Best female vocals on CD

Second the votes on Holly Cole - love the entire Don't Smoke in Bed disc. And Diana Krall recordings are rich and lush. Carly Simon is good. Her 3 CD set has some nice rare work. Sara Brightman is good on some numbers too but occasionally she decides to be a real show off and shrieks the upper octaves like fingernails on a chalkboard.

Diana Krall, Holly Cole, and Sara Brightman are all great. I would add to this distinguished list Rickie Lee Jones for her album "POP POP" which is outstanding. In the classical arena I would list Kathleen Battle for her "Live at Carnegie Hall" CD. But this is just for classical music lovers. That is what makes choosing a "Best female on CD" so difficult.

Margo Timmins/Cowboy Junkies on the Trinity Sessions. Probably the best soundstage/live feel.

Looking through my cd collection....only female artists I seem to consistently reach for are Enya, Aretha Franklin, Diana Krall, and Rebecca Pidgeon. Just this evening, opened Etta James "Life, Love, and the Blues" (1998) and know I have found something. Sorry boys, I went out and bought Cowboy Junkies' "Miles From Our Home," and MT just doesn't "do it" for me. And I went and bought a Linda Ronstadt...I mean Jennifer Warnes cd....that is nice as well. Thanks for all the great advice. Charlie

Let's not forget Janis Joplin. She did for rock music and the blues, what Billie Holiday did for jazz and Bessie Smith did for the blues. Some of my favorites: Patricia Barber, Jennifer Warnes, Judy Mowatt (reggae queen), Ella Fitzgerald, Esther Saddisfield (sp) she vocals on Chuck Mangione's Land Of Make Believe, Linda Ronstadt (for her versatility), Diana Krall (for her bedroom voice), Sarah Vaughn, Etta James, and Keith Richards (oops!)