Best Male Singers of the 20th Century

Chet Baker? Are we talking about the same Chet Baker? I feel sad every time I hear him. Good, but not a great singer, and not a great trumpeter either. Interesting to listen to, I admit. Had something to offer, yes. Greatness, though, is something else. Regards.

Bob Dylan 'cause he can hold his breath the longest. Well he said it not me.

Well seriously, depends on what you are looking for, voices have different qualities, singers change with age (and addictions I guess...) the best singer soul for soul, Otis Redding, neatest package (phrasing, musicality, zest), Frank Sinatra, the best blues voice, Muddy Waters, best tone, Brook Benton, most interesting timbre, Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis, Al Hibbler, and the list goes on. Geez! I guess I'm off the topic again, we were playing "best of", oh well seems I don't like that game anyway.

Sorry, forgot, the best is K. D. Lang.

Just looked up Kenny Rankin in the All Music Guide to Jazz. Thanks, I had never heard of him. A short quote from that book: "Kenny Rankin sings like Chet Baker would have if Baker had a voice." So I killed two birds with one stone: (1) found out the existence of Rankin ("Professional Dreamer" on Private Music as five diamonds, could be one man's opinion, but now I have two favourable ones , so I'll probably buy the album and check him out myself), and (2) somebody else agrees with me that Baker had no voice. Rather strange since someone up there in the thread chose him as the "Best". Conclusion, degustibus non disputandem and you can be the best singer and yet have no singing voice.