Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: GUEST,Claudia K.
Date: 06 Dec 09 - 03:55 PM

Roy Orbison - yes?

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: kendall
Date: 05 Dec 09 - 09:15 PM

You certainly can sing, Kitty!

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: 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: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 05 Dec 09 - 05:41 AM

Kendall Morse.

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: 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: kendall
Date: 04 Dec 09 - 07:12 PM

Seamus Kennedy

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: GUEST,999
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 08:47 PM

Wil Maring

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,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: 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: 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: 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: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 01:26 PM

Details, details.....

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: 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: 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: 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: 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,DonMeixner
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 06:49 PM

Some how Bruce Murdoch was left off my list. Purely an over sight on my part.

Don

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Ron Davies
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 06:25 PM

I just can't find Mary Black on any of these lists.   She is one who has both a wonderful voice and the heart and soul to communicate the song. (I wish she hadn't decided to go pop--but I suppose earning a living is necessary.   Her older stuff is just wonderful.)

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Grampus
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 06:22 PM

Sorry, that Guest was me minus cookie

G.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 06:20 PM

Not forgetting:

Bob Fox
Anne Briggs
Isla St Clair
Mick Ryan
Mike Nicholson
Dave Burland
Ewan MacColl
Heather Heywood
Cyril Tawney
June Tabor
Hilary Spencer
Tony Rose
and of course Martyn Wyndham-Read

G.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 04:53 PM

Ten who haven't been mentioned (I think), in no particular order

Martin Wyndham-Read
Norma Waterson
Phil Callery
Georges Brassens
Enda Kenny
Tim Laycock
Shirley Collins
Steve Knightley
Rick Fielding
Jerry Rasmussen

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 04:38 PM

Tony Williams is great
Jane Olivor
Glen Yarborough

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: pdq
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 01:30 PM

Perhaps these are just "favorites" of mine, but...

Tony Rice

Ricky Skaggs

Bill Clifton

Charley Waller

Marty Robbins

John Duffey

John Starling

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Acorn4
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 01:22 PM

Just skimming through the list looking for omissions - I don't think Mick Ryan has been mentioned, though apologies to whoever included him if I've missed it. His voice just seems to get better all the time.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Genie
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 01:15 PM

The ones I listed were just those who popped into my mind (and some names piggyback off of others).   You folks are mentions others who are also list-worthy. But I can't believe Sam Cooke and K D Lang didn't pop into my mind earlier!

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 01:13 PM

I mentioned Burl Ives at 07.54 AM

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: pdq
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 01:05 PM

I have not seen Burl Ives mentioned yet, so...

Burl Ives

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 12:58 PM

Kendall, I'll nominate you, if you'll nominate me.


Kendall Morse.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 12:57 PM

Theo Bikel? — great actor as well as singer. His One Sunday Morning just incomparable.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: John P
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 12:55 PM

In an attempt to keep my list short enough to read, I'll just list some of my favorite traditional folk singers:

Alan Stivell
Martin Carthy
Maddy Prior
Jamie McMenemy
Gabriel Yacoub
Anna Clemenger
Davy Axtell
Marta Sebastien
Jacqui McShee
William Pint
Lena Willemark

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Janie
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 12:53 PM

Bonnie Raitt, Maria Muldaur, Ralph Stanley and Nina Simone would all be somewhere near the top of my list of 100, which is probably as far as I could whittle it down.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: Smedley
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 12:20 PM

It's a very widely-recoded song. There's even a great reggae version by Phyllis I-Confess-I-Have-Forgotten-Her-Surname.

And the British folk(ish) singer Kathryn Williams sings in beautifully in concert but has not, sadly, recorded it - or at least I don't think she has.

Subject: RE: Top 10 Singers Who CAN Sing
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 12:18 PM

Roberta Flack had a mega-hit with "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," which was taken from the sound track of Clint Eastwood's first directorial job, "Play Misty For Me." It was, indeed, written by Ewen McColl for Peggy Seeger, who was shortly to become his wife. Does anyone recall that Gordon Lightfoot also recorded this song many years ago (one of the few he did not compose)?