What are your top 3 favorite female singers?

Shemekia Copeland (Johnny Copeland's  daughter). I've seen her perform twice. During the song "ghetto child" she sang from the front of the stage without a microphone or amplification of any kind while the band played fully miked and amped! Her voice has so much power and clarity. It was literally goosebump inducing. This was about 15 years ago. I wonder if she can still do this. Truly memorable.

Bonnie Raitt

Eva Cassidy

Norah Jones

Eva Cassidy

Karen Carpenter

Really so many more.

1). k. d. lang

2). Annie Lennox

3). Joni Mitchell

Occasionally, others try to get the my attention: Barbara, Eva, Jennifer, Linda, etc., but my top three remain steadfast. (I do wish Ella could have lived long enough to produce an album of more modern songs - something like Barbara’s catalog. Ella’s voice is so wonderful, but I really struggle to wrap my head around songs like, “ A tisket, a tasket”).

Sandy Denny has been mentioned.  Because she was chosen as the only person to sing duet with Led Zeppelin, I'm gunna have to dig into any possible recordings.

On theme, Alison Kruass who has done a couple things with Plant in recent years.

Merry Clayton who features on the Stones Gimme Shelter.

From Wiki,

Summoned from bed around midnight by Nitzsche, Clayton – about four months pregnant – made her recording with just a few takes and then returned home to bed. It remains the most prominent contribution to a Rolling Stones track by a female vocalist