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_TONY JACKSON HAD AN EXCELLENT HIGH NAISAL VOICE

LIKE AN IMPROVED VERSION OF BUDDY HOLLY . HE ALSO

HAD (LET'S FACE IT) A BIG NOSE . THAT WITH HIS

ROUND FACE GAVE HIM AN ITALIAN LOOK .

_BARBARA STREISAND ALSO HAS A BIG NOSE BUT SHE

WON'T GET PLASTIC SURGERY BECAUSE IT WOULD CHANGE

THE TIMBRE OF HER VOICE .

_WHEN DID TONY HAVE HIS PLASTIC SURGERY ? DID IT

CHANGE HIS VOICE . DID HE HAVE IT BEFORE HE DID

THE VIBRATIONS RECORDINGS ? HIS VOICE IN "WATCH

YOUR STEP" SOUNDS LIKE "MASHED POTATOES" . HIS

VOICE IN "STAGE DOOR" SOUNDS LIKE "OH MY LOVER" .

_I OFTEN WONDER ABOUT THE VOICES OF MICHAEL

JACKSON AND TOM JONES WHO HAD PLASTIC SURGERY .

Chris Curtis claims that the first thing Tony Jackson did when he left The Searchers was to have a nose job. Curtis has also suggested that the surgery affected Tony's voice for the worse. It would seem that the operation took place in 1964 or perhaps early in 1965.

I have just listened to Tony Jacksons's album with the Vibrations and notwithstanding what Chris Curtis has said about Tony's nose job, this is a really great album and there are a number of songs that should have been hits. Maybe Tito Burns did know what he was doing signing Tony.

Hisrecordings in the 90s show a weaker voice, but probabely due to his age.

Michael

Yes the high notes don't come any easier with age, that's for sure. I do notice that his singing is strained on a number of the tracks on Tony's CD, especially on "Just Like Me."

While Tony's voice was chosen by Pye to be the lead on the Searchers' first two successful singles, it is of interest to note that he was not favoured by the others, or Pye for that matter I guess, when it came to their blockbuster hit "Needles and Pins."

There are two sources I know to hear how Needles & Pins sounds with Tony singing lead with Mike: The Stockholm Concert and The Sullivan Year cd. Tony can be heard much better than Mike. So everyone can make his own decision which version he likes better. I aggree with Chris Curtis who thought that Tony sings it rather emotionless.

In my opinion, Tony Jackson has a terrific and energetic voice and his contribution to the Searchers sound is immense. If anyone out there doubts this, just spend some time; put some head phones on and listen to the way Tony sings "Saints & Searchers". The way he builds this song up, is uplifting and he does so, totally on his own, with no back-up vocals. Tony's voice on "Money' is also brilliant and far superior in my opinion to the Beatles version and I am a true Beatles fan. His raw energy on other songs such as "Farmer John"; "Alright"; & "Twist & Shout" are also outstanding. Congratulations Tony. I enjoy listening to you. Just why they gave you nothing much to sing on "It's the Searchers" is beyond me.

Raw: "Alright" is certainly one of my favourites. The Tony Jackson CD is certainly worth getting to hear how he was after he left The Searchers. He did provide a raw edge to the music that I missed after he left the group.

_HOW ABOUT "OH MY LOVER" AND "STAGE DOOR" . THE

VOCAL EXCELLENCE CAN BLOW YOU OVER .