zep actually used the wimpy tambourine!
 
It kills me to say this, but I think Robert Plant might have wielded the tambourine on occassion.

My mind just does not want to accept that the mighty Zep actually used the wimpy tambourine!

You are correct! He DID occasionally wield the mighty tambourine in live performances. But it was a mean tambourine, if you know what I mean. I'M not even quite sure WHAT that means, but it DOES sound cool. Mick Jagger was also known to wield the impressive instrument in concert.
 
TOUGH choice! I'll go with Mr. Plant, only because I like Led Zeppelin a bit more than The Who or the Stones. But all three were/are MIGHTY wielders of the fine instrument.

Stand-up front vocalists have an advantage that usually shows up with their great vocals- THEY DON'T HAVE TO PLAY AN INSTRUMENT SO THEY CAN CONCENTRATE EVERY EFFORT TOWARDS THE VOCALS!

But when they can also pick up some percussion instrument or harmonica and add something more- I certainly give them extra credit.
 
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Stand-up front vocalists have an advantage that usually shows up with their great vocals- THEY DON'T HAVE TO PLAY AN INSTRUMENT SO THEY CAN CONCENTRATE EVERY EFFORT TOWARDS THE VOCALS!

But when they can also pick up some percussion instrument or harmonica and add something more- I certainly give them extra credit.

Ian Anderson played flute with Tull.
Jagger played a pretty decent harmonica.

A lead singer picking up the tambourine is just advertising their lameness!
 
Ian Anderson played flute with Tull.
Jagger played a pretty decent harmonica.

A lead singer picking up the tambourine is just advertising their lameness!

There is nothing lame about Mick's Tambourine playin' on "Not Fade Away"!

Or when Ringo played tambourine on "Love Me Do".

Kinda' makes the songs!
 
Stand-up front vocalists have an advantage that usually shows up with their great vocals- THEY DON'T HAVE TO PLAY AN INSTRUMENT SO THEY CAN CONCENTRATE EVERY EFFORT TOWARDS THE VOCALS!

But when they can also pick up some percussion instrument or harmonica and add something more- I certainly give them extra credit.

Very good point. I believe Rod Stewart ALSO played the tambourine early in his career. Do any of you know WHERE the mighty tambourine originated? I have a feeling this instrument goes WAY back.
 
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