Jamie Wigginton is a performance and vocal coach who works with some of the biggest voices in the music industry. He is well-known both across the US and internationally for his exceptional ability to quickly assess and aid vocalists in all aspects of vocal performance and extending vocal range. He has done over 50 international tours in 11 countries – appearing in concert and presenting Master Classes on performance and vocal technique.
Jamie authored The Karaoke Singer’s Guide to Greatness, The Pro Singer’s Warm-up, and co-authored Singing Success – which was the biggest-selling self-improvement program of any kind on the entire internet for many years. He is the creator of VocalEdge, and his Vocal Edge Studio is located here in Nashville on historic Music Row. He also serves as full-time Instructor of Commercial Voice Performance at Belmont University. His prestigious elite singing group Phoenix – Belmont's best of the best – performs annually at The Schermerhorn with the Nashville Symphony.
Jamie is the only student in Belmont's history to graduate with a double major in both Vocal and Piano Performance. He has been a background singer for music superstars such as Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Ray Stevens, Vince Gill, Donna Summer, and many more. He is also an ASCAP songwriter and composer/arranger whose orchestrations have been feature in over 500 broadcasts, and is the Musical Director for Musico A Musico, an international music education organization geared towards artists who use their gifts in the church.
Episode Highlights
Embark on a vocal odyssey with Jamie Wigginton, where triumph over physical adversity harmonizes with a passion for melody and teaching. Our conversation leads you on a path of discovery, as Jamie reveals the early challenges that carved his vocal prowess and his journey to becoming a vocal coach par excellence. We demystify the myth of tone-deafness, offering hope and technique to those aiming to hone their vocal skills, and we delve into Jamie's approach to making complex vocal concepts accessible for aspiring singers.
Jamie navigates the delicate balance between classical and commercial vocal training, dissecting the act of performance coaching where voice, style, and substance collide. You'll hear about the transformative impact of vocal coaching across cultures, the art of crafting an artist's stage persona, and the intricate role of a vocal coach in shaping an artist's career. As we engage in this melodic conversation, Jamie shares his expertise in sculpting not just voices, but also the future of music through his mentorship at Belmont University and leadership of the elite Phoenix vocal program.
In this episode, we cover a lot of ground including:
His upbringing in a “hillbilly Partridge family”
How his personal physical vocal problems led to becoming a great coach
The reality of tone deafness, and how it could be corrected
Becoming the first and only person to graduate from Belmont University with a double major in Piano and Vocal Performance
Working with John Michael Montgomery, Mariah Carey, Jessica Simpson, Luke Bryan, and others
What it takes for a singer to make a great bandmate
The challenges of voice coaching in other countries and languages
Creating a successful business, the best advice he ever received, and SO much more!