Looking for good recordings of female vocals I have not yet tried...

@frankmc195: Julianna Raye! I do believe you are the only other person I have ever heard mention her name. Her two albums are faves of mine, and are quite different from one another. Of the two I like the first---Something Peculiar, produced by Jeff Lynne---the most. I met her in L.A. about twenty years ago, and she was really sweet, absolutely delightful. Van Dyke Parks is also a fan of hers.

2channel8: If you want to start with an album of just Gillian and her guitarist/harmony singer David Rawlings, The Harrow & The Harvest is the one. All the songs on the album were written by Gillian and David, and the album was Grammy-nominated for Best Engineered Album (non Classical) and Best Folk Album.

If you want some instrumental accompaniment, on Soul Journey the duo adds a few real fine musicians, they being Greg Leisz on dobro, Jim Boquist on bass (like some other well-intentioned but mistaken folks---including John Atkinson, his instrument is listed as bass "guitar". There is no such instrument---a bass is either a standup/upright acoustic or an electric, unless you are speaking of the early-1960's Fender 6.), Mark Ambrose on acoustic guitar, and Ketcham Secor on fiddle. Again, all songs written by Gillian and David.

And then there is the All The Good Times Are Past & Gone, Gillian and David's album of covers. Songs written by Elizabeth Cotton, Bob Dylan, John Prine, Norman Blake, a few others, as well as some written by "Traditional" ;-) . Arranged by Gillian and David, produced by David. On the inner sleeve the recording equipment is listed, and it's impressive: Telefunken mic, tube Studer tape deck, the lacquer cut direct master tape to a Neumann lathe with an Ortofon cutterhead. Yeah, baby!

If you like the above enough, there is a 3-LP boxset entitled The Lost Songs/Boots No.2. One great thing about the duo's Acony Records label is that the LP's are more modestly priced than those of Analogue Productions, Speakers Corner, MoFi, Intervention, etc., at around $30 a disc. Gillian and David, cool people!

For great SOUNDING recordings of female voice, you gotta hear the Acony Records LP’s of Gillian Welch. They also fulfill your request for "mainly acoustic", non-"loud electronic" music.

On the Striking It Rich album by Dan Hicks And His Hot Licks (produced by Tommy LiPuma---nominated for 33 Grammys, 5 of which he won, engineered by Bruce Botnick---best known for the Doors albums---at Sunset Sound in L.A.), Maryann price sings the classic "I’m An Old Cowhand" with a remarkably relaxed (and delicious lasciviousness that would make your grandma blush ;-) feel (like she’s had a few, and maybe a reefer), backed by a deeply-swinging small Jazz combo (upright bass, Gibson L-5 archtop guitar, snare drum played with brushes, fiddle). As a welcome bonus, excellent recorded sound quality, demo material.

I have been thinking to myself "Why are people recommending non-Jazz female singers?" I just realized the request was for female singers in general, not just Jazz. Duh!

Some of my faves have already been mentioned (Lucinda Williams, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Dusty Springfield, Patsy Cline, Shelby Lynne, Alison Krauss, Rosanne Cash, etc.), others haven’t. They include:

 

- Iris DeMent (Traditional Country/Bluegrass).

- Julie Miller (Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Christian).

- Sam Phillips (Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Christian).

- Mary Gauthier (Singer/Songwriter, Folk).

- Lou Ann Barton (Blues, R & B).

- Darlene Love (Soul, R & B, Pop).

- Joan Osborne (R & B, Pop).

- Kasey Chambers (Trad. Country).

- Dolly Parton (Trad. Country, Bluegrass).

- Tammy Wynette (Trad. Country).

- Loretta Lynn (Trad. Country).

- Carlene Carter (Rock ’n’ Roll, Trad. Country).

- Mavis Staples (Soul, R & B, Gospel).

- Bonnie Raitt (Blues, R & B).

- Wanda Jackson (Rockabilly).

- Brenda Lee (Rock ’n’ Roll, Rockabilly, Pop).

- Patty Loveless (Trad. Country, Bluegrass).

- June Carter (Trad. Country).

- Maryann Price (Dan Hicks, The Kinks, Asleep At The Wheel).

 

There are dozens more, but that’s enough for starters ;-) .

Cassandra Wilson and Norah Jones, both on Blue Note Records (and in audiophile pressings by Analogue Productions).