Who Is The Most Expressive Singer?

Subject: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 10:32 PM

The expression of feeling and emotion in music is not necessarily the same as vocal quality or range. From the listener's viewpoint, it is a very subjective thing.

Here's a starter of singers who move me because they convey the emotions of a song. Other than that, you'd be hard-pressed to put them in the same category:

   Ray Charles for shear strength of soul and exuberance
   John Lennon for raw emtion and sensitivity (a rare combination)
   George Jones and Lyle Lovett
   Michael Stipe of R.E.M.
   
   and some singers who don't have what is usually considered a "good"
   voice:

   Tom Waits
   Louis Armstrong
   Jimmie Durante

I'm sorry, Little Hawk. William Shatner didn't make the cut.

Who would you add?

Jerry

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: Cluin
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 10:34 PM

Shatner.

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 10:38 PM

Dang! I couldn't get Shatner's version of Rocketman to play. Actually Shatner was a genius at either exagerating emotion to a comic book level or displaying all the emotion of a parking meter. He was definitely the greatest at both..

Now, back to the thread.. :-)

Jerry

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: number 6
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 10:50 PM

Can we please stop posting anything related to that repulsive guy Shatner !! Enough is enough.

Now, one expressive singer I'll mention is John Hiatt.

.. and let's don't forget the late Nina Simone.

sIx

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: Cluin
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 11:00 PM

But he IS expressive, 6.

Seriously, Paul Rodgers, John R. Cash, Mark Lindsay, Big Mama Thornton, Peter Rowan, Jimmy Cliff, Peter Garrett, Paul David Hewson...

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: GUEST, Hamish
Date: 23 Feb 05 - 03:37 AM

Any floorsinger - when they forget the words! That's real emotion ;-)

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 23 Feb 05 - 03:53 AM

ME.

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: Ross
Date: 23 Feb 05 - 04:04 AM

Not me - unless swearing counts

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: muppitz
Date: 23 Feb 05 - 07:24 AM

No one can do "Slave to Love" like Bryan Ferry! That is an amazing song, not so much sung by an amazing singer, but it's full of emotion.

Ryan Adams (Notice RYAN, not BRYAN)
Marc Cohn
James Taylor
Cyndi Lauper
John Martyn
Joni Mitchell
Damien Rice

Just a few IMHO!

muppitz x

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 23 Feb 05 - 07:26 AM

Nope..... Wrong.... It's still me!

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 23 Feb 05 - 09:02 AM

I agree with flamenco ted, it's me.

eric

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 23 Feb 05 - 09:15 AM

Well I disagree - it's certainly not me although I try... Luke Kelly perhaps is a candidate for delivering a song both clearly and expressively. There are other singers I prefer for varying reasons - Christy Moore is amongst my favourites but I don't get every word with him - but I think if that was my yardstick, I'd award the prize to him.

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 23 Feb 05 - 09:53 AM

Nah, Luke Kelly everytime.

eric

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 23 Feb 05 - 11:26 AM

Sorry Eric, my wording (again) cold have been better "him" in my "to him" was intended as meaning Luke Kelly.

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Feb 05 - 01:55 PM

Not to put to fine a point on it, but a number of the above fall into the "was" catagory--

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: Bill D
Date: 23 Feb 05 - 11:44 PM

oh, that's easy...John Jacob Niles, 'ol JJ really puts his all into 'em.







(you didn't say "good" or "moving" or "tasteful")

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: Bill D
Date: 23 Feb 05 - 11:47 PM

but someone like Jeannie Robertson wrings the soul from a song...and Davy Stewart for another.

but I guess those are 'was'....

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: GUEST,chinmusic
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 12:06 AM

Though I can go only by their recordings, and didn't have the pleasure of seeing them in concert, two choices for me would Eva Cassidy and Janis Joplin. They were expressive, powerful and soulful. Actually, my list on this subject is endless. However, as previously indicated by Jerry, one doesn't have to have a so called good voice in order to move me. A couple of examples would John Prine and Mark Knopfler. Besides their writing, interpretation and phrasing are their strengths. This really begs the question of what makes a great singer. That's a thread for another day.

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 12:55 AM

Emery Denoyer
Obray Ramsey
Off the top o' my head:

Horton Barker
Billie Holiday
Chet Baker
Yma Sumac
Robert Johnson
Jack Teagarden
Alex Moore
Charlie Butler
Jo Stafford
Ma Rainey
Lefty Frizwll
Hank Snow
Ewan MacColl
Howlin' Wolf
Nina Simone

Son House
Cisco Houston
Harry Haywire Mac McClintock
Craig Johnson
Bessie Smith

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: GUEST,Sidewinder.
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 02:27 AM

Judith Durham and Levon Helm and Freddie King and Doris Troy.

Regards.

Sidewinder.

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: greg stephens
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 05:59 AM

Edith Piaf and bessie Smith, a dead heat.

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: GUEST,Suzanne
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 06:22 AM

Laughin' Len Cohen of course!

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: GUEST, Hamish
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 06:24 AM

Ah, another subjective question with no right or wrong answer...

...however some* of the suggestions I would class as mannered or even plain over-the-top. Expressiveness is a window on the heart, not soap-opera over-acting.

*not telling which. ;-)

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: Dani
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 06:54 AM

Bruce Springsteen.

Dani

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: Rain Dog
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 07:30 AM

Well one of my favourite singers is Tom Waits. Hard to beat as an expressive singer, though I know he is not everyone's taste. He takes a little getting used to that's for sure.

I also like Nina Simone who has already been mentioned

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 08:47 AM

For a jazz singer, it's a dead heat for me between Ella Fitzgerald and Carmen McRae.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: GUEST,Sidewinder
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 10:06 AM

Ronnie Ronaldo and Hank Williams and Nora Jones and Otis Redding and Sam Cooke.

Regards.

Sidewinder.

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 10:44 AM

Wot? No Frank yet?

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 12:59 PM

I'm surprised not to see more gospel/soul names mentioned. What about Aretha, Otis, Sam Cooke, Al Greene, Clarence Fountain of the Blind Boys of Alabama, et al? Pretty expressive, I'd say...

There are singers who are so expressive that they succeed despite weaknesss or imperfections in their voices. The aforementioned Tom Waits is a good example, and then of course there's always the ever-controversial Bob Dylan.

On the other hand, there are others who come across as superlatively expressive largely because their vocal equipment and technique is so spectacular ~ Jackie Wilson, say, or the less-well-known but even-more-amazing Howard Tate.

Howard recorded a couple of terrific secular albums in Philadelphia in the late 60s, working with writer/arranger Jerry Ragavoy. He "disappeared" for a quarter-century or so, during which time he became a minister. In recent years, he has begun to make occasional appearances, reviving his earlier secular material (and still singing as powerfully as ever); I don't believe he performs gospel music outside of his South Jersey church. At least one "reissue" CD is currently available.

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: GUEST,Obie
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 01:02 PM

Finbar Furey singing The Old Man.

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: John C.
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 03:26 PM

I know that this sounds a bit pretentious and unecessarily obscure but I've got this CD of 'Music in the World of Islam: human voice/lutes' (Topic TSCD901) and on it there is a track called 'Hausi in makam Iraq' by a singer called Aboubekr Zerga of Tiemcen, Algeria. I've got no idea what the title means, or why it should mention 'Iraq' and I've also got no idea what the singer is singing about, but this is the most expressive and emotional piece of music that I have ever heard. I've had this CD for about 10 years now and this track still makes me cry every time I play it. Oddly, it is a very restrained and dignified performance - lots of virtuosity and no histrionics but it speaks volumes to me - wish I knew what the words mean though!

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 04:13 PM

You're right, Poppa. I didn't want to steal everyone's thunder. Of gospel lead singers, two of my favorites are Archie Brownlee of the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi and Claude Jeter of the Swan Silvertones (who also has the most amazing falsetto ever recorded.)

Jerry

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: Chris Green
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 07:42 PM

Sandy Denny. No contest for me , I'm afraid!

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: Dani
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 10:25 PM

Ooohhh, Al Green... good one.

Harry Chapin.

Dani

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: GUEST,Sidewinder.
Date: 25 Feb 05 - 11:31 AM

Maurice Chevalier and Tupac Shakur and Robin Sarstedt and Tennessee Ernie Ford and Notorious B.I.G.- Respect!

Regards.

Sidewinder.

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: GUEST,Paranoid Android
Date: 25 Feb 05 - 11:32 AM

Mario Lanza
Jerry Lee Lewis

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: alanabit
Date: 25 Feb 05 - 03:24 PM

This can only be a subjective thread - but none the worse for that. I will say that for all her technical brilliance, musicianship and virtuosity, I was never moved as much by Ella Fitzgerald as I was by Billie Holiday. I am taking nothing away from Ella, but with her significantly smaller vocal range, Billie was able to do more to me.

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: Don Firth
Date: 25 Feb 05 - 04:07 PM

Okay. So I've had voice lessons from a retired operatic soprano and one of my favorite singers is Richard Dyer-Bennet, whose light tenor and classical approach turns a lotta people off. . . .

I nominate Dave Van Ronk. Voice like a rusty hinge and every time I listened to him, I felt like I needed to clear my throat. But wow, could he put a song across!!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 25 Feb 05 - 04:19 PM

Right on, Don. I'm ashamed of myself for not remembering to mention the grteat Mr. Van Ronk much earlier.

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 25 Feb 05 - 05:38 PM

I was wracking my brain yesterday to remember the title of Howard Tate's best-known song ~ known not from his recording, but from Janis Joplin's cover version. Now I've remembered, and I'm sure that many of you will recognize the title:

"Get It While You Can."

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Feb 05 - 08:50 PM

Vin Garbutt...just listen to "City of Angels".

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: Bob Hitchcock
Date: 25 Feb 05 - 08:56 PM

Great thread Jerry, my list is huge but a few notables are:-

Warren Zevon
John Hiatt
Tracy Nelson
Tom Waitts
Roy Orbison
Ella Fitzgerald
Bessie Smith
Joe Cocker
Zoot Money
Helen Schneyer
Jonathan Eberhart
Art Thieme
Ray Fisher
and.............Gene Vincent.

There are a lot more favorites but I don't want to rant.

Bob

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: Alice
Date: 25 Feb 05 - 09:09 PM

Me,,,,
and Tina Turner

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: SINSULL
Date: 25 Feb 05 - 09:24 PM

I have said this before:
Kendall Morse has the uncanny ability to perform a song and let it be itself. No unnecessary flourishes. No emoting. Listen to the raw anger in his Phoebe Snow - WOW.

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: GUEST,van lingle
Date: 26 Feb 05 - 08:30 AM

Al Green
Jimmy Cliff
Gladys Knight
Dick Gaughan
Van Morrison
Richard Thompson has become a very expressive singer.
Charley Patton
Son House
Blind Willie Johnson
Morgana King
Mavis Staples
And currently the girl from Danu with the gaelic name...

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: gnu
Date: 26 Feb 05 - 01:17 PM

Tommy Makem - for capturing and guiding your own emotions in song and in poetry. Lyle Lovett for sheer emotion. SINS make a good point also.

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: GUEST,Machiavelli
Date: 26 Feb 05 - 01:50 PM

The one and only King -Elvis.

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: dianavan
Date: 26 Feb 05 - 02:01 PM

van Ingle - I agree with your choice of Van Morrison. His voice combined with poetry, philosophy and great tunes make him an all time favorite. He's one of a kind!

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: Cluin
Date: 29 Aug 07 - 02:33 PM

Paul Carrack

Subject: RE: Who Is The Most Expresive Singer?
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 29 Aug 07 - 02:56 PM

Odetta has to be one of them. If you have ever heard her old recordings of "Water Boy" or the "Ox Driving Song," she gives pure, undistilled passion and raw power to her delivery.

Harry Chapin was good (if not really a "folkie") - especially with live audiences.

Dave Van Ronk and Tom Waits - two old hands who could mesmerize an audience and tell a story as few others can.