Best Female Singing Voice

[Gruff]

Lots of names already mentioned that I'd agree with - but I'll add Cass Elliot

 

[Michedelic]

Check out Beyonce Knowles on the film "Cadillac Records". This is the story of Chess Records and the original South Chicago sound. Beyonce plays Etta James.

What about acknowledging Etta in the first place? The woman gets little respect…first “At Last” gets taken away from her, then “I’d Rather Go Blind”.

 

[Gary Stevens]

What about acknowledging Etta in the first place? The woman gets little respect…first “At Last” gets taken away from her, then “I’d Rather Go Blind”.

I have an Etta James CD in my jazz collection.

 

[DrummerwStrings]

of (mostly) crummy songs

Kinda harsh...

Seems like a lot of unrealized potential there, with those vocal chords.

Agreed. No glass houses, tho - ppl who are meeting their full potential, step forward.

 

[TyBo]

Kinda harsh...




Agreed. No glass houses, tho - ppl who are meeting their full potential, step forward.

Heh. I just found Celine to be sooo disappointing - I saw her in an early appearance (Tonight Show, maybe? Don't quite remember), and was really impressed with her voice. Range, tone, power, really seemed promising. But then ... a lot of slickly produced meh, and on to Vegas baby . Oy. I wanted more from her. Too late now.

 

[FrenchBassQC]

Anna Maria Jopek Anna Maria Jopek & Pat Metheny - Mania Mienia (So May It Secretly Begin) - YouTube
Joni Mitchell Joni Mitchell - Coyote (The Last Waltz) - YouTube
And many more...

 

[MrBeta]

I have always found Yoko Ono to have that rare, one in a million voice...so rare in fact, it should be locked up in the Smithsonian!

As long as the room it's in is closed and sound proof!

 

[Geoff Wood]

My vote goes to Karen Carpenter, hands down. If there were a female angel, she would sing like Karen.

Your vote goes to .... ?

Kate Bush, Joan Armatrading, Janis Joplin, Janis Ian.

 

[Gary Stevens]

Kate Bush, Joan Armatrading, Janis Joplin, Janis Ian.

Love all of them

 

[EagleMoon]

Too hard to pick just one. So many female singers give me chills and in a good way. I agree with most of the picks in this thread. They’re all great in their own ways.

 

[350125g0]

Jarboe

 

[bearhart74]

Anybody better that Rachel Price? I doubt it.. Maybe Grace Potter but the list is woefully short...

 

[5StringBlues]

Patti Labelle

 

[RichterScale]

There's too many amazing singers to pick a "best", but I've always been quite smitten with Bonnie Raitt's voice and the way she sings.

 

[Vinny_G]

I recently fell in love with the voice of Sabine Devieilhe.

 

[dannylectro]

An impossible thread. Like trying to determine if Paul McCartney or Tom Waits is a “better” singer. But I have to say I get chills when I listen to:
Joni Mitchell
Kathleen Edwards
Shawn Colvin
Sade
Dido

…and many, many others, living and dead

 

[GBassNorth]

Best Female Singing Voice…
The lead singer of that Canadian band Rush! Now there’s a Female singing voice!

 

[Vinny_G]

Best Female Singing Voice…
The lead singer of that Canadian band Rush! Now there’s a Female singing voice!

Yeah I made that stupid joke in post #60

 

[badinage]

So many. The ONE I don't understand the seemingly-automatic listing of is Linda Ronstadt. She blew out a glorious voice so early on. Her 'Belt' turned into a 'Yell' before she hit 30. Very successful career with lots of memorable and enjoyable stuff, but a great career as a singer doesn't automatically mean an exemplary voice. I think Linda Ronstadt's vocal story is in many ways a tragedy.

 

[GBassNorth]

Yeah I made that stupid joke in post #60

Dang. Didn’t see that one. I guess great minds think alike. Can I substitute Neil Sedaka???