Topic: To what extent is a singer's voice controlled by genetics?

[knight]

I think genetics would indeed have a substantial influence. A lot of great singers had a parent who sang to the extent they were quite well known locally. If you have a parent who is a professional singer, then no doubt you have a head start. But....Fassbaender apart, I cannot think of any great singer who had a son or daughter who attained the status of the parent.

Mike

[Wendell_E]

Fassbaender apart, I cannot think of any great singer who had a son or daughter who attained the status of the parent.

Mike

What about Manuel Garcia and his daughters Maria Malibran and Pauline Viardot-Garcia?  I can think of a couple of more recent examples, though then you can get into a debate about what do we mean by "great"?  Louis and Gino Quilico and Gary and John Relyea. 

[knight]

I had forgotten about those two famous sisters, though I had no idea their father was famous. As for the other two examples, good but not great. Caballe did not bread a singer of distinction, though as I mentioned, her daughter is a singer. none of the really great singers have produced a 'rival' in reputation. Though a number of the ones I can think of did not have children at all.

I guess it may be the same in sports and that may indicate that the genes is only part of the answer and possibly not the prime issue.

Mike