Recent Examples on the Web: Noun His sharp vocals have shown the grit-and-subtlety influence of Otis Redding, Sam Cooke and Wilson Pickett.īarry Mazor, WSJ, Despite his affable personality and gruff coffeehouse croon, DeWyze lacked the undeniable spark and grit of Crystal Bowersox, the Janis Joplin incarnate who outrageously only placed second that season.