Most unusual/mesmerizing female voice.

Big Mama Thornton, Wanda Jackson, Victoria Williams, Lene Lovich, Kate Bush, Loretta Lynn, Iris Dement, Aretha Franklin.

Patricia Barber......how does she hit those high notes?
Joan Baez........HAVE to give her a nod.
Edie Brickell.....always enjoy her.
Tori Amos..........Yup!
Natalie Merchant........have to second that vote!
Janis Ian.......don't know about unusual but can she sing!
Kate Bush.........gotta love her voice.
Sandy Denny.........A big hats off to the only female vocalist to accompany Robert Plant!

Adele
Live at Royal Albert Hall

Phoebe Snow.

First mention of it that I've noticed...

austinbob107 posts02-10-2016 9:19amCassandra Wilson and Phoebe Snow.

Eva Cassidy

Oh, here's one for the list.......ZHU Zhe-qin
Google her album, Yellow Children.

Linda Ronstadt. Lucinda Williams. Janis Joplin.Three totally different voices.But all great.Oh! wait Bonnie Raitt.

Melanie

PJ Harvey

I have seen Natalie Merchant several times, in different venues. When she starts the songs from "Ophelia", it can only be described as mesmerizing. The audiences seem to agree.

Eva Cassidy - who else can give you pause just by singing oooh?  One of a select group of performers recognized by only her first name.

Eva Cassidy - Fields Of Gold
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UVjjcOUJLE

Eva Cassidy: Timeless Voice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDN_ss1S_5Y&t=4s

I second Frazey Ford and add Minnie Ripperton, Natalie Merchant and Janis Joplin

Eddie Reader
Cerys Matthews
Kirsty McColl
Georgia Brown
Lottie Lenya

Macy Gray

Genevieve Waite.

Her 1974 album Romance is on the Rise remains a stone cold classic to this day.

Produced by husband John Phillips, it's difficult to see why it wasn't a bigger hit.

Maybe the odd drug reference put people off but that frankness is all part of its charm.

Irene Papas and her performance on Aphrodite's Child's track Infinity from the album 666. If you have heard this it's unlikely to be easily forgotten. Definitely not my favourite track on the album but unforgettable just the same.

Lisa Gerrard of Dead Can Dance (most mesmerizing)
Elizabeth Frasier of Cocteau Twins (most unusual)

Kat Edmonson- Most Unusual
Hope Sandoval- Most Memorizing

Always liked the ex abba singer with “there’s something goin on”
always seemed eerie to me.

 The slight echo, at 2-3 am, ripped, always was eerie to me.
 Still a great song!

Dusty Springfield
Karen Carpenter

I'm going to stick to mesmerizing.  Laura Nyro, Emma Kirkby, Judith Nelson, Yma Sumac, Janis Joplin, Kate Bush, Ronnie Spector, Billie Holiday, Maria Callas, Elizabeth Schwarzkopf, Stevie Nicks, Aretha Franklin, Patsy Cline, Elly Ameling.

To anyone not familiar with Dulce Pontes, do yourself  a favor and take a listen.  Music lives inside this woman.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztI3dJX0l8k

Bette Midler CAN/could sing. A mindblower is AM I Blue from The Divine Miss M is mesmerizing when played on a HQ system

Yikes! 10 year old thread, what the hell....

I was listening to  Blossom Dearie anyhow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPzt3A4Se_U

Perhaps someone under.....45-50  would recognize her voice- Figure 8 from Schoolhouse Rock?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzhaxCM9AZk

How about some Dorothy Ashby?  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72cb7hnbVvg
1970 Funky New Age