Not all siblings are created equal. Just ask La Toya Jackson. Sometimes the talent just isn‰’t evenly distributed in the family. Then again, sometimes it is; sometimes it‰’s only the fame that has been unevenly distributed. This week, I‰’m highlighting the top five lesser-known singing siblings. In all of these cases, the musician featured was forced to toil away in the shadow of their superstar relative, creating some of the most beautiful music never heard in the process.

5. Michael Bacon

As one of the few people with only one degree of separation with Kevin Bacon, it’s weird that Michael Bacon, Kevin’s brother, is known by so few. It’s even weirder/sadder when you consider that Michael Bacon has been making music since the early 70s. His 1975 solo album “Love Song Believer” could be used as a primer when teaching the saturation of singer-songwriters in the 70s. Bacon’s sound at this point fell somewhere between Jim Croce and Jimmy Buffet and what can still be found deserves to be in that company.

Michael Bacon then went on to a prolific career as a soundtrack composer. Like most soundtracks, his aren’t ground-breaking, but they’re still enjoyable. Even if you don’t like them the sheer number of PBS documentaries that man has made soundtracks for commands respect.

Ironically, Michael’s worst music he’s ever made is also probably what he is best known for- one half of The Bacon Brothers, a mediocre country-rock group he formed with his brother Kevin who, despite being the actor in the family, felt like he should be the lead singer. We’re just going to pretend that never happened.

4. Livingston Taylor

When asked in a Living Legends Music documentary (as I’m willing to bet he is often asked) about what separates him from his much more famous older brother James, Livingston Taylor said “James can tolerate things that I can’t.” It may sound like the less-famous Taylor is making excuses, but it’s almost as hard to argue with his point as it is to differentiate between his music and that of his brother James. Both have steadily released albums of soft, easy acoustic music since the seventies and both have voices that make everything feel a little more comfortable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTGs4OUxzik&feature=related

So why is James an international superstar while Livingston quietly releases albums in between teaching at Berklee? My theory is that “Livingston” is a lot harder to market than “James.” According to Livingston, though, it’s because he can’t handle fame like his brother James can, so he never searched for it. “I cannot express my gratitude to my brother James for allowing me to live in his shadow‰Û_ I love my anonymity!” Livingston said. I’ll hold off on judgements about whether or not he is in denial and just say that I’m glad his anonymity hasn’t stopped him from releasing music.

3. Frankie Gaye

Of all the artists on this list, Frankie Gaye has probably the least legitimate recording career, having only released two albums to mixed reviews. However, his contribution to the world of music might be bigger than anybody else’s on this list. Blessed with the same buttery smooth voice that made his brother Marvin one of the best vocalists ever, Frankie Gaye probably could have gotten by on that alone had he began his career in the ’60s like his brother. Instead, Frankie spent the ’60s fighting in Vietnam.

Neverless, he managed to have an incalculable effect on music as we know it by inspiring his brother to write his masterpiece album “What’s Going On.” However, Frankie doesn’t make this list simply for inspiring his brother – he also has that beautiful voice. After Marvin’s tragic death, Frankie recorded the song “My Brother,” his biggest hit. Hearing Frankie sing about his brother in a voice that sounds so familiar is a testament to the healing power of music.

2. Carolyn Franklin

Speaking of the best vocalists ever, Aretha Franklin has a pretty good claim to that title. So does her little sister Carolyn. Although she spent most of her time singing backup for his sister, what Carolyn has released solo is evidence that Aretha’s incredible talent did not make her the black sheep of the family. Carolyn’s voice has the same kind of power and intensity that made Aretha the queen of soul, although her songs were often more intimate than her sisters.

It’s mind-boggling that Carolyn didn’t become more famous in her own time, because her music, especially her 1970 album Chain Reaction has the same perfect combination of R&B, gospel, and dramatic big-band backing that made her sister the Queen of Soul. Faced with a floundering solo career, Carolyn turned a lot of her attnetion to songwriting, penning some of her sisters biggest hits including “Aint No Way.”

1. Dennis Wilson

Chances are if you know one Beach Boy, it’s Brian Wilson, the crazy genius mastermind behind one of the greatest albums ever released (“Pet Sounds”) and one of the greatest albums never released (“SMiLE” – as far as I’m concerned the 2004 remake was a replica). But while Brian may have been the craziest, he wasn’t the only Wilson with a stroke of genius. His younger brother Dennis is often seen as a sort of secret weapon of the Beach Boys, taking over a lot of the production and creative control over the band in their later years when Brian’s health fell off.

However, Dennis Wilson didn’t earn his spot atop this list by piloting the Beach Boys on the downward slope, he earned his spot with his masterpiece 1977 solo album “Pacific Ocean Blue.” No longer the clean-cut surfing singer that he started as, Wilson’s voice had by then taken on a raspy, bluesy strain to it and his music burst with depressed disillusionment, a feeling of sadness and isolation that not even Brian could match. With intricate arrangements and intensely melancholy tone that seems to signal his premature death six years later, the album is the certainly the greatest solo effort by any of the Beach Boys, and one that proves that Brian isn’t the only Wilson deserving of the title “musical genius.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQtbElnRX0g

By Sean Meehan