Aretha Franklin
Randy Crawford
Roberta Flack
Randy Crawford
Roberta Flack
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how could I have forgotten Melody Gardot not only voice but such a unique approach https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI49t7t0ZAI If you like Melody, you will also love Sophie Milman. she is mix of russia/israel/canadian, superbly unique voice her take on these 2 songs show you how inventive she is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeCpx5O8tJk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2YO1DnRQBg Cassandra, Melody, Sophie, they get both superior musicians and engineering, as do others |
I would defer to Linda Ronstadt's book where she says that she can tell in about 30 seconds who a singer is imitating as all singers imitate someone else until they find "their own" voice, so to speak. (I would say Buddy, Chuck, Jerry, and Elvis did not, but what do I know? They all learned by listening to Black singers sing the blues, except Buddy: "During his early childhood, Holley was influenced by the music of Hank Williams, Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Snow, Bob Wills, and the Carter Family. At Roscoe Wilson Elementary, he became friends with Bob Montgomery, and the two played together, practicing with songs by the Louvin Brothers and Johnnie & Jack." ) I listened to some of these singers I had not heard before, and sure enough, one sounds EXACTLY like Ronstadt (same time period) and some sound like versions of her and some, obviously, have their own unique sounds. People like Diana Ross and early blues and jazz singers have certainly carved out their own styles that most of the modern ladies copy somewhat. I would say the SONG and the arrangement add a lot to the quality of the voice--keep it in the vocalist's range, style, etc. Funny, Ronstadt, a technically excellent vocalist, likes Bonnie Raitt, who is not listed at all. I don't necessarily agree with her, but Raitt isn't chopped liver, either. check this out: https://www.npr.org/2019/09/13/760502128/linda-ronstadt-on-making-music-i-knew-how-to-sing-my-whole-... And most importantly, play the music! Cheers! |
77Jovian, so glad you mentioned Lydia Pence. Man, when she sang "I Just Want to Make Love to You" I damn well believed her. If you mentioned Lydia you will probably love Genya Ravan/Goldie Zelkowitz. Two very different performers but Cold Blood and Ten Wheel Drive are not that dissimilar. Everybody and most of their's dogs have covered Bird on a Wire including many of the names here but except for the man himself I don't think anyone else conveys the true emotional totality of this track any better than Genya Ravan. Conveying emotion is what my favorite female vocalists do for me. Pure voices (Judy Collins) are nice, great technique is a prerequisite but the emotional content, for me, is what separates great female singers from women with great voices. To that end, three were asked for so I owe two more. I guess I could pick two at random from any of the EXTENSIVE lists here but I could just throw darts at Billboard too. I will probably play an LP later today and change my mind but for now; Koko Taylor and Etta James. Many creative types 'suffer' for their art. These women just suffered and their artistry rose from that. Black, bruised, drunk and addicted while being screwed over by everyone supposedly on your side is not a recipe for a happy life but, for music that bypasses your ears and brain and drives straight to your soul the power of this combination is overwhelming. Before anyone goes off thinking I am advocating for a life of pain for the music it might produce, not a chance. On the other hand it would be a double tragedy to ignore the music that tragedy produces. |
My top 10. 1. Eva Cassidy 2. Patricia Barber 3. Tracy Chapman 4. Diana Krall 5. Karen Carpenter 6. Mary Black 7. Stevie Nicks 8. Rickie Lee Jones 9. Hollie Cole 10. Janis Ian I copied down all of the names. Lots of future listening exploration ... n = 131. I look forward to finding anew talent. Thanks, OP for the posting! |
Indie Alternative - Elizabeth Fraser- Tori Amos- Bjork Soul R&B- Sade - Phyllis Hyman - Anita Baker Folk Rock - Natalie Merchant - Join Mitchell - Sarah McLachlan Celtic - Lorena McKennitt - Enya - Moya Brennan Classical - Leontyne Price - Jessye Norman - Maria Callas Broadway - Sarah Brightman - Idina Menzel - Megan Hilty |
Hard for me to believe that no one has mentioned Beth Hart. My top 3 would have to be Beth Hart Chrissie Hynde Linda Ronstadt Also have to mention Aimee Mann and Stevie Nicks. There are too many other great ones to list and all or most have been mentioned. If you haven’t heard Beth Hart definitely check her out. Her styles album to album or even within an album can range a bit so listen to more than one song before deciding. |
Well many of my older favorites have already been mentioned (Annie Haslam - but no Jane Relf?? - Jennifer Warnes, Natalie Merchant, Sarah McLaughlin, Mary Black, Loreena McKennit, Sandy Denney etc.) but some big ones are missing:
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Hi Music lovers. How can you forget the GOAT’s? Sarah Vaughn Ella Fitzgerald Maria Callas Alexis P Suter. I’m sure that you don’t know this last one, my suggestion? Google her, you will be amazed. These women gave the world goosebumps with their voices. I don’t care for Pop or Broadway singers but Streisand and Dion have Honorable Mention |
Shirley Horn SHIRLEY HORN! Anita O’Day Dionne Warwick Elis Regina Julie LondonPeggy Lee Tell me Shirley Horn’s The Look of Love isn’t devastating!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW6fs2f4krQAnd here she is playing with her trio at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1992. Wearing WHITE GLOVES while she plays! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vcMfEuffiM She, along with Nat King Cole, was one of the very few who can oh-so-ably accompany herself on piano while she sings. |
I am going to disregard "3" also, because I think that a goal of the exercise is that it’s worth getting names out that people haven’t necessarily heard and deserve attention. If I had to pick three that were my favorites, ... well, I can’t really. My list of preferred singers and the songs I most associate with them: Sandy Denny https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVWVd9xwZBY and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3OWOCwvjHU and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88b0OYxdtyM Karen Dalton https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0ZlWK-b_KY and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hl9skT78iWI Laura Nyro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwn97weAxa0 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te-n7KY3vl4 M’Bilia Bel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A12sE67BID8 Eva Cassidy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXBNlApwh0c Jacqui McShee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwqP_yoszCE Kathleen Kim https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mtMI_huRtY Grace Slick (Airplane edition, NOT Starship) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lscRNsyEzs4 Abbe Lincoln https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF6q6XKKrik and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dscyklYF-CM and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rycQBz_Fexw Maria Farantouri https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-GBPx_GXQw Mirella Freni / Teresa Berganza https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GUIfwKPS-w Judy Collins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onKhceL303M Hazel Dickens / Alice Gerard https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMV3dpsu_xw Wanda Jackson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auJePJvn1K4 Maxine Sullivan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmS-bcT6mSs Ella Mae Morse https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ortOAiClE34 Etta Jones https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBLaJtXbpRg Lil Johnson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7bexVuBvY4 Hadda Brooks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8DSi3BJDXg Roberta Flack https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65lVYE38MzI&list=OLAK5uy_khEQhG8qv_D5A3NIb-i1Vay4QE-JLNUYo Joan Baez https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ5qvtZYGtw&list=OLAK5uy_kItjYsm9ivAANuSy6yE_fhxr_TiAen-RQ&index=9 Emmylou Harris https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHWMbjyT-T4 Billy Holiday https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DGY9HvChXk Janis Joplin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1zFnyEe3nE |
I left out Cesaria Evora https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfh6bbnC-K8 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UC8aQyUznCs Here’s another by M’Belia Bel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fswcIac6m_I I'm done. |
@dorkwad , Thanks for bringing up Rickie Lee Jones. I don't know how I could have forgot to mention her. Saw her live but can't remember if it was Rickie Lee Jones or Pirates, at the Pantages (I think). She was still doing heroin back then and mumbled between songs but when the music started, her voice simply drowned out the horn section. My oh my, the pipes on that girl. All the best, Nonoise |
