Kenny Rankin is exceptional.
Many great singers have been mentioned, but Kenny Rankin is one of the most talented and innovative. He truly uses his voice as an instrument as any great jazz player would. |
South of the border singing greats:
1) Carlos Gardel
2) Vicente Fernández
3) Felipe RodrÃguez
4) Pablo Milanés
5) Gilberto Monroig
6) Danny Rivera
7) Hector Lavoe |
SINATRA! nothing else to say |
Tony Bennet, Sting, Willie Nelson, Weird Al Yankovic... |
this list could go on forever. i love freddy mercury as well, awsome talent, but the three greatest vocalist ever are pavoratti, sinatra and elvis. i love louis armstrong ,nat king cole ,harry connick ,domingo, elton john as well but the three i picked changed music unlike anyone else ever,and their talents were and are far and above anyone else. |
Anyone heard Chris Rea?
Well, if you wanna try, play it when you're alone with your woman... |
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. |
Morten Harket and Chet Baker, respectively. I swear there is no voice better than Morten's. He's the lead singer for A-Ha. Yes, that stupid pop band, but his solo album is the best. Sad to say, he's gotten old, and so has his voice. But at his best, late 80's and early 90's, NO ONE has both better highs and lows than Morten. His first album is Hunting High and Low...
Etane |
brendan perry of dead can dance |
Sorry, forgot, the best is K. D. Lang. |
let it rest jokers. sinatra is forever. everyone else is just trying for the moment.
(however, i don't think sinatra would've been sinatra were it not for nelson riddle). |
Fredy Mercury(Queen)!!! I don't have any time to read but I never stop listening him. You old folks are still back in 50's but evolution still goes on and on and there are more and more... |
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. |
One of the best performances, believe it or not, is NIRVANA "Unplugged". Kurt's delivery and emotion is increadible. The sonics of the recording are also excellent! |
As far as "crooners" go, I would say Tony Bennett. R&B/Soul, Marvin Gaye without a doubt. In rock I would give it to Freddie Mercury. If I had to choose one, it would be Freddie. The guy was on another level IMO. |
Come on now! Can one REALLY be considered the BEST singer, or guitarist, or pianist or whatever. It's all a matter of personal taste, but how can one say Sinatra is better than Benett or Whitney is better than Aretha, or Clapton is better than Beck, THEY ALL KICK BUTT! Each is a master at their craft and I apprecite every olne of them, and more. |
Tony Williams, lead singer of the Platters |
On the rock side of things, I would say David Sylvian, David Bowie, and Bryan Ferry (all of whom were missed by those above).
On Jazz and standards, the above posts got all the greats. |
Al Green. I think he is definitely one of the best male singers. |
Best? Ow! How about most effective?
Muddy Waters
John Lennon
Howlin Wolf
Sam Cooke
Robert Johnson |
Don't know how I wandered into a "best" thread, ah me. As the wide range of opinions flood in, it's obvious there are many criterion to go by. I never would have thought of Jim Reeves, but he definately had a sonorous voice, further underscoring just how subjective this "best" thing is. The best Van Morrison is a very moving listen.
I saw the film ELIZABETH the other day. It struck me that as important as most of those historical figures were to their own times, it would shock them all to know (save Elizabeth herself) that 400 years hence they've been largely forgotten, with most of their trials, tribulations, as well as accomplishments, relegated, at best, to the historical trivia bin, and dwarfed, DWARFED, by a writer (a writer??) breathing the same 1600 air as they, yet most of them probably never even heard of him: William Shakespeare.
It's hard to predict who will survive the 20th century as a household name in the 23rd century. Not many, that's for certain. And probably few of them could be accurately predicted here. Maybe even Hank Williams! (sorry for the "even," Hank, you know I know how great you were) I tell you, with the miniscule hindsight of just 30 years, it's hard to imagine the Beatles not bestriding the 20th Century like a colossus--rarely has art and popular acceptance converged as it did during that 7 year recording span. And, McCartney, if you want to be technical, had a great (and evocative) range.
On the other hand, in terms of influence, a defining of the times, just sheer name-that-voice-in-5-seconds, as well as that special something, you can't ignore Elvis Presley in this "greatest male singer of the 20th century." Somehow I think this tag goes beyond simple octaves. In fact, though I haven't read a lot of this thread, those posts I have read, in not mentioning him, struck me as taking pains NOT TO, as certainly every man-on-the-street interview we'd like to conduct would invariably offer up Elvis in seconds. |
Sam Cooke.Sang from his heart.Beautiful voice! |
Captain Beefheart had that 7+ octave vocal range. Howlin wolf and screaming jay hawkins can definately test a system as well. Most of the popular guys like sinatra/neil diamond/bing crosby/ really don't have a big vocal range, they just sing in 1 octave and hit the notes beautifully which helps their popularity. |
The problem with this post is that it is too broad. Like what's the best book of the 20th century. Classical and operatic singers have a decibel level due to singing without mikes that no popular singer can match. That said my vote goes to Sinatra (his phrasing and way with a lyric was far more impressive than his voice) in the pop realm. In the classical world, Jussi Bjoerling, no contest! Voice rang like a silver bell, had enough growl to do verismo opera, understood phrasing and language like no other. If you want proof get hold of the Seraphim copy of Pagliacci (with Warren, De Los Angeles and the young Robert Merrill) in mono. |
Jim Reeves has the best voice I've ever heard. Smooth as
silk. Anybody else familiar with his recordings? |
Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong, Mel Torme, Johnny Hartman, Chet Baker, Jack Teagarden, Sammy Davis Jr., Elvis Preseley, Mick Jagger. |
In no particular order:
Mercury
Kaylan & Volman
Orbison
Nilsson |
Mario Lanza! I picked up the soundtrack from "Caruso" recently and forgot to give it a play. Thanks for reminding me. |
Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, Sammy Davis JR., Louis Armstrong. Freddy Mercury, Burton Cummings, Ian Gillian, Mario Lanza, Gordon, Macrae |
I am truly happy to see that people appreciate Gino Vannelli. I have been following his career and enjoying his incredible music and talent for 27 years! |
Only able to comment rock, but obviously people need to listen to Glenn Hughes. How can you compare without hearing? Of course this is all subjective isn't it?? |
Jusi Boerling (sp) a great tenor. |
Meatloaf listen to"Bat out of hell" |
Kubla, Dekay, remember "Nighthawks @ the diner, Emma's 49er, a RdV of strangers..."?
T. Waits when I was still young(er)...
Cheers! |
Tom Waits - i could go on and on why i think he's the one but i'm too tired to keep typing. |
Johnny Hartman, Billy Eckstine, Roy Orbison....all for
pure voice quality.......singers with poorer voices, but
were able to convey emmotion...Chet Baker, Frank Sinatra,
Del Shannon...yes...he even had influence on The Beatles,
ELO...and many others... |
Paul I believe you just made the point. 100 years will bring a lot of changes in styles, tastes and music. I think only the good music will last. The artists will be viewed by most for the period they came from. I really can't think of one that will have broad lasting appeal. The critics will have their favorites but the masses will have long forgotten or when they see a clip will view it as nostalgia. Elvis may be canonized a Saint by popular demand, not for his art but the "miracles" he performed in his life. BTW I still listen to McCormick only because my father used to sing some of those songs to us as kids. He listened to his records when HE was a kid and was greatly influenced by him. |
Oh, Tubegroover, I agree. Sinatra as a personality. One issue is the material. Some people do still sing and listen to Danny Boy and I Hear You Calling Me. I can't imagine anyone listening to anything Sinatra did 100 years from now. Maybe someone else would be a better example. |
The interest is only to those interested. I guess if the material 100 years is as dated as McCormick's recordings are today the interest may be left to a small minority of those that "discover" it in the archives. Greatness and general acceptance by the masses only comes through broad appeal. I'm not so certain Sinatra will stand the test of time. We won't be around then to know for sure. My bet his his appeal will be more as a personality than as a great artist. |
No one has heard of him. Proves your point, I suppose. Although, everything that happens in popular culture now is preserved on videotape and computer discs and there is so much interest in "historical" retrospectives on film and tv, I would guess that someone like Sinatra, who with his movies and tv appearances had a wider audience, might still be remembered 100 years from now. |
You got it Paul, the Great Irish Tenor, I'm impressed. Now I wonder, how many have even heard of him? His first recordings were made when Louie Armstrong was a little boy. |
Ok, sent an email. Before he responds, let me guess again; John McCormack. |
I dont know. I said my guess is Beniamino Gigli. Maybe somebody should send an Audiogon email to Tubegroover and ask him. |
Well, gee coach....
T'was only a wild guess.
So who the hell is it? |
Adamanteus & Kevziek, I just went back and read Kevziek's comment, and agree 100%. That's why my vote for the single, sole, only best singer of the 20th C is Merle Haggard. I did like William Bolcom (sp?) a lot. Opera singers are a dime a dozen. Real men who can interpret real men's songs are few and far between. |
PS: I would like to add Tom Waits to the above list (though I always feel a little greasy while listening to him). I must be remembering his appearence on the Dinah Shore show. |
Frank Sinatra, Billy Eckstine, Harry Neilsen, Buck Owens (in his later years) and to me Pete Townshend singing Daultry's parts (as he has been doing recently). The best voice to me is one that moves me |
Er, um, I think that Mario Lanza was born the year Caruso died. Not exactly contemporaries. My guess was Gigli. |
Kevziek-
I've also had some training in music -certainly not to your level- so am naturally predisposed toward classical/opera. That said, I am sure you will be labeled an elitist, snob, dilettante, pick your name. I do listen to a fair amount (probably more than is good for my sanity) of popular music, but I never make the mistake of equating mediocre talent with the real greats. Sometimes the baser side needs its time to partake of other than Verdi, Mozart, et al.
As you, I won't offer any names for the simple reason that when the inevitable criticisms follow, I'd feel compelled to defend them. Their singing appeals to me; if you don't care for it, I don't give a jolly rip!
BTW, I wonder if that one guy is describing Mario Lanza, Caruso's contemporary? |
I think Sinatra probably, but other greats are Nat King Cole, Johnny Hartman, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and Jimmy Rushing. Some of these other postings are preposterous; they're so wrong as to be unintentionally funny - Chris Isak, Van Morrison, David Bowie? Somebody should be kidding but they're probably not. Ignorance of what constitutes real musical ability apparently is unbounded. |
