Editing Baritone (section)

=== Baritone in popular music ===
{{main|List of baritones in non-classical music}}

In [[barbershop music]], the baritone part sings in a similar range to the lead (singing the melody) however usually singing lower than the lead. A barbershop baritone has a specific and specialized role in the formation of the four-part harmony that characterizes the style.

The baritone singer is often the one required to support or "fill" the bass sound (typically by singing the [[perfect fifth|fifth]] above the bass root) and to complete a chord. On the other hand, the baritone will occasionally find himself harmonizing above the melody, which calls for a tenor-like quality. Because the baritone fills the chord, the part is often not very melodic.

In [[bluegrass music]], the melody line is called the lead. Tenor is sung an interval of a third above the lead. Baritone is the fifth of the scale that has the lead as a tonic, and may be sung below the lead, or even above the lead (and the tenor), in which case it is called "high baritone". Conversely, the more "[[soul music|soul]]" baritones have the more traditional timbre, but sing in a vocal range that is closer to the tenor vocal range. Some of these singers include [[David Ruffin]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://classic.motown.com/artist/david-ruffin/|title=David Ruffin &#124; Classic Motown|website=classic.motown.com|access-date=10 April 2020|archive-date=7 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807204406/https://classic.motown.com/artist/david-ruffin/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Wilson Pickett]], [[Otis Redding]], [[Tom Jones (singer)|Tom Jones]],<ref>{{AllMusic|author=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|class=artist|id=mn0000609396|tab=biography|title=Tom Jones – Biography}}</ref> [[Michael McDonald (singer)|Michael McDonald]],<ref>{{AllMusic|author=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|class=artist|id=mn0000459616|tab=biography|title=Michael McDonald – Biography}}</ref> and [[Levi Stubbs]] of the [[Four Tops]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7693758.stm Stars mourn Four Tops star Stubbs] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218092519/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7693758.stm |date=18 February 2009 }}, BBC News, 28 October 2008.</ref>