Favorite Vocalists?

[WyrmDL]

Hey TB,

I love listening to a good vocalist, and I thought I'd ask who yours are, or what pieces you like that have good vocals in them?

I like Steve Perry's (Journey) and Bruce Dickinson's (Iron Maiden) voices, but one of my favorites has to be Hayley Westenra. I don't like most of the music she does, but a few songs that she sings are just beautiful.

Ave Maria (Giulio Caccini Variation)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQQSW35PrEY

I Dreamed a Dream
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcMJlTjzZgs

Dark Waltz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6jclNBbZ0Q

[Barkless Dog]

Hyde - My favorite as of late -amazing vocal range
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCcHbdYeEWQ

Aquired tastes-

Johnny Winter
Bryan Ferry
Alex Harvey
Greg Lake - yes, he sings off key
Peter Murphy
Peter Hammil-
Captain Beefheart
Stan Ridgeway
Chuck Gladfelter from Ivory Wire
http://www.myspace.com/ivorywire
Devin Townsend

[5StringBlues]

Jon Anderson,Bobby "Blue" Bland,Waylon Jennings,Ian Gillian,Whoever was singing on any given Zappa song that had harmonies,Little Richard,Patti LaBelle,Ronald Isley,Trudy Lynn.Beatles...........Everly Brothers...............

Hell,I got tons of 'em.

[Clark Dark]

James Ingram, Minnie Ripperton

[MusicBokonon]

I've really gotten into Opeth lately. Mikael Akerfeldt (sp?) has incredible variability with his voice, not just screaming-singing, but as well as his range and his willingness to experiment (as Opeth is akin to do). "The Lotus Eater" is one of his best IMO.

I also really like Maynard James Keenan of Tool. He gets those really high notes without an issue.

[hellfleet]

+1 on Mikael Akerfeldt <- theres meant to be some funny swedish letters in there somewhere I think :P

I really like his 'clean' singing. Especially on the Ayreon album 'The Human Equation' he does mostly clean singing but also a bit of the most tastefull 'screams' ever. (Note, generally I consider tastefull and death metal growl/scream to be an oxymoron).

From Pop/Rock/Metal

Floor Jansen (After Forever, Ayreon)
Rob Halford (Priest)
Bruce Dickinson (Maiden)
Zach Stevens (Savatage, Circle II Circle)
Russell Allen (symphany x)
Geoff Tate (Queensryche)... although I'm really not digging his later stuff
Steven Tyler
Kate Bush
Skin (skunk anansie)

From musicals:

Edina Menzel, singing as the Elphaba in 'Wicked'.
Colm Wilkinson
Philip Quast

[bass12]

Are we differentiating between "singers" and "vocalists"? To me, "vocalist" sounds as if it should entail some kind of training. I'm usually not too big on vocalist types ("divas" and the like). Here are some singers (who might also be vocalists!) that I like:

David Hinds from Steel Pulse
Seal
Khaled
Otis Redding
Sam Moore and Dave Prater (Sam & Dave)
Smokey Robinson
Daryl Hall (when he's not over the top) from Hall & Oates
Chuck Brown
Shadow (calypsonian)
Ronald Isley
Bing Crosby
Shara Nelson (singer on Massive Attack's first album)
George Michael

For a start, at least...

[ugly_bassplayer]

Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Toots Hibbert
Stevie Wonder
Sly Stone
Donny Hathaway
Gil Scott Heron
Bob Marley

[santucci218]

why...rody walker (protest the hero) of course! i missed his concert and my friends told him how big of a fan i am and i got this..

[MusicBokonon]

Originally Posted by santucci218

why...rody walker (protest the hero) of course! i missed his concert and my friends told him how big of a fan i am and i got this..

*thwaps self on head* I coulda had a V8! Why didn't I think of him? I love PTH! His high notes are that of a soprano, and he switches into a scream flawlessly. Also, Arif is the Ricky Bobby of bass With that said, I will admit Rody as a person kind of freaks me out.

[alangoldstein]

geoff tate
jeff scott soto
luther vandross
michael jackson
peter steele
dave gahan
tina turner
avril
lacey mosely
MUSE
and the guy from mars volta!!!
BJORK!!! omg.


are some i love.

[zachoff]

If I were to recruit a band where I got to pick the vocalist it'd probably be John Garcia. For the kind of music I love to play, he's just the guy.

If I were in a punk rock band I'd probably pick Paul Westerburg and really hope he didn't try to sing pretty.

For anything not metal or punk rock I'd pick Dave Grohl. He seems to have the pop/rock thing nailed.

[FrenchAK]

Off the top of my head:
Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam)
Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters)
Brent Smith (Shinedown)
Tom Petty.

Oh yeah.

[guitarchaser]

Originally Posted by Barkless Dog

Hyde - My favorite as of late -amazing vocal range
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCcHbdYeEWQ

yesyesyes

Love the range he has, though listening to his earlier stuff with Laruku compared to now he had a gentler voice at times, he's got rougher over the years but he can pull of a lot and it works for him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHo_SMGncFY

Another favourite of mine is Gackt, his voice can be very powerful and, depending on the song, is very good at stirring up emotions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88FBonM7SnI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7itgVI2JoQ

[poorbassist15]

Jon Anderson hands down. His voice is angelic.

[IronLung1986]

Originally Posted by Barkless Dog

Hyde - My favorite as of late -amazing vocal range
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCcHbdYeEWQ

Aquired tastes-

Johnny Winter
Bryan Ferry
Alex Harvey
Greg Lake - yes, he sings off key
Peter Murphy
Peter Hammil-
Captain Beefheart
Stan Ridgeway
Chuck Gladfelter from Ivory Wire
http://www.myspace.com/ivorywire
Devin Townsend

i know this is an old thread, but it gives me a big boost of confidence in humanity that the great Captain Beefheart was mentioned in the first response. in honor of this i'll post one of his greatest vocal performances:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2rxrY23OcI