Best female vocal recording on CD?


i am a sucker for great warm rich smooth female vocalists, especially on tube gear and speakers that image well. but i am almost always faced with a great voice/song but a sonically inferior recording (examples too numerous to list) or a great recording of a mediocre voice.  rickie lee jones (pop pop) comes to mind- fab recording, but come on lets be honest about her voice. however, i will almost always pick great recordings and leave the bad recordings for the car.

 so i am asking for what you use as a reference female vocal recording/track. right now i come back tp bonnie raitt "you cant make me love you" from luck of the draw.  big, warm, strong voice. not a perfect recording. but hmmmm that voice.

my only requirement is it has to be on CD. and we all know of great vinyl that did not translate into great CDs.  so help me out here, what should be my next music purchase 
meiatflask
I agree with all of these! So many talented ladies!!
 But - I'm surprised Tierney Sutton is not mentioned.

I'll throw out; Sara Gazarek, Barbara Knight, and I know it's not unanimous - but Paco the Border Collie and I love when Eliane Elias sings!!

I'm surprised that non one has mentioned Tracey Thorn/ Everything But The Girl.

I would highly recommend the CD's Amplified Heart and Acoustic.

Lots of outstanding picks however I can’t believe not one mention of Ella Fitzgerald,...This one is a stand out , Clap Hands Here Cones Charlie 
.A absolutely fantastic reissue recorded by engineer Dennis Drake Verve 835 646-2 ,
you will not find a better sounding recording of Clap Hands on any original Lp including the multiples of the reissues throughout the decades and none of the so labeled high price Audiophile failed attempts on CD or SACD can touch Dennis Drakes work.,,Easily found for peanuts.



 
Many great suggestions. 
I was going to post Ella Fitzgerald Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie and someone beat me to it. You must hear her version of 'Round Midnight. 

An underrated disc with fine production and outstanding vox is Drag by k d lang.
I don’t give a hoot about the medium. Jane Monheit sang circles around most of the contenders. "Love Me Or Leave Me"
These are some of my favorite CDs, all amazing voices:

Dusty Springfield - Dusty in Memphis (hybrid SACD)
Cassandra Wilson - Blue Light Til Dawn
Sandy Denny - No More Sad Refrains: The Anthology 
Sarah McLachlan - Solace (hybrid SACD)
Aretha Franklin - Aretha’s Gold (hybrid SACD)
Cowboy Junkies - The Trinity Sessions 
Rhiannon Giddens - Tomorrow Is My Turn
Allison Russell - Outside Child
Loreena McKennitt - The Book of Secrets



I’m sure I messaged here, not gonna look.


   Lee Aaron’s last 4-5 albums. 
  Even her early stuff I love, as it’s hard rock/metal.

 Her newer stuff is sublime, what a voice!

still one of the most beautiful women I have gazed upon. 
 She sells signed CDs and stuff, she is an amazing singer, I love the older metal stuff, but her new stuff is simply stellar!

 One of the best smoky voices I’ve heard in a long time.