Which musicians do you think are true prodigies?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stevie Ray Vaughn.

Oh and Karen Carpenter.

[Anonymous]

Steve Winwood
Todd Rundgren
Jerry Garcia

[Anonymous]

Tchaikovsky
Rodrigo y Gabriela
Prince

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Prince

Definitely. Went to Paisley Park and it became clearer how gifted he was and what a tragic waste his death was.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:lady Gaga - pianist, range and strength of vocals, writes own music. Also not a bad actress.

LOL. I do not doubt that she is talented, but not in any of the ways you mention. She is a provocative trend setter and exciting person. But her singing isn't great, she can't really dance, and her piano playing is anything but great. And if you saw House of Gucci, you'd know she's a terrible actress.

[Anonymous]

Mozart

[Anonymous]

Tori Amos
John Bonham
Johnny Greenwood
Fiona Apple
Missy Elliott

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Steve Winwood
Todd Rundgren
Jerry Garcia

Barf

[Anonymous]

Bach was a prodigy. His music read like a mathematical puzzle

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Don’t you dare compare goddess Mariah to Taylor swift. Nobody mentioned Whitney Houston. No voice can top hers

Whitney is a prodigy but this question is not about who has the best voice. It is about who displayed exceptional musical talent at a very young age. Everyone is so heated to say their person is the best like, they all lose to Mozart! He was composing at age 4 and his music has lasted for centuries!

This isn't 'who is the best child prodigy' just, which musicians were true prodigies. I think Whitney does qualify as her voice was fantastic even as a young kid.

Prince and Stevie are my “Mozarts”.

This. All of this. Real musicians who did it all. Played every instrument, wrote every song.

Stevie Wonder was a child prodigy. Prince doesn't fit that term, since he was in his twenties when he started contributing meaningfully to music. Not even my beloved Freddie Mercury fits into the category of child prodigy.

Please don’t conflate ability and talent with : getting “discovered” and getting a record contract. Perhaps you could explain what you mean by “contributing meaningfully to music”?

Prince reportedly wrote his first song at 7. He got his first record contract at 19 — for an album on which he played 27 instruments, sang, and wrote, produced, and arranged all of the songs, which strongly suggests that he must have been doing something meaningful musically, at a very adept level, way before he turned 19.

I’ll add, too, that New Orleans jazz isn’t my area of interest, but like Jon Batiste, Wynton Marsalis — and arguably more than one of his brothers, there are probably multiple prodigies that we’re not mentioning because their styles of music don’t get wider attention. Joey Alexander, the jazz pianist, is definitely an example of this.

+ a million. Prince and Mozart are my two. Prince was absolutely making music from a very young age, and created multiple bands from middle school on. He was self taught. He insisted on having creative control himself at age 19 on his first album and refused offers to have it done for him.

Also someone said Aretha didn't count because she didn't have a song at age 12. She was already touring the country then performing gospel with her dad and gave birth at age 12! She released a gospel album at 14 and was already a mother of two by 15. I think those that overcame obstacles such as poverty, institutional racism, etc are even more impressive.

I said Aretha didn't count and I think its less the 12 thing and more like, she is a great singer. And yes and incredibly impressive human. But I do not believe she had a command of musical theory in a way that would label her a prodigy. And that isn't an insult, its just not what she was. Like Prince composing pre adolescence, that is prodigy town. Not being a prodigy isn't an insult, its just a characteristic.

[Anonymous]

Michael Jackson

[Anonymous]

How in the world are Leanne Rimes and Mozart on the same list? Leanne Rimes--really? she's mediocre at best. Jon Batiste is today's living prodigy.

[Anonymous]

Definitely Tevin Campbell.
Quincy Jones, Prince and Michael Jackson stood by him early in his career.
I think he could have had a very successful music career, even legendary if only the world accepted gay musical artists back in the nineties.
Unfortunately one could not be gay.
I think rumors spread when he was young that he was gay and that is why his career was abruptly halted.

Nothing like that would happen today.
I loved “I’m Ready.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tori Amos
John Bonham
Johnny Greenwood
Fiona Apple
Missy Elliott

Fiona Apple had authentic, raw natural musical talent.

I still am surprised her career never blossomed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stevie Ray Vaughn.

Oh and Karen Carpenter.

I agree.
Karen Carpenter had massive musical talent since she was young.
Too bad her demons marred her.