Best Vocalists!

[jackson_cannery]

As Motor City Sonics so astutely pointed out in the sister thread, many of the best vocalists ever (i.e. Sinatra) were not necessarily blessed with great instruments. With that in mind (or not)... let's make a list.

James Taylor
Paul Simon
Stevie Wonder
Jeff Buckley
Freddie Mercury (not my personal favorite, but can't deny the talent)

Take 6
Ella Fitzgerald
Sarah Vaughan
Kurt Elling
Bobby McFerrin

[hueytaxi]

My older favorites were Nancy Wilson in her Tender Loving Care Album, Johnny Horton who wrote (and I believe sang) many of Glen Campbell's songs and Janis Ian with her Society's Child album. Also a big fan of Harry Chapin, George Harrison and Marty Robbins.

[Corky]

David Wilcox

Michael Johnson (I am prejudiced on this one but he is very good)

Steve Perry

Dennis DeYoung

Phillip Bailey

Julie Gold

Cheryl Wheeler

Many. many others could make the list.

[Biff Mayhem]

Ronnie James Dio

[djhutch]

Huey Lewis

Pat Benatar

Tony Bennett

[Yoda]

I second the Freddy Mercury nomination.

Other guys that might not be the best but were really good for their particular style of music:
James Hetfield
Steve Perry
George Michael
Geoff Tate
Louis Armstrong

[Yoda]

Ronnie James Dio

I hear you brave young Jables, you are hungry for the rock

[Ingefanclub]

Celine Dione
Fredie Mercury
Steve Perry

[Biff Mayhem]

I hear you brave young Jables, you are hungry for the rock

LOOKOUT!!!!

[Mr.MelissaG915]

Geddy Lee

[LJK004]

David Wilcox
Michael Johnson (I am prejudiced on this one but he is very good)
Steve Perry
Dennis DeYoung
Phillip Bailey
Julie Gold
Cheryl Wheeler
Many. many others could make the list.

What no Heino!?!?!

[Corky]

What no Heino!?!?!

It is on the other list.


:alien:

[FloridaTigers]

That guy from Nickelback :cheeky:

In all seriousness, I gotta say Freddy Mercury or early Chris Cornell. Chris Cornell on Temple of the Dog has a powerful voice.

[Biff Mayhem]

Go here: http://www.preciousdeath.com/

Play the song "Southpaw" and hear the pipes.

[Yoda]

or early Chris Cornell. Chris Cornell on Temple of the Dog has a powerful voice.

Absolutely! One of the all-time great rock vocalists, IMO.

[Yoda]

Go here: http://www.preciousdeath.com/

Play the song "Southpaw" and hear the pipes.

Not bad. What a horrible guitar riff though. The music sounds a lot like a cross between The Thing That Should Not Be, mixed with something from AIC's Facelift album.

[Biff Mayhem]

Not bad. What a horrible guitar riff though. The music sounds a lot like a cross between The Thing That Should Not Be, mixed with something from AIC's Facelift album.

It's from 1994.

[DaYooperASBDT]

Many already mentioned, but here's my working Top Ten list:
James Taylor
Steve Perry
Ronnie James Dio
Ray Charles
Nancy Wilson
Freddie Mercury
Jim Croce
Tim McGraw (or is it Hill now? :wink:)
Dolly Parton
Randy Travis

[Biff Mayhem]

Karen Carpenter

[Yoda]

It's from 1994.

That's a little more understandable then.

[DaYooperASBDT]

Karen CarpenterYes. Another senseless and tragic loss for the world, along with Kurt Cobain.

[toadhunter911]

Geoff Tate of Queensreich (best range ever)
Freddie Mercury
Steve Perry
Gregg Rolie (the other singer from Journey and Santana) http://www.greggrolie.com/index1.html
Bruce Dickenson of Maiden fame
Dio (solid gold pipes)

[Biff Mayhem]

Bruce Dickenson of Maiden fame


Not the legendary producer?

That said, Dickinson was better in the studio. His live range was really limited.

[tigerbomb13]

Colin Blunstone (singer of The Zombies)

[tigerbomb13]

Neko Case

[eastside billee]

Maria McKee (during her Lone Justice days)
K. D. Lang
Steve Perry
Pat Benetar
Freddy Mercury

actually too many to mention

[baseballbruce30]

Roger Daltrey
Stevie Nicks
John Lennon
Sarah McLachlan
Mickey Thomas
Ann Wilson
Steve Perry
Roy Orbison
Linda Ronstadt
Paul Rodgers
Pat Benatar
Paul McCartney
Anita Baker

just to name a few ...

[chuckles396]

Jim Morrison
Alison Krauss

[DaYooperASBDT]

I totally forgot John Fogerty! (smacks forehead).
And I can't believe I overlooked Orbison, Carpenter, and McCartney.
I need a Top 14 now .... :nervous:

[ToledoTigerFan]

Too many to mention, but the first one that popped into my head was Freddie Mercury. Unmatched as a rock vocalist.

[DetroitFolly]

Speaking of Alison Krauss...

Anybody got the Allison Krauss/Robert Plant duet album? Its outstanding!

[chasfh]

I agree with these:

Ronnie James Dio
Steven Tyler
Kurt Cobain
Freddie Mercury
Ella Fitzgerald
Sarah Vaughan
Roger Daltrey
John Lennon
Louis Armstrong

I would add:

Brian Delp
Dave Grohl
Billie Holiday
Bing Crosby
Dennis Day
Janis Joplin
Bon Scott
Robert Plant
David Lee Roth
Aretha Franklin
Eddie Vedder

Hip-hop being unrepresented here, I would add Chuck D, Snoop Dog, Eminem, Tupac Shakur

[DaYooperASBDT]

Rapping <> Singing :cheeky: But yeah it is a talent.

[pfife]

when we say "vocalist" are we talking about lyric-writing abilities, or just their voice? IMO, the best lyricist ever, by far, can't sing worth crap! :)

Here are some that I would add regardless of the answer to the question:


Bob Marley
Bono
Leonard Cohen
Maynard
Jeff Mangnum (Neutral Milk Hotel)


I agree with a lot of those that have been said already.

[pfife]

More: Roger Waters
David Bowie

[cruzer1]

Maynard
Art Garfunkel
Basia
Robert Plant

[Ingefanclub]

Michael Matijevic

Was the lead singer of Steelheart and also sang vocals in the movie Rock Star which starred Marky Mark Wahlberg.

[chasfh]

Rapping <> Singing :cheeky: But yeah it is a talent.

Rapping is included under Vocalizing -- as defined in the thread title. :happy:

And how could I have forgotten to name James Brown? D'oh!

[chasfh]

Also: David Byrne

Carl: David Byrne?
Moe: Singer, artist, composer, director, Talking Head?
David Byrne: And I used wrestle under the name 'El Diablo'.
Lenny: I thought that Philip Glass?
David Byrne: Yeah -- he wishes!

[Tigers2156]

Greg Dulli
Mark Lanagan
Tom Waits

[Lbh24]

Not really adding anything new but:

Freddie Mercury

[DaYooperASBDT]

3 names I forgot to mention:
Peter Cetera
Bob Seger
Elvis Presley

[tys-spikes84]

I would add Serj Tankian (System of a Down), purely for his ability to use his voice like an instrument if that makes any sense. But I don't think he has a fantastic musical voice, but it sure is a huge part of their music.

[Biff Mayhem]

I would add Serj Tankian (System of a Down), purely for his ability to use his voice like an instrument if that makes any sense. But I don't think he has a fantastic musical voice, but it sure is a huge part of their music.

I get what you mean. He really knows how to wrap his vocal work around the music.

That said, his solo stuff sounds just like SOAD. So why do a solo album? It's like Rick Ocasek's stuff...it was The Cars minus the rest of the group. Why bother?

[FloridaTigers]

I don't like Serj. I don't know why, but I'd put him in the "Worst Vocalists" if I had thought of him earlier. He seems like a cool cat, but I just can't get into SOAD or his music.

[zimm]

3 names I forgot to mention:
Peter Cetera


ha! someone around here used one of my Cetera putdowns as their sig line for a while...
edit: and no more than 5 minutes ago, i invoked his name as an insult in the "worst vocalist" thread...

[ewsieg]

I'm just picking a few of the best of the mentioned....or actually my favorite but most underrated of the mentioned, probably in this order.

1) Maria McKee - anytime, not just with Lone Justice.
2) Maynard.
3) Geddy Lee

Furthermore, while I don't know first hand for McKee, all three in concert are just as good as anything you'll buy in the store from them.

[Zubonderlander]

I'm a big fan of Mercury, Daltrey, and Jim Morrison....Fogerty's real good, and Robert Plant had his moments too.

[cruzer1]

How dare this thread go this far without a mention of Sarah McLachlan? The voice of the heavens, of an angel cast upon thee.

[Tigerclaws]

Paul Stanley KISS

[chuckles396]

Mark Lindsay - Paul Revere and the Raiders

[DaYooperASBDT]

ha! someone around here used one of my Cetera putdowns as their sig line for a while...
edit: and no more than 5 minutes ago, i invoked his name as an insult in the "worst vocalist" thread...Jealousy will get ya nowhere !! :grin:

[ToledoTigerFan]

How dare this thread go this far without a mention of Sarah McLachlan? The voice of the heavens, of an angel cast upon thee.

Nora Jones is close. God, is her voice sexy.