Who is your favourite female singer?

Johnny Vinyl · May 30, 2010

First of all, thanks to Steve for creating this sub-forum section within the What's Best in Music forum. Now on to my question.

I make no excuses for it, but I simply adore the sound of the female voice in music. I have many more solo female recordings as opposed to male ones. I do not honestly know why this so, or where it began, but my love for them continues.

One of my favourite singers of all-time is Rickie Lee Jones, followed closely by Anita Baker, Nina Simone and Edith Piaf. I am also most impressed with Norah Jones, Amy Winehouse, Sade, Dolores O'Riordon and Annie Lennox to name but a few.

What are some of yours or do you even like female singers?

John

amirm · May 30, 2010

I also love Rickie Lee Jones. Really special voice. Other favorites are Sara McLachlan. Lately I have added Ingrid Michaelson.

Sade also ranks up there although she has been slow with new music. Got her latest album which has a 2-3 very good songs but I feel the rest are fillers. Annie Lennox is also great but she has also been slow with new music.

Johnny Vinyl · May 30, 2010

amirm said:
I also love Rickie Lee Jones. Really special voice. Other favorites are Sara McLachlan. Lately I have added Ingrid Michaelson.

Sade also ranks up there although she has been slow with new music. Got her latest album which has a 2-3 very good songs but I feel the rest are fillers. Annie Lennox is also great but she has also been slow with new music.

I'll be doing a review of her "The Annie Lennox Collection" vinyl release for Rich's Vinylphile mag soon.....it won't be very complementary unfortunately.

In my haste to post this thread I completely forgot about Kate Bush! I simply adore this woman. Like Annie though....we need more new stuff.....Aerial is what? going on 5 years old now?

John

Steve Williams · May 30, 2010

Streisand for sure

Radka Toneff IMO would have been one of the best had she not died in 1982 at age 30. Her version of The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress from Fairy Tales never ceases to bring goose bumps and by all accounts rates as one of the best female vocals ever

Steve Williams · May 30, 2010

Ella Fitzgerald needs to be on the list

Johnny Vinyl · May 30, 2010

No doubt Ella, Sarah, Etta, Billie et al are in my collection. I have an old Pablo Records 3Lp collection of "Jazz At The Santa Monica Civic '72" with Ella, Count Basie, Oscar Peterson, Stan Getz, Ray Brown, Ed Thigpin and a few others that also gets considerable play on my TT here.

Ron Party · May 30, 2010

Other names not previously mentioned: Corinne Bailey Rae, Aretha, Phoebe Snow, Roberta Flack, Vanessa Williams, Diane Schuur, Esther Phillips, Etta James, Bonnie Raitt, Yolanda Adams, Joni Mitchell, Karyn White, Lisa Stansfield, Patricia Barber, Mavis Staples and Natalie Cole.

Oh, and Michael Jackson.

Johnny Vinyl · May 30, 2010

With all due respect to my fellow posters, this wasn't meant to provide you with an opportunity to post what I may have missed in your opinion. Everyone has posted some great talent and yes, they are certainly worthy of being on any list, but that wasn't my intent in starting the thread.

If you were to turn on your system and were in the mood to cue up a record or play a CD/SACD by a female songstress...who would you be likely to play? I know mood comes into it, but I have no doubt we each have a one or two or three singers that we gravitate towards.

John

Ron Party · May 30, 2010

John. Now you've done it. You're forcing me to think on a Sunday morning!

Steve Williams · May 30, 2010

Ron Party said:
John. Now you've done it. You're forcing me to think on a Sunday morning!

too much Single Malt no doubt

Johnny Vinyl · May 30, 2010

Ron Party said:
John. Now you've done it. You're forcing me to think on a Sunday morning!

Sorry......no thinking allowed for you today...it's Memorial Day weekend...have a scotch instead!

Steve Williams said:
too much Single Malt no doubt

Thanks, but no thanks....I think I will have a beer though! LOL

es347 · May 30, 2010

Steve Williams said:
Streisand for sure

Radka Toneff IMO would have been one of the best had she not died in 1982 at age 30. Her version of The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress from Fairy Tales never ceases to bring goose bumps and by all accounts rates as one of the best female vocals ever

Spot on Steve but here's the man himself doing his version...my favorite:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd4uilLYt1U

JackD201 · May 30, 2010

Karen Carpenter and Ella. I may not reach for their records all that much but they never fail to stop me in my tracks if even for just a few seconds whenever I hear them singing.

Here's a rare clip of them singing together.

On my list of faves are Annie Lennox, Dolores O'Riordan, Linda Rondstat, Sarah McLachlan, early Mariah Carey (before she got all hoochie mama'ed and OD'ed on her own runs), Joni Mitchell, Natalie Merchant, Sissel, Elizabeth Frazier, Traincha, to name but a few.

Johnny Vinyl · May 30, 2010

JackD201 said:
Karen Carpenter and Ella. I may not reach for their records all that much but they never fail to stop me in my tracks if even for just a few seconds whenever I hear them singing.

Here's a rare clip of them singing together.

On my list of faves are Annie Lennox, Dolores O'Riordan, Linda Rondstat, Sarah McLachlan, early Mariah Carey (before she got all hoochie mama'ed and OD'ed on her own runs), Joni Mitchell, Natalie Merchant, Sissel, Elizabeth Frazier, Traincha, to name but a few.

Jack,

Thank you so much for that precious little gem of a clip! I thoroughly enjoyed listening/watching it. As soon as I heard Karen's voice it reminded me of a moment in time many decades ago, when I was travelling back and forth daily to another town as I was smitten was this girl. We really liked one another, but we knew this was only to be a summer relationship. I wonder what happened to her? I will always hold "Close To You" dear in my heart.

John

Gregadd · May 30, 2010

I'm glad you said "favorite". Just in terms of sheer playing time I would have to say Patti Cathcart of Tuck and Patti. My avatar is the DVD of their live recording in Holland. Because I don't have home theatre and the MSRP is $268 I have not heard it yet.
Add Dee Dee Bidgewater and Cassaundra Wilson

Ron Party · May 30, 2010

OK. I've thought about it. Right now my favorite is Corinne Bailey Rae. Her first album was outstanding (and if you chase it down, be sure to get the special edition with a whole album's worth of extra songs). It also is auddiophile grade. Her second album is solid, although not as good as her first. There are a couple of songs on the second which are truly beautiful but depressing, because in between the first and second her husband died.

jadis · May 30, 2010

Steve Williams said:
Radka Toneff IMO would have been one of the best had she not died in 1982 at age 30. Her version of The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress from Fairy Tales never ceases to bring goose bumps and by all accounts rates as one of the best female vocals ever

My choice too, if I were to pick one. I love her voice and never get tired of playing this album over and over again.

RogerD · May 30, 2010

John72953 said:
If you were to turn on your system and were in the mood to cue up a record or play a CD/SACD by a female songstress...who would you be likely to play? I know mood comes into it, but I have no doubt we each have a one or two or three singers that we gravitate towards.

John

Well yesterday I had on Striesand, Nanci Griffith and Natalie Cole, day before Diana Krall, today so far Marlene Verplank and Edie Gorme. Just depends tomorrow might be Marilyn Monroe and Ella. I have so many favs but the ones that seem to hang around the most are Eva Cassidy, Ella, Julie Andrews,Anna Netrebko,and Nanci Griffith. I forgot last night I played a tape I made of Ann Hampton callaway live at Dizzys, just phenomenal.

I guess I just did what everbody else did, sorry,lol.

MylesBAstor · May 30, 2010

Sarah Vaughn for jazz.

Stevie Nicks for rock.

Get back to you on classical.

RogerD · May 30, 2010

JackD201 said:
Karen Carpenter and Ella.

Karen Carpenter, I played a tape earlier in the week. She was gifted with a stunning voice, taken much too soon.

btw great video, thanks.

Who is your favourite female singer?

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