Tunesmith:
listen to Jo Anne Kelly; again, the fact that she is indeed British, and not a black woman from the Deep South, rules her out of being considered a true great

With respect - I understand exactly what you mean -Jo Ann didn't have an appropriate background. But... if you didn't know - if you just heard the voice - you wouldn't know the difference. I saw her in London in the late 60s many times - at the Cousins, Bunjies, etc. - and she was magnificent. :-)