Ray Charles AND Bill Staines

Subject: Ray Charles AND Bill Staines
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 01:49 PM

I was just listening to Ray and Bill last night and it dawned on me (Dracula's last words) that there are some singers whose voices are simply just right for what they do. There is an ease of accessibility---a sound that just keeps you listening and enjoying even though the song may not be a perfect creation---whatever that means. Lightnin' Hopkins had that kind of voice in blues for me. Hank Snow in Country. Don Williams in Country also. John McCormack as as an opera singer---one of the few I can listen to. In rock I'd say Jimmy Buffett. Nat King Cole in pop.

What do folks think?

Subject: RE: Ray Charles AND Bill Staines
From: Midchuck
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 01:56 PM

The 'Ol Possum in treacly, self-pitying Country.

Waylon in bitter, sardonic Country.

Tom Russell in modern Americana ballads.

Tom Rush in blues for upper-class educated white guys.

And I agree about Staines and Charles.

Peter.

Subject: RE: Ray Charles AND Bill Staines
From: Teresa
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 02:34 PM

Jean Ritchie for Appalachian and Jean Redpath for Scottish ballads.

Love Ray and Bill, too. :)

Teresa

Subject: RE: Ray Charles AND Bill Staines
From: PoppaGator
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 03:04 PM

Let me mention the late great Johnny Adams, an absolutely phenomenal R&B/jazz singer not widely known outside New Orleans and my all-time favorite male singer. Maybe somebody's curiosity will be sufficiently piqued to look him up, maybe even find some free sound clips.

A few more that pop into my head at the moment:

Tony Bennett

Otis Redding

Mississippi John Hurt

Janis Joplin

Joe Cocker

Henry Roeland "Professor Longhair" Byrd

I agree with all the above choices that I know; a couple of the names are not familiar to me. I suppose I should follow my own advice and look 'em up.

Subject: RE: Ray Charles AND Bill Staines
From: Cool Beans
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 03:37 PM

Burl Ives.
Chet Baker.
Audra McDonald.

Only McDonald is also among my favorite singers, but each of these has/had just the right voice for his or her material.

Subject: RE: Ray Charles AND Bill Staines
From: Big Mick
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 04:50 PM

No question about it. Sean Tyrrell. I want to be him when I grow up. That is the most expressive, and perfectly suited voice to what he sings.

I absolutely love Ray Charles, and Bill Staines.

Great thread, Art!!!

Mick

Subject: RE: Ray Charles AND Bill Staines
From: GUEST,Sidewinder
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 05:16 PM

Tom Waits has a real gregarious quality to his voice that makes you really pay attention to the quality of his songs.
Harry Nilsson had a whispy air to his voice that really could sell a song.
Jackie Wilson was blessed with vocal chords from heaven.
Roy Orbison sang for the lost and lonely.
Elvis sang for millions.
Robert Johnson sang for food and drink.
Bessie Smith sang for a better life over yonder.
Billie Holliday sang from the depths of despair.
Aretha Franklin and Otis sang for respect.
Sam Cooke was a soul stirrer.
Ray Charles could "messaround" with the best of em'.
Sinatra was king rat.
Celine Dion Who's He?

Subject: RE: Ray Charles AND Bill Staines
From: PoppaGator
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 05:22 PM

Great list, Sidewinder.

Just being reminded once again of Jackie Wilson's existence is almost as pleasurable as actually listening to "Lonely Teardrops" or "Baby Workout."

Subject: RE: Ray Charles AND Bill Staines
From: GUEST,Sidewinder.
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 05:33 PM

Right with you all the way Poppagator - remember "To be Loved","That's Why I Love You So" and his classic rendition of "Danny Boy" to name but a few of his masterpieces?

Best Wishes.

Sidewinder.

Subject: RE: Ray Charles AND Bill Staines
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 05:50 PM

Not so strange maybe but I can fully understand why you all have mentioned everyone here. At different times in my life I possibly felt the same way about almost all of those cited. It was being receptive to what the artists were saying that made the distinctions.

And when I saw Chet Baker listed, at first I thought of his trumpet. Then his voice--that was a real reflection of the sounds coming out of his horn.

Jack Teagarden's vocals were in the same catagory for me---as was a lot of Julie London.

So were Horton Barker, Cisco Houston, Emery DeNoyer (Libr. Of Congress recordings), early Joan Baez, Jo Stafford, Charlie Butler...

Just a few that come to mind.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Ray Charles AND Bill Staines
From: Big Jim from Jackson
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 08:48 PM

Art, have you heard the latest recordings of Cathy Barton and Dave Para? I swear that Cathy's voice in particular is improving every time I hear her. And She and Dave are becoming as tight a duo as anyone can get. When Judy Domeny Bowen sings, she gets my undivided attention. And you aint too bad yourself.
When I went to Germany in 1957 as a soldier I had the first recording Ray Charles made. Some of the black soldiers borrowed it and played the poor thing to death! I don't blame them one bit; I played it to death, too!
Bill has become a good friend; any time he is within 150 miles of here I go to see him. I see him at least once a year in Blythville, Arkansas. Like you, I find his voice a perfect match for the material he sings.

Subject: RE: Ray Charles AND Bill Staines
From: Big Jim from Jackson
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 08:54 PM

And let's add Mahalia Jackson for gospel!

Subject: RE: Ray Charles AND Bill Staines
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 09:42 PM

Merle Haggard for Country. His voice had an effortless purity about it.

Subject: RE: Ray Charles AND Bill Staines
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 09:55 PM

Jim,

Cathy Barton is a fine performer and hammer dulcimer and banjo player, but Dave Para's guitar, and just about perfect backup singing that pushes Cathy's work to the fore, and his solo singing as well, I've always thought, should've gotten much more notice over the years. It's like Gilian Welch and her guy whose name escapes me right now. Is it Arvid Rawlings? My memory again.

Art

Subject: RE: Ray Charles AND Bill Staines
From: Auggie
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 10:20 PM

For me Art, Patsy Cline would have to be on the list.
Incidentally, I first encountered Patsy after hearing her name mentioned in a line of an old Jimmy Buffett song.

"I got a head full of feelin' higher
And an ear full of Patsy Cline
There is just no one who can touch her
Hell, I'll hang on every line." -from "Miss You So Badly", circa 1977

Subject: RE: Ray Charles AND Bill Staines
From: GUEST,chinmusic
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 10:27 PM

When I heard Nat King Cole sing Stardust, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. To me, his voice sounded like chocolate. I also think Jerry Jeff Walker can deliver a ballad with the best of them, and Eva Cassidy was simply one of the best singers ever.   I too, loved Ray Charles vocals, and although I enjoy Bill Staines voice, it's his songwriting that resonates most with me. When I was a teenager and heard the Platters lead singer, I was knocked out. I forget his name, but he possessed a wonderful combination of vocal ability and soul. For rock 'n roll, I love the rough edged sound of John Fogerty's singing.

Subject: RE: Ray Charles AND Bill Staines
From: fat B****rd
Date: 07 Jan 05 - 12:57 PM

Bobby Bland and Curtis Mayfield.

Subject: RE: Ray Charles AND Bill Staines
From: Big Jim from Jackson
Date: 07 Jan 05 - 02:02 PM

Art,
I guess I didn't make stronger mention of Dave Para's playing and singing because I agree with you: He is outstanding, and has been ever since I first heard them. What I ment by my comment was that I think Cathy's voice has become richer and fuller of late. She always sang very well, but I think she is better now than even a couple of years ago. And the two of them: Both vocally and instrumentally, they are phenominal! They care so much about the material, and that shows, too. They are now the repository of so many fine old songs and a bunch of new ones---some of their own creation. They are going to be at Music Folk in St. Louis tomorrow evening. If I can I'll drive the 100+ miles to see them.
I hope you're well.                   JIm

Subject: RE: Ray Charles AND Bill Staines
From: M.Ted
Date: 07 Jan 05 - 05:07 PM

This is a great thread, Art! And not a clinker in the bunch--I will add a few that people often forget--Ruth Etting, Cliff Edwards, Iz, Little Willie John, Maria Muldaur, Richard Tucker, Big Joe Turner, Howard Keel--

Subject: RE: Ray Charles AND Bill Staines
From: Belly
Date: 09 Jan 05 - 06:06 PM

How about Thelma Thrust and the Throbbing Babcock's. They took the flute places i never thought it would get to. What they could do with bag pipes was nobody's business. Their version of "shitbox" was ground breaking.

Subject: RE: Ray Charles AND Bill Staines
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 09 Jan 05 - 10:01 PM

Moe bandy and George Jones, Jack Hudson for country
Christy Moore for Irish songs
Peter Bellamy for yarmouth town
Marin Wyndham read for grace notes in English folksongs
Tony Capstick for the Bonny Bunch of Roses
Lightning Hopkins, Robert Johnson, Dave Van Ronk for guitar voice interplay
Mel Torme approaching each line of a standard with stylishness and originality
Elvis for singing his heart out
Ralph MacTell for writing all my favourite songs and singing and playing them so nicely

Subject: RE: Ray Charles AND Bill Staines
From: GUEST,John Hardly
Date: 10 Jan 05 - 12:03 PM

There's also the occasional surprise...

John Pizzarelli, though not possessing a voice that most would associate with his particular brand of jazz and standards, nonetheless make those standards, just as Art Theime says, "accessible".

James Taylor is nothing if not a vehicle for making his verse accessible.

And there are a few whose delivery is so idiosyncratic that it's hard to imagine anyone covering their material with nearly the same effect -- folks like Pierce Pettis, or, if you were to go back thirty years in pop -- Cat Stevens or Jim Croce.

Then there are those wonderful deliverers of their own material that makes their writing shine as if from a different facet, though others have covered their material more "ably". Folks like Dave Mallett or Bob Franke.

interesting thread.

Subject: RE: Ray Charles AND Bill Staines
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 10 Jan 05 - 12:56 PM

Back when I was into Dylan I always like his versions best. Perfect voice for his own songs.