Best female vocals on CD

My top 10 include many already named here . . . Margo Timmins (Junkies)- most of their cd's; Eva Cassidy -Songbird; Jennifer Warnes - Famous Blue Raincoat, The Well, The Hunter; Allison Kraus (w/Union Station) - New Favorite; Karrin Allyson - Ballads; Patsy Cline - anything; and several others already mentioned too.
but . . . since we're spanning all genres and so far noone has mentioned Jane Relf, I will - she has an oh so sultry voice - like Margo Timmins - you melt just listening to her. If you haven't heard of her - she was one of the lead singers with a group called Rennaisance (the original one), which was formed by ex-Yardbirds founders Keith Relf (her brother) and Jim McCarty). This group was later resurrected as "Illusion" with the same basic line-up except Keith. You have to go back to the 70's to get their music - try the CD that has their 2 LP's packaged together - titled "Illusion" and "Out of the Mist". Oh, while I'm at it - the SECOND group called Rennaisance had an amazing vocalist named Annie Haslam. Any of their cd's from the 70's and early 80's are worth a listen.

Alice Spencer of Victrola on "Live as you Like." This is a band I heard in Austin Texas at the Continental Club. She has a great voice (my wifes favorite too). The music is kind of jazz, but to me also kind of "broadway show tune." The band and sound is also excellent.

Hi all, I've joined the forum today after finding this wonderful thread, which must be some sort of international treasure in its own right - I have been frantically taking notes! To let you know where I'm coming from, my musical tastes are mainly in jazz and folk/rock/pop. Of all the wonderful singers mentioned in this thread so far, I'm a particular fan of Joni Mitchell, Nina Simone, Cassandra Wilson, Patricia Barber, Dianne Reeves, Jane Siberry, k.d. lang, Kate Bush, Annie Lennox, Margo Timmins, Tracy Thorn, Sarah McLaughlin, Ricki Lee Jones, Janis Ian, Eva Cassidy, Joan Armatrading, Kate Rusby, Máire Brennan (early Clannad), Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Natalie Merchant, Sinéad O'Connor, Mary Black, Alison Krauss, Nancy Griffiths, Eddi Reader, Chrissie Hynde, Lisa Stansfield and Karen Carpenter. I'm sure I missed out quite a few, but hopefully you'll get the idea.

Maybe you'll be interested to listen to some of my favourite singers. First up, three English folk singers. The magnificent June Tabor isn't particularly accessible and she's certainly not for everyone, but if you like her voice, you'll never forget her. Almost everything she's recorded is mind blowing but my favourite albums are Aleyn, Abyssinians, Angel Tiger and Rosa Mundi. Secondly, Eliza Carthy, the very talented daughter of Martin Carthy and Norma Waterson, surely one of the best folk and crossover singer-songwriters around. I highly recommend her albums Angels and Cigarettes, Anglicana, Red and Rice. Thirdly, Christine Collister, whom I think is one of the world's best kept secrets. Trust me, if you like beautiful female voices, you'll love Christine! Try her albums Into the Light or An Equal Love for starters, or check out her website www.christinecollister.com for song clips from most of her solo albums.

Some of my other old and new favourites that noone's mentioned so far are Elis Regina, Maria Bethânia, Patti Smith, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Cris Williamson, Sia (from Zero 7) and Martina Topley Bird... a very mixed bunch, but something for everyone...

Lastly I recently discovered a website that might be of interest to some - www.musicaldiscoveries.com, a site that specialises in contemporary, progressive + crossover female vocalists.

Best wishes to you all and many thanks again for this wonderful thread.

Check out Dido on the CD titled Life for rent...track after track of simply outstanding recordings. Let track 11 keep playing through about 1:00 of silence to a hidden bonus song that is as good as anything else on the CD. Others in my top 10 include Allison Moorer, Alison Krauss, Eva Cassidy, and Sarah Mclachlan.

Dianne Reeves "Tenderly" from The Grand Encounter,great test cut. She's an audiophile's dream. Passionate, powerful,angelic.