1. Billy Eckstine -- undiscovered, under-appreciated, less known but OUTSTANDING!
2. Nat King Cole
3. Freddy Mercury
4. Leonadr Cohen
5. Robert Plant
6. Joe Dassin |
We are limited by who have on disc or have heard in person. This may seem like an obvious statement, but many greats are not properly represented in the current discography - and they will never be. They performed in an era where recording technology was in its infancy both in terms of quality and quality (the lengths of their recorded performances) and reproduction. And even remastering does not help a lot. A good, but not great voice recorded today may sound a lot better than a great voice recorded 50 years ago. A shame, really, but also reality. |
Wasn't there a guy called Pavarotti who managed to hum a few tunes last century ? |
I know a totally unknown local tenor in the Baltimore MD area who performs locally that has the purest tone of anyone I have ever heard that I can think of. |
Captain Beefheart. No ifs ands or buts. |
A tie for me, both jazz guys: Mark Murphy and Johnny Hartman. Such different styles, so both are the best to me. |
I am starting to feel Eddie Vedder is our best rock singer. Lightning Bolt tour is a defining moment on how well his voice has matured. |
Gregoy Porter is a live and kickin' and up there with the best of the past. |
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Yeah sure. Janis can't sing the blues. Just ask Jim Morrison. OOPS, too late. |
Joe Cocker's voice in the late 60's was unbeatable. Saw him on his first U.S. tour with his Grease Band. Knocked me out the window. At the time, I had a dream of putting Joe Cocker and Janis Joplin together to make an album which would have been the best blue's singing duo of all time. |
Years ago Pavarotti stated that Frank Sinatra was the greatest singer of the 20th Century. I concur with other's on this thread that he was the greatest. His voice during the 1940's when he was with Capitol was his best singing ever until 1951 when he severely tore his vocal cord's in a singing accident which caused permanent damage where he could no longer reach the upper octaves but still had a commanding powerful voice. He truely was the Chairman of the Board. |
06-08-07: Gsm18439
Paul Robeson +1, without a doubt. Although a good case could also be made for Enrico Caruso, John McCormack, or Jussi Björling, as suggested above. Honorable mention to Matt Monro. Regards, -- Al |
or maybe that guy from Killswitch Engage?
o-o
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ROBIN ZANDER! I can not believe in this entire thread he was not mentioned. My favorite anyway. Sings ballads, rock, country, screams, hums. The man with a thousand voices. Awesome! |
Elmore James, Sonnyboy Williamson II, or Sam Collins |
Surprising to me that no 'old pfarts'(remember Carrol O'Connor's 'Music for....')mentioned,just for the resonant beauty of the voices,Ed Ames,solo,and Brook Benton. Cheers...D4W. |
Wildman Fisher definely different |
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Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. There are a great many reasons why he is one of the most recorded artists in history. Perhaps the greatest lieder singer of all time. |
Sam Cooke, Dean Martin, Sinatra, Marvin Gay, Tony bennit, Smokey Robinson and I LOVE the Ames Brothers....So many singers today can harmonize...its a lost art. |
I am surprised no one mentioned Greg Lake. Maybe I missed it. As far as Fogerty?
Puleeze..... |
Classical/Opera = Luciano Pavarotti
Standards/Nightclub = Frank Sinatra
Ballads/Rock = Roy Orbison
Jazz = Louis Armstrong
Country = Jim Reeves
Christmas = Nat King Cole
Did smoking have something to do with it? |
Jeff Buckley. Check out his Lp called "Grace" came out in 94.
John |
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Hey guys,thanks for turning me on to Mark Murphy!!! |
Lou Rawls!I just bought, Black and Blue,and Tobacco Road!!My God this guy is good!!!This is the first time ive heard anything by Lou,cant stop listening to these cds! |
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Robert Palmer, David Bowie and Aaron Neville |
What's up! Have we all forgotten Tiny Tim? Does anybody think Sinatra, Caruso, Dylan or any of the above mentioned could have made "Tip Toe Through the Tulips" a smash hit? OK, maybe Dylan. |
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Dean Martin and Bing Crosby |
Let's see, how about Jussi Bjorling, Feodor Chaliapin, Roy Orbison, Jackie Wilson, Solomon Burkes, and. . .
for the 21st century: Ronaldo Villazon. |
Sam Cooke. Maybe somebody already mentioned him (I enjoyed the thread, but did not have time to read all of it), but he would certainly warrant a repeat reference. |
I'd give a vote for James Taylor. His attention to the music, the harmonies and the quality of recordings also is a plus. He has a silky smooth voice and is a great musician/song writer. He has produced great music for 4 plus decades. |
If I was to follow my subjectivity, then for me it is Franco Makiadi and Burning Spear (probably you have never heard of them - you shouldnÂt care either, they have not sold a million copy!
However, if I was to be pragmatic and objective, then it would be Stevie Wonder. He has more than thirty top 10 hits, 22 Grammy Awards, which is the most for a solo artist. If Stevie had only one hit song out of the several you already know, he would have been just as famous as he is today! That is genius |
Chris Cornell for rock music. Popular music I'd go with Frank Sinatra. Jazz I'd have to select Louis Armstrong. |
Matt Munro - Even Sinatra said he was the guvnor |
Mark Murphy - check out his latest, "Once to Every Heart". Over 70 years old!!!! |
The best male singers of the 20th century can be categorized into eras. First there was Al Jolson, followed by Bing Crosby, than came Frank Sinatra, and than Elvis Presley. I don't know if I can include anyone after Elvis as being in contention for top male vocalist for the century, even though there were some great male singers. Out of the above mentioned singers, I would select Bing Crosby as the top male vocalist. I think he had the best singing voice of them all. Al Jolson would be second, Sinatra third, and than Elvis. |
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Toss up between Stevie Wonder and Milton Nascimento. |
Remember in answering this question that you have stylists which most singers are, or you have technically good singers. A tech superior singer would be Mel Torme, also referred to as "The Velvet Fog" His pitch, tone, diction, and breath control were superior to most. Sinatra had no where near the technical skills possessed by Torme. Also the greatest male voices at jazz/pop have all been baritones. This is the one short fall of Mr. Torme, but at no time has Mr Torme been considered the greatest jazz vocalist on any poll I have encountered. That title has been suggested of people like Joe Williams. Any jazz poll would have to consider Louis Armstrong since he practically invented the jazz solo, and "scat" singing. Let us not forget the tech voices of Johnny Mathis and Billy Eckstine. In closing I distinguish between a technical voice and a stylist. Mel Torme wins hands down for technic, but Louis Armstrong wins hands down as a stylist. |
To choose 1 male singer as the best across all genres from the whole century is difficult. I really enjoy Joe Williams and Mel Torme for Jazz and Roberto Goyenetche for Tango. Frank Sinatra's album "September Of My Years" (on vinyl) get's me every time; not b/c his singing is so great but because his sentiment is so sincere, his song are choicees so elegant, and the orchestrations are impeccable. |
Louis Armstrong. He was the first to use modern phrasing and he had perfect pitch. Nobody felt and expresed music the way he did. If no Louis > no Holliday > no Fitzgerald > no Vaugh > no Crosby > no Sinatra > no Cole > no Bennett > etc. EVERY modern singer ows a huge debt to Pops. God rest his beautiful soul.- Jim |
Johnny Mathis - I agree w/ R-Burke. You've gotta listen to "Open Fire, Two Guitars". Amazing! Actually beautiful. Hey, and I'm a solid blues and rock 'n roll fan. |
