For me it would have to be Linda Ronstadt. But there's so many others. On the Winter light album during the Bacharach/David Song "I Just don't know what to do with myself" She lets out this anguished cry that's one of her best moments. An underrated album of hers which is my personal favorites.
Favorite female singers
- Thread starter Hydguy
- Start date
Owen Bawn
Garden party cupcake scented
More trivia: Susan Tedeschi's grandfather Angelo Tedeschi founded one of New England's largest supermarket and quickie-mart chains.
Maggie Reilly
Two who were taken much too early, before they could become "famous":
Kate Wolf
Eva Cassidy
Kate Wolf
Eva Cassidy
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Little Pat Benatar had a five octave range. Can't believe it's been 40 years!
Also Kate Bush. Such a voice.
AA
Also Kate Bush. Such a voice.
AA
I've seen many good submissions so far. I'd like to mention two incredibly underrated singers: Bettye Lavette and Jane Monheit. I've seen both live, and was totally floored by them.
Bettye LaVette: anyone who can mesmerize Barbara Streisand, Pete Townsend and Roger Daltry is worth paying attention to. Justin Hayward said that he may have written "Nights in White Satin", but he didn't really know what it was about until he heard it sung by Bettye LaVette.
Jane Monheit: I don't know of a finer jazz singer on the scene today. When I saw her in Las Vegas last year her cover of "Guilty" by Randy Newman brought me to tears, and as far as I'm concerned she's the first person to ever sing Tea for Two the right way:
Bettye LaVette: anyone who can mesmerize Barbara Streisand, Pete Townsend and Roger Daltry is worth paying attention to. Justin Hayward said that he may have written "Nights in White Satin", but he didn't really know what it was about until he heard it sung by Bettye LaVette.
Jane Monheit: I don't know of a finer jazz singer on the scene today. When I saw her in Las Vegas last year her cover of "Guilty" by Randy Newman brought me to tears, and as far as I'm concerned she's the first person to ever sing Tea for Two the right way:
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shoelessjoe
"I took out a Chihuahua!"
Emily Haines of Metric
Roger that! My gosh, her voice was like a luscious hot fudge sundae.
Sarah McLachlan - I started listening to Sarah McLachlan after I bought a bunch of high end stereo equipment decades ago. The Mirrorball Cd, in terms of recording quality, is incredibly well done and sounds absolutely amazing on really high end stereo gear. It's a live album and it sounds like you're sitting right there during the concert. I had a friend that was a salesman at a very high end audio store at the time. I shared my appreciation with him about how well done it was and he started using the cd for demos. Maybe she plays a lot in Canada but she doesn't seem to tour much at all in the US, so when I saw that she was coming to Phoenix recently I picked up some tickets. A lot of guys getting dragged there by their wives but in my case it was the opposite as I wanted to see her live and the wife was tagging along. The concert was a couple months before this whole covid thing hit. It was a small venue with probably a few hundred people and we had seats in about the sixth row. Absolutely incredible range, she opened her mouth and my wife , who isn't really a big fan, turns to me and goes "Wow". She absolutely loved the show and was thoroughly impressed, telling me that she's never seen anyone like that before. The level of talent there is completely off the charts. I've been to a lot of concerts. I've seen a lot of live music, and from a pure talent standpoint I've never seen anything like it. It's amazing how incredibly easy she makes it look, completely effortless. I've heard her music described as achingly beautiful and that's a very accurate way to describe it. It's hard not to feel something when she's singing as it's so incredibly beautiful. What a great night.
Norah Jones - I would love to see Norah play in some small venue somewhere as I suspect it would be incredible. Some really, really well done albums that sound amazing. She has a soulful warm rich sound that I really enjoy.
Pink - I saw Pink in concert a while back as well and it was outstanding. Maybe not the range of Sarah McLachlan but she can definitely sing. Another excellent concert. Tons of familiar songs. Very enjoyable and an incredible voice. Definitely a fan here as well.
In terms of some others I like:
Alanis Morissette
Stevie Nicks
Mariah Carey
Katy Perry
Belinda Carlisle
Joan Jett
Pat Benatar
Avril Lavigne
Gwen Stefani
Amy Winehouse
Adele
Norah Jones - I would love to see Norah play in some small venue somewhere as I suspect it would be incredible. Some really, really well done albums that sound amazing. She has a soulful warm rich sound that I really enjoy.
Pink - I saw Pink in concert a while back as well and it was outstanding. Maybe not the range of Sarah McLachlan but she can definitely sing. Another excellent concert. Tons of familiar songs. Very enjoyable and an incredible voice. Definitely a fan here as well.
In terms of some others I like:
Alanis Morissette
Stevie Nicks
Mariah Carey
Katy Perry
Belinda Carlisle
Joan Jett
Pat Benatar
Avril Lavigne
Gwen Stefani
Amy Winehouse
Adele
Bonnie Raitt. Joan Osbourn.
All others may bow before them
All others may bow before them
This sent me down a rabbit hole. Bookmarked for future rabbitting 
So many excellent vocalists. A few that seem to stay in rotation at chez haggis:
So many excellent vocalists. A few that seem to stay in rotation at chez haggis:
- Nina Simone
- kd lang
- Linda Rondstadt
- Jacqui Naylor
Measuring up to Ellington would be/was a big task for any singer. Especially given that, for Ellington I imagine, including a singer was probably more a concession to his record buyers than a artistically satisfying element of his work.
I think that Benny Goodman thought better of singing than the Duke did, even if Helen Ward got less exposure than Ivie Anderson.
@Vespasian , you should post a longer vocalist list. I'm sure I would have some 'new' gal singers to give a listen.
I could listen to Amy Lee of Evanescence sing the phone book. But here are few actual songs. Her Led Zeppelin cover is nothing short of amazing!
Wow! If ever a song has been styled in every possible manner, that song is Tea for Two. Maybe Led Zep missed it somehow.
Allison Mosshart of The Kills
Every version I'd ever heard before was done as an upbeat happy thing like the original. Not Jane.
She sang a very thoughtful interpretation. From what I've read No, No, Nanette was extremely light comedy, which no doubt set a limiting example. I would love to see the 1930 movie.
You are right, singers seem to prefer a content free, upbeat, swingy, scatty, boppy reading. Anita O'Day's festival bop fest approaches the maximum in that direction.
Amy Winehouse should have covered/deconstructed it.
