I don't hear any serious artifacts concerning Melodyne, I think if it's anything it's probably her way of singing. I seem to hear some nasal quality to it, yet she has that distinct female country signature sound.  I guess that part of it jumps out at me more than anything else. 
 
Sad to hear she can't retake the part. Looks like a project that is still well worth an effort to salvage. Maybe even get another vocalist.

Starise
I don't hear any serious artifacts concerning Melodyne, I think if it's anything it's probably her way of singing. I seem to hear some nasal quality to it, yet she has that distinct female country signature sound.  I guess that part of it jumps out at me more than anything else. 
 
Sad to hear she can't retake the part. Looks like a project that is still well worth an effort to salvage. Maybe even get another vocalist.

 
Another vocalist.... hummm... I have thought of doing that.... good ones are hard to find.   But I do know someone....  might need to send an email with an attachment....
 
Yeah, having worked with this track over the years and I'm not hearing any ME artifacts either..... but there are qualities to it that do detract from it, and as you pointed out, yep, I agree, a bit of nasal quality in it, not necessarily a bad thing..... heck Willie and Waylon made a career singing through their noses.

0:23,0:33,1:36 are examples of the pitch wobbling about the place herb.
 
I can see now how that gated type processed vocals are coming through on the whole track.
 
You should mix the original vocal with the backing track then as a third set of years we could see that the issue is in the fixing & mixing rather than her voice.
 
I dont think nasally singing is the issue here just the bad recording mixed with over gated and pitched vocals.
 
I think its worth getting another singer Herb.
 
Cian

Thanks Cian, I'll listen closer at those 3 places..
 
I'm also gonna run it up the flagpole to see what the others think about getting a new singer and recording this again.  I agree, it's a good song and should be done right. Problem was, back in 2009 neither of us knew much about recording .....  Now... we're a bit further down the road.
 
Thanks for your detailed observations.

whack
Very good song Herb, instrumentation, melody & rhythm, very well written but....
 
That vocals on this song to me (I could be wrong) sound extremely processed, I mean, like pitch corrected (v-vocal chipmuck like effect) and stretched or clipped and physically moved. It sounds like overall she has a good voice but like you had to do a lot of correction on it and the flow has been interrupted.
 
Was this the case, or am I being an ass, no one else has picked up on it?
 
 
 
Cian

I was just thinking the same. The vocal's treatment and processing seems a little too transparent. It would prob be better if the vocal sounded more natural.I liked the backing music and the mix though...it works perfectly for this genre.

Herb,
 
Good song.    I agree with the comments on the vocals, I think this song is worth another run at them. 
 
The arrangement and backing track is good, I like Country songs with a little more bass but overall good result.
 
Regards

Hey Herb,
 
I like the tone of her voice a bunch, she sounds like a great vocalist.  As you have mentioned though, I can't make out hardly any of the words that she is singing.  I am not sure why that is; seems like they should be easier to understand, even with her breathy vocal style.  I am guessing it is just a poor recording of the vocal take.  
 
Cian has great ears; I am not picking out the artifacts, but I often have trouble hearing those types of things clearly.  Especially off these cheap computer speakers at work.  
 
I like the song for the most part.  I would probably like it better if I could understand the vocals or had the lyrics.  It does have a little bit of that BIAB sound going to the backing tracks.  I think it would definitely be worth finding another singer to take a stab at the vocals if it meant they were better recorded and easier to understand.  The song sounds like it is a keeper.

Kev, Mark, Mike...
 
I have been in touch with another singer and she is interested in singing this song.... after she listened she asked for the lyrics as she too could not understand the words in places.  As soon as we get details worked out, I believe she will be on board.
 
I'll repost this once it's updated.... a lot of work is needed now to redo this..... I'm betting she won't be singing it in this same key... that would be way too easy.

Nice song + great instrumentation.
 
Good job - well done.
 
best wishes!

"Robby: hummm... what's the reasoning behind that request...? Or do I even want to know?"
 
Because, on that day I plan on singing and making "a joyful noise..." Singing "In a world without you!" You do the math... He's speaking at this very moment?