To the “aspiring” singers of the world, the name Brett Manning may not mean much. Yet for Keith Urban, Hayley Williams, Brian White, and many more established stars, Brett Manning is the man behind their unique vocal styles. At all levels of experience, vocal lessons often leave the singer frustrated with apparent scams and a lack of progress, something Brett himself endured for some time before doing so. So how did Brett Manning go from a frustrated hobbyist to one of the most established vocal trainers in the industry today?
Born in the musical mecca of Nashville, Tennessee, Brett spent many years struggling with his vocal talents. As told by Brett himself, he was turned down for a job as a singing telegram singing Happy Birthday. Brett spent many years of his life going from tutor to tutor in an attempt to find the man who could solve the difficulties facing Brett. Her search was certainly not in vain, as she met a highly respected man in the teaching business, Seth Riggs. So how did Riggs turn a humiliated singer into the man who coached ten Grammy Award winner Mark Kibble?
Seth Riggs was the creator of the instantly recognizable “Speech Level Singing” method. This method allowed the performers to move away from traditional vocal training methods and loosen their voices. Superstars like Madonna and Michael Jackson studied with Seth and we all know their stories. Brett Manning was also beginning to feel the benefits of this method.
Brett, among everyone Riggs taught, the vocal range grew, believe it or not, to more than five octaves. It was during this process that Brett mastered his voice. By letting go of what he had learned earlier, he was able to master his own voice under Riggs’ guidance. However, it wasn’t just his voice that Brett was beginning to master, he was also becoming a fantastic vocal arts teacher.
After spending some time among Riggs’ elite group of tutors, it was then that Manning realized that his talent for teacher surpassed his talent for singing. He mastered the “speech-level singing” method for over ten years, and taught many students during this time. However, both Brett and Seth parted ways as Brett had a vision to bring this singing style to the masses.
Brett, in addition to his tutor, created and dominated the “Singing Success” program. Those who have used this program swear blind by it. One, however, must acknowledge that the genius of this show came from the teacher himself, Seth Riggs. However, it was Brett’s self-taught teaching that allowed him to become one of the world’s leading vocal trainers, not only among pop stars, but also among the stars of Broadway musicals. It’s his ability to hone raw talent that led to Brett’s appearances on CMT’s “Can You Duet” this year.
The show “Singing Success” has its fans and is a hit, but the real singing hit here is the work of Brett Manning.