[Music] Greatest female vocalists?

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Marian Anderson

Cheers Wozza,

 

[jamie (not that one)]

Percy Tau

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Mary Chapin Carpenter
Bonnie Raitt
Iris DeMent
Rosanne Cash
Bobbie Gentry

 

[highflyer]

Janis Joplin
Chrissie Hynde
Grace Slick
Florence
Joni Mitchell

And a few others altready mentioned.

All great

but for me...Margo Timmins

 

[ridda]

https://youtu.be/FzDC4284SA0
What a voice.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

I certainly can't think of anyone better...

Except for Aretha Franklin of course.

Oh and Etta James.

and Irmas Thomas, Emmy Lou Harris, Patsy Cline, Judy Garland, Debbie Harry, June Tabor, Gillian Welch, Ella Fitzgerald, Margo Timmins, Nina Simone, Dionne Warwick, Gloria Lynne, Brenda Holloway, Martha Reeves, Mavis Staples, Dusty Springfield, PJ Harvey, Sam Brown, Betty Wright, Alison Krauss, Laura Nyro, Carole King and Joni Mitchell.

She's better than Cilla Black though.

Is this a wind up ?

 

[Bold Seagull]

https://youtu.be/LJ25-U3jNWM

Important as they came.

No autotune, no over edit, emotion, feeling, natural. Amazing.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Is this a wind up ?

My issue with putting Karen Carpenter up there is that she does have a wonderful voice (obviously), and made some timeless tunes, but it was all a bit romance pop wasn't it. Always kept a bit within herself, almost too perfect in a way. I like to hear a bit of rawness, that emotion coming through. In a lot of ways I've always preferred Carly Simon to Carpenter for those love type songs.

 

[Ernest]

Jess Glynne

 

[Stato]

Is this a wind up ?

Of course not. Karen Carpenter had a nice enough country tinged pop voice and decent phrasing, but she lacked power, light and shade and range of emotion. She's the antithesis of Tina Turner who was all power and no subtlety. Her voice was beautifully set in some wonderful arrangements and this has led to her vocal talent being over-estimated.

To be fair, I should also have added Whitney Houston to the list. I don't like her records or the showy style she made popular, but as an instrument her voice was incredibly impressive. It's a shame that she didn't get to work with the soul songwriters and musicians of the sixties and seventies instead of peaking during the nadir of manufactured bombastic diva soul.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I can't find ant mention of...

Karen O of The Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Shara Nelson (that first Massive Attack album!)
Jorja Smith
Hollie Cook
Angel Olsen
Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes
Siouxsie Sue
or PJ Harvey

So I'll mention them.

 

[Razzoo]

I forgot Billie Marten a local (to me) lass with a sweet voice.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I can't find ant mention of...

Karen O of The Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Shara Nelson (that first Massive Attack album!)
Jorja Smith
Hollie Cook
Angel Olsen
Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes
Siouxsie Sue
or PJ Harvey

So I'll mention them.

But the idea is for you to pick one.

 

[GT49er]

I'll give you Sandy,great singer.

Listen to Tell me.........................

Quite a rare album now, I believe - hope I've still got my copy somewhere! Retrospectively released when both the Strawbs and Denny were big names, five or six years after it was recorded (and rejected!) Earliest known recording (second track in) of 18 year old Sandy Denny singing her own song, 'Who Knows Where the Time Goes' (she's accompanying herself on guitar too - wish I could have played like that when I was eighteen!).

 

[Pogue Mahone]

But the idea is for you to pick one.

Rules are for suckers.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Rules are for suckers.

I think half of them would be alarmed you've put them in a greatest ever female vocalist list! I'd imagine PJ Harvey giving you a clip round the ear and telling you to get over yourself.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I think half of them would be alarmed you've put them in a greatest ever female vocalist list! I'd imagine PJ Harvey giving you a clip round the ear and telling you to get over yourself.

Depends how you judge them.

If I had to choose one...maybe Supremes era Diana Ross?

 

[Jovis]

Just had the privilege of watching Chrissie Hydne at Pizza Express Holborn, a 180 seat venue. Such incredible depth and control to her voice, singing well within herself. Amazing and versatile. Gets my vote.

 

[Weststander]

Personal favourites, unashamedly influenced because I love much of the music:

Aretha Franklin
Donna Summer
Tracey Thorn
Jacqui Abbott
Joyce Sims
Diana Ross
Veronica ‘Ronnie’ Bennett (her vocals on Be My Baby are astonishing)
Mary Davis (SOS Band)
Siouxsie Sioux
Karen Carpenter
Liz Fraser
Kate Bush
Chrissie Hynde
‘Mama’ Cass Elliott

Varied sounds, but all immensely talented.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Personal favourites, unashamedly influenced because I love much of the music:

Aretha Franklin
Donna Summer
Tracey Thorn
Jacqui Abbott
Joyce Sims
Diana Ross
Veronica ‘Ronnie’ Bennett (her vocals on Be My Baby are astonishing)
Mary Davis (SOS Band)
Siouxsie Sioux
Karen Carpenter
Liz Fraser
Kate Bush
Chrissie Hynde
‘Mama’ Cass Elliott

Varied sounds, but all immensely talented.

So as with Pogue, you're asked to pick your greatest female vocalist, and you've narrowed it down to 14...

That is decisive right there.