Vocalists who sometimes double on an instrument they aren't so good at

Bowie on saxophone
Dylan on piano
Karen Carpenter on drums
Ian Anderson?
others?

 

Mark E Smith - violin.

 

Liam Gallagher- Guitar

 

Ian Anderson's sax playing isn't up to the standard of his flute or guitar playing but it doesn't seem as limited as Bowie's.

 

I might give a pass to singers who strum rhythm guitar. Hope nobody mentions Mick Jagger as he is quite a good rhythm player.

 

Peter Gabriel on flute.

 

Sting dabbled on sax. The Police could've certainly afforded to hire a professional for Ghosts in the Machine and definitely for Synchronicity. Similar situation, around the same time, with Eddie Van Halen on keyboards.

David Gilmour attempted sax for a short while, too.

 

Bruce Dickinson and Freddie Mercury occasionally picked up a guitar in concert

 

I saw Toots Hibbert take a guitar solo once. It was acceptable. Then he handed the axe back to one of the real guitar players in the band.

 

Karen Carpenter is great on drums!

 

How very dare you!

 

Aren't so good at???!!

surely you must be joking.

 

Must reinforce: Carpenter was a fine drummer.
Bryan Ferry on piano? Not so much. Bono or David Lee Roth on guitar? Not so much.

 

Does tambourine count?

 

OK, who's going to show that clip of Karen C showing her stuff on the drums (while the player on the bandstand actually carries the load)?

 

He's gotten better, but -- Eddie Vedder on guitar.

 

Sorry, but dead wrong about Ferry. It wasn't Eno or Jobson playing most of the piano in Roxy, it was him.

 

I love most of John Lennon’s piano songs, even though his skills on keyboard were clunky and rudimentary. The songs themselves were great though.

 

She was good on drums but her destiny was to be a great singer which she was. A pure creamy voice ideally suited to any number of solid Caroenters' songs.
Karen , miss you still.

 

Brings to mind "vocalists who sometimes double on instruments that aren't plugged in."

 

James Brown- Organ, Piano and he was really hellacious on the synthesizer.

 

Bono on harmonica

 

Sammy Hagar on guitar.

 

Bowie is my favourite saxophonist.

 

Fred Wesley Trombone player and Band leader for James in the early 70's said in his book James organ playing use to drive him crazy because he thought he could play it. I agree with Fred James needed to stay away from the organ.