Longest "Belt" by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Longest "Belt" by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
#0Longest "Belt" by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 2:07pmHello. Pardon if this thread has been introduced before or is similiar to the "highest belt" thread. I'm wondering what performers are able to "belt" the longest. For example, I've heard Linda Eder's "It's No Secret Anymore." There's the song "This Time Around" from "Havanna", where she stretches the word "mine",in an amazing way. Also, Davis Gaines is a phenomenal singer. I first heard him in the NY Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra recording of "Sweeney Todd". The way he belted"Johanna" is not to be believed. I also saw his perf, along with Miss Patti, in the San Francisco Symphony concert version of "Sweeney Tood" in 2001. Just wondering... from Roman in Austin, Texas...
philcrosby
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/17/04
#1re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 2:12pm
Let us not forget the Merm's original 16-bar belt in I GOT RHYTHM, which started the whole thing. 
#2re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 2:13pm
from whom I have heard: I would have to say the beltiest hahah person I have seen was Sherie Renee Scott. I mean she has the most amazing voice to me, and the best part is she does it so effortlessly. Many will disagree with me though 
CurtainPullDowner
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/4/04
#3re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 2:19pm
La Streisand in the DOLLY movie at the end of
BEFORE THE PARADE PASSES BY.
Jon
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/20/04
#4re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 2:23pmErnie Sabella's belt is about 48 inches long.
#5re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 2:24pm
For men: James Naughton in Both Reached for the Gun (though the guy on the London revival MAY have him beat).
Anothony Warlow on the 2 CD concept of This is the Moment holds that note at the end forever.
For a woman, I would second Ethel Merman....
HatBoy
Leading Actor Joined: 10/30/05
#6re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 4:01pm
A friend of mine saw "Aida" on Broadway and said that Heather Headley held the "Apart" belt until the end of the song, in "The Gods Love Nubia".
That's a long time, no?
#7re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 4:12pmI went to a musical theatre class with Schele Williams, who was the original Nehebhka(?) and understudied Aida, and we performed The Gods Love Nubia, and let me tell you, the girl held that note for so long that we all stopped singing to listen to her.
#8re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 4:17pm
Streisand in Dolly comes to mind, as I just watched that scene this afternoon.
Also, BSM does a CRAZY belt in Ragtime, can't think of when though. Any help?
OMG Jon :P
To Kill A Mockingbird
#9re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 4:23pmWHAT is the obsession with belting? I don't. Get it.
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#10re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 4:27pm
We like the way it sounds. It's very fierce and powerful.
The Scarlet Pimpernel has a long belt for the main guy at the very end. And in Spelling Bee Logan holds that note at the end of "Woe is Me" for a long time.
#11re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 4:28pmBut Doug Sills and Merman's belt is far different than the "belt" of Menzel, Espinoza, etc.
#12re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 4:30pmAnnie Get Your Gun!! "I Can Do Anything Better Than You" - The belt there goes on forever!
landryjames2
Leading Actor Joined: 5/17/06
#13re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 4:33pm
I believe that Streisand holds the last note in "A Piece of Sky" at the end of Yentl longer than "Before the Parade Passes By." By the way, at the time of the "Hello, Dolly" filming, the said last note in "Before the Parade" was the longest note held out on film up till that time.
An obsession with belting? Well, if it's done right--then it can be absolutely astounding. I personally enjoy a person holding out one note for a long time as opposed to someone riffing all over the place. That gets old quick fast for me.
Updated On: 7/21/06 at 04:33 PM
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#14re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 4:34pm
"But Doug Sills and Merman's belt is far different than the "belt" of Menzel, Espinoza, etc."
But it's all a belt? I understand that there is a mix and a pure belt, but for the most part, it's a belt?
#15re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 4:36pmStephanie Mills at the end of home. It's not as long as some of the ones mentioned ,but for a 15 year old that was WONDERUL!
#16re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 4:38pmin the CHICAGO cast recording, at least for teh revival, Billy Flynn holds out a very long note near the end of 'Both Reach for the Gun'.
#17re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 4:39pmMichael Crawford in DOTV has a nice one...
#18re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 4:46pmBroadwayluva - you're about 10 posts late on that one.
philcrosby
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/17/04
#19re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 4:50pm
A lot of the belting that goes on today is a little too high for my comfort. It sounds uncomfortable for the singer and could possibly damage their chords. If you are belting right, it's actually a very safe way to sing.
Minnelli was a reckless belter and it wrecked her voice.
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#20re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 5:24pmThe last "We loooooooooooooove you" in the title song of Company seems to go on forever. I counted once and i think it was 16 bars (if the song is in 4/4 time).
nycdncr
Leading Actor Joined: 7/25/04
#21re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 6:15pm
Let's not forget the London cast recording of 'Crazy For You'. Polly (I forget who played her over there) holds the 'Ahhhhhhhh' in 'I Got Rhythm' for days.
Jodi Benson (LOVE HER) took a breath in the Broadway cast recording.
#22re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 7:08pm
I concur about Sherie Rene Scott [listen to the last 15 or so seconds of Here I Am] and also Sarah Saltzberg's last note in Woe Is Me.
Sheryl Lee Ralph holds a note at the end of "Only In Ney York" on the TMM recording for an insane amount of time. If only she hadn't finished it off with an odd-sounding grunt...
bjivie2
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/13/04
#23re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 7:31pmI've never heard anyone hold a note longer than Frenchie Davis in the West Coast tour of Dreamgirls when she held the a capella "aaaaaaaand I am telling youuuuuuu" that was held an insane amount of time. That girl's got some breath control.
morosco
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/10/04
#24re: Longest 'Belt' by A Male or Female Broadway Performer?
Posted: 7/21/06 at 8:28pm
One of my favorite male belts is the last note Jarrod Emick hits in "Goodbye Old Girl" on the revival cast recording of DAMN YANKEES. Not the longest belt by a performer but certainly one of the strongest ever recorded. He sings the SH*T out of it!!! Never fails to induce goosebumps.
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