Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 07:55 PM

And Mary's sister, Frances Black. Wonderful.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: GUEST,Neil D
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 09:18 PM

Props to Beeliner for mentioning Cleoma Breaux. You really know your early Cajun music. Hank Williams might not be a great singer but he sends chills up my spine. Shawn Phillips is the greatest vocalist I've ever seen in person. Incredible range and power.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: GUEST,Big Elk
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 11:13 AM

Bob Fox
Bob Fox
Bob Fox
Bob Fox
Bob Fox
Bob Fox
Bob Fox
Bob Fox
Bob Fox
And Last but not least Terry Silver

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Mick Woods
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 12:01 PM

Top 10 singers

Bob Dylan
Captain Beefheart
Neil Young
Marty Balin
Martin Carthy
Sandy Denny
Grace Slick
Gene Clark
Kevin Ayers
Dave Kenningham

Not in any particular order, but these would be my desert island choice!

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Ebbie
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 01:16 PM

10 Singers who CAN sing? Surely that leaves out those who are DEAD?

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 01:26 PM

Details, details.....

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 04:18 PM

Well, my first choice is dead! Dinah Washington! She's usually included in the quartet that also includes Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan. But, Dinah not only sang the Great American Song Book, she was also known as the Queen of the Blues, the mother of soul music ( Aretha idolized her), and her r&b duets with Brook Benton are just fablulous.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Mick Woods
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 04:59 PM

Thanks to modern technology you still CAN hear them!

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: olddude
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 05:15 PM

List is way too long
but I love to listen to my old friend Emmylou Harris, beautiful singer and beautiful person.

Lightfoot,
James Taylor,
pretty much all the great old crooners

Patsy Cline

Pam tillis

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: GUEST,chinmusic
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 08:32 PM

Maybe I missed her name on this thread, but Eva Cassidy, should be on the list..

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: GUEST,999
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 08:47 PM

Sinead O'Connor
Sheena Easton
Bob Knight

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: GUEST,999
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 08:47 PM

Wil Maring

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Stringsinger
Date: 04 Dec 09 - 06:50 PM

Jussi Bjorling

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: kendall
Date: 04 Dec 09 - 07:12 PM

Seamus Kennedy

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Diva
Date: 05 Dec 09 - 03:14 AM

Cy Laurie

Gordeanna McCulloch

Sheila Stewart

Elsa La Maitre

Ray Fisher

Heather Heywood

Jphn Dillon

Maggie Macrae

Brian Miller

Brian Peters


Only ten? Its really difficult. No apologies for the west coast bias

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Diva
Date: 05 Dec 09 - 05:02 AM

Lizzie Higgans and Stanley Robertson........Jerry O Reilly

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 05 Dec 09 - 05:41 AM

Kendall Morse.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Dec 09 - 08:28 PM

Jim White
Gillian Welch
Anne Murray
Lyle Lovett
Celia Cruz
Casey Chambers
Shawn Colvin
Etta James
Gregg Allman
Daryl Hall
Todd Rundgren

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 05 Dec 09 - 08:33 PM

This is really invidious, because I know I can sing, and I'm wondering about the other 9...

Kitty

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: kendall
Date: 05 Dec 09 - 09:15 PM

You certainly can sing, Kitty!

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: gnu
Date: 05 Dec 09 - 09:27 PM

I know it's one of "those" threads, and all that goes with it, but, to me, an unsung (yeah, whatever) is Kevin Conneff.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Dec 09 - 12:24 AM

Andrea Bocelli:          'Melodrama'   (Live)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prtEy37aScA   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr15TWHvdCE&feature=related   (Studio)

Josh Groban:             'Per Te'      (Live)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3VGW9PdPLI&feature=PlayList&p=A08CCF26075E9CFD&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=18      

                         'Broken Vow' (Live)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1_DKFDzrZE

Glenn Close:               'With One Look'   From 'Sunset Blvd' (Live)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXx6MwhtXWQ&feature=PlayList&p=8A7BF4238E5700E8&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=6

Lisa Kelly:                'The Voice'       (Live)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARNiv8MR4JE

                           'May It Be'   (Live)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RugSclNY4y8

Chloe Agnew:               'When You Believe'    (Live)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B15gWqNUKrU

OKAY, There's the links..put them up for you, and for you to enjoy! Make use of them!!!
Warmest Regards,
GfS

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Stringsinger
Date: 06 Dec 09 - 11:43 AM

Judy Collins. Peter Yarrow's daughter, Bethany. Jo Stafford (must've been mentioned).
Jo Mapes when she was younger. Audra MacDonald. Renee Fleming. Ella, Sassy and Billie (though Billie never had a legit voice), Russ Columbo, Dick Powell, Cesare Siepi (who you've probably never heard of but was one of the leading bass opera singers in the world and a contemporary of Jussi Bjorling), George London, Pavarotti of course but Fisher-Diskau (sp?) was the master of Schubert Lieder. Bidu Saou (sp?) Villa Lobos interpreter,
Netania Devrath, Mahalia,

Some would debate Ethel Merman but Gershwin told her not to take voice lessons.
If you ever saw her live on the Broadway stage, you wouldn't forget her.

Now for the tradition side:

Jean Ritchie, Texas Gladden, Jeannie Robertson, Margaret Barry, Nimrod Workman, Horton Barker, and Bess Hawes (though not many heard her sing solo), Hally Wood, Vera Hall,
Josh White, Burl Ives, Lloyd and McColl, Silly Sisters, Liam and the Clancys with Tommy Makem and his mom, Sara, Bill Chipman (Art Theime knows) and for that matter, Art Theime, Shoshana Damari, Martha Schlamme (though trained knew the Yiddish feel),
Alan Mills (from Canada), the blues shouters: Big Bill, Son House, Lightning,afro-folk Mance,Mississippi John, South African Miriam Makeba, Amalia Rodriguez, Germaine Montero, Cynthia Gooding, Uncle Dave, Doc Boggs, Mercedes Sosa, Piaf? (some would argue about this one), ..........................

If you don't know these folks you should if you think you know folk music.

Then the pop side: Whitney, Diana, Gladys Knight, Smokey, Barry Manilow (yes he can sing), Andy Williams, Nat King, Louis, Johnny Mathis, Celine Dione, Mariah Carey,Tony Bennett, Dick Haymes, Connie Francis, Rosemary Clooney, Anne Murray,
Ronnie Gilbert, Holly Near, even Elvis could sing, throw Sinatra in there as stylist,
Frankie Valli, Ink Spots, Stevie Wonder, ..........................................

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Stringsinger
Date: 06 Dec 09 - 11:49 AM

Top Ten for whom? There's takers for even Jimmy Durante.

The legit voices are different from the pop voices and the trad folk voices.

Then there's the singing groups. Andrew Sisters, Barry Sisters, King Family, Take Five,
Manhattan Transfer, Ink Spots (mentioned above), Swingle Singers, The New York Jazz voices,


Hey, Fred Astaire could sing. Popularized a lot of songs from the 20's and 30's.
Johnny Mercer.

This "can" sing business is highly subjective and has to be defined. Legit? Bel Canto?
African-American? Middle Eastern? Asian? Indian? Blues shouters? (Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith), Irish trad?

Not sure where this thread is going but at least it brings to mind many singers who
have left a lasting impression on their audiences.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: oldhippie
Date: 06 Dec 09 - 02:50 PM

Here's ten on my list:

Sissel
Holly Near
Carolyn Hester
Larry Jon Wilson
Rory Block
Harry Chapin
John McDermott
Julia Ecklar
Phyllis Morrissey
Molly Scott

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: bob dylan
Date: 06 Dec 09 - 03:00 PM

My good ol' friend in Kidbrooke - Pete The Hat

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 06 Dec 09 - 03:51 PM

Thanks Kendall.... hope you, me and Seamus can get together for a sing somewhere, sometime....

Kitty

(But I'd vote for Grampus's 2 December list any time!)

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: GUEST,Claudia K.
Date: 06 Dec 09 - 03:55 PM

Roy Orbison - yes?

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: GUEST,celticblues5
Date: 06 Dec 09 - 04:39 PM

A lot of great nominees here, & many I need to look up! Thanks for the education.

Can't believe Gordon Bok wasn't mentioned more often. The only ones I can think of offhand that no one mentioned (unless I missed it) are Rod Paterson and Christy Moore.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: The Sandman
Date: 06 Dec 09 - 05:12 PM

Alistair Anderson, Ron Baxter,Pinky and Perky,Captain Gardner,Fathom, Steve Shaw.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: kendall
Date: 06 Dec 09 - 05:42 PM

The yardstick I use is, quality of voice, range, ability to stay on key, etc.
Anyone remember Mrs. Miller? Very popular flash in the pan a few years ago, but she couldn't carry a note with a co-signer.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 06 Dec 09 - 05:47 PM

Bit of discrimination please now, Dick - Pinky *or* Perky: don't think you can have both, that's greedy!

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: GUEST,Dáithí
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 06:02 AM

Can't believe no mention of Shirley Bassey!!!!

Oh, and what about Lisa Gerrard - with Dead Can Dance and more recently solo and with various other artists. Not so much singing as channellin!
D

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: kendall
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 07:03 AM

I can't comment on those I have never heard of.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: MikeL2
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 07:09 AM

hi

A very interesting thread.

As I have entered it late most of the people I would have chosen have been mentioned.

However I have seen nothing here about Harry Nilsson. His Can't Live if Living is Without You IMHO is a classic and most of his music was great.

Similarly I love Mel Torme. My dad was a huge fan and as a kid I used to argue with him about his choice of music. But when my Dad died I inherited his record collection and when I listened to Mel Torme again I realised what a talent he was, and it saddened me that just once I should have agreed with my dad over music....lol

cheers

Mike

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Sir Roger de Beverley
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 10:11 AM

Buddy Holly!

I know that he has a distinctive/idiosynchratic way of phrasing but his range and pure note hitting are second to none.

Just listen to the full recording of True Love Ways. : The pianist hits one note, Holly clears his throat, the pianist hits the note again and Holly sings unaccompanied "Just you know why" and then the orchestra hits in - absolute note perfect magic and light years better than any othe version since; most of them don't have the range to sing it properly. Many talk of him as a three chord wonder but you look at the sheet music for that song, nine chords with a change on almost every phrase for a song that he wrote at the age of 21.

R

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: GUEST,Ian Gill
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 10:47 AM

Here are 10 to think about;
June Tabor
Mara Kiek
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
Nic Jones
Tony Rose
Dolores Keane
John Tams
Christine Collister
Christy Moore
Martin Carthy

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 10:53 AM

J D Souther wrote/co-wrote stuff for The Eagles. I love this track. The great Stanley Clarke is on double-bass.

Silver Blue

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 11:21 AM

Jussi Bjorling?? Wow - can we also resurrect Kirsten Flagstad, Jan Peerce and Robert Merrill?

I'm glad someone mentioned Theodore Bikel. I still have a book of his, "Folksongs and Footnotes," which must have been published in the late 1950's or early 1960's. He might be the most eclectic folk singer I've heard. A great performer, whether theatrical or musical.

I just heard from Randy Sparks, recovering well from prostate cancer treatment and still performing regularly (at 70-something) with his small group, which also includes Clarence Treat, Art Podell and Arizona's official state balladeer, Dolan Ellis.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: GUEST,HiLo
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 11:42 AM

My choices would be based on the ability to sing on Key, to able to carry the notes and to understand, musically, what you are meant to be conveying..
I will leave out the opera singers since all seem able to accomplish these things...
June Tabor, Ella Fitzgerald, Jo Stafford, Louis Armstrong, Al Bowley, Roy Orbison,Amy Winehouse, Anne Murray, Edith Piaf, Norma Waterson, Aretha Franklin, Sarah Brightman, Judy Garland . Lot more but these come instantly to mind. A very interesting thread, thanks.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 03:44 PM

Roy Orbison and Karen Carpenter seemed to have been purely microphone singers inasmuch as they had very small voices and without a mic would have totally lacked projection.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Little Hawk
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 03:50 PM

Well, there's a girl here in Orillia who's pretty much like that. Her voice is quite small without a microphone, but she sounds absolutely marvelous with a microphone, has perfect pitch, great phrasing, excellent in every way you could want when she has amplification...so what's wrong with that?

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 03:59 PM

Being a folkie, it interests to think that the great Roy Orbison would not sound so great if he turned up at my local singaround and couldn't be heard unless you were sitting right next to him!

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Little Hawk
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 04:04 PM

Yes, I see what you mean... ;-)

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 04:39 PM

Lowell George
Steve Marriott
Steve Perry
Elvis Presley
Little Richard
Merle Haggard
Gordon Lightfoot
Patsy Cline
Dusty Springfield
Otis Redding
Nat King Cole
Mary Fahl
Janis Joplin
Van Morrison
Roy Orbison
Son House

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 04:43 PM

Left out Tim Obrien, probably the best Bluegrass tenor around.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 06:26 PM

I'm sure I posted this but it was probably on the wrong thread:-(

Neil Diamond
Judith Durham
Roger Whittaker

DeG

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: GUEST,Guest from Sanity
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 10:29 PM

Lonesome EJ , I forgot all about Mary Fahl!...Thanks for reminging me. She sings low, but great material!

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Genie
Date: 08 Dec 09 - 07:50 AM

Well, if unamplified volume is a main criterion for "good singing," then one would have to say the piano and trumpet are much better musical instruments than acoustic guitars - especially classical guitars. : )

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Dec 09 - 12:39 PM

Piano and trumpet ? Don't you mean warpipes and bombardes ?