It has got to be Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, miles ahead of any other singer (if I am allowed to be opinioned once in my life time, I use my only card only now). Frank Sinatra and Nate King Cole and some other contemporary tenors are honorable mentions. But nobody, and I mean nobody, can compare with the awe, power, control, and majesty of the maestro.
Nusrat is the biggest reason for my entire system (http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vaslt&1066703453). And I measure the rest of my music collection (about 1500 CDs of classical, jazz, rock, soul, male and female vocalists, world music) to see how close it gets to Nusrat's music.
Obsession? No. Highest admiration? yes.
And I am not alone in my opinion. Those unfamiliar with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, see below or send me email for additional recommendations.
Woww, what a voice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Following is part of what I posted somewhere else:
Nusrat was blessed with a unique voice that had unprecedented pitch, variation and tones. He was capable of generating tremendous variations in his voice with hugely dynamic range. He could sound like an angel (track no. 13 on Peter Gabriel's "Passion", music for the "last Temptation of Christ") or like a demon (track no. 9 on Peter Gabriel's "UP")
It is hard to pick some recommendations out of my more than 60 CDs by him but off the top of my head, here are a few:
"Shahbaz," Real World;
"Mustt Mustt," Real World;
Sound track of "Bandit Queen"
"Traditional Sufi Qawwalis, Live in London" vol.II, Vavras Record.
"Greatest Hist," vol. II, shannachi.
Time magazine: "Khan brings to Qawwali an unrivaled ability to convey its Spiritual intensity -- to believers and non-believers alike"
NEW YORK NEWSDAY: "Blissful, ecstatic, musically fascinating and totally transporting"
NEWSWEEK: "He is hollering for real, and a cross between Bhudda and Elvis Presley"
Several rock stars are big admirers.
Too bad he died just when Hollywood had recognized his worth and he was planning an album with Pavarotti.