Who is the female vocalist equivalent to Frank Sinatra (on his ballad albums)?*

Bobby Darin - Nina Simone?? Interesting pairing.

Nina Simone - Leon Thomas
Bobby Darin - Liza Minelli
Little Jimmy Scott - Blossom Dearie
Bob Dorough - Kay Starr
Ray Charles - Abbey Lincoln
Tony Bennett - Peggy Lee

 

Dinah Washington!!

 

Doris is a fantastic singer & interpreter of songs, but I don't think there really is a female equivalent.

 

You're welcome - I doubt you'll be disappointed.

Best Wishes,
David

 

If Tom Brady was to recommend a woman football quarterback, I think I would certainly take notice. (Especially today. )

 

Check out Jeri Southern's complete works on two small boxsets from Fresh Sounds. There are a few additional issues with airchecks, transcriptions, etc.

 

Thanks for the heads-up on this.

Best Wishes,
David

 

Just happened upon this thread. Sarah Vaughan from roughly 1947 to 1960 incredible voice her Columbia years 1949 to 1953
some of the greatest female ballad recordings ever made. Saw her live a few times, and oddly was disappointed in her performance each time.
caught her on off nights. In regard to Sinatra I agree he has no female equal.

 

I have spent half my life looking for the female equivalent of this man.

 

... and ... ?

 

I met one once. She sang from the heart. She had the spzazz. She had the schnozz. But she didn't know how to hold a cigar.

 

You might want to give consideration to thinking about the possibility of changing your avatar now, Tribute.

 

Let's approach the question from another angle:

classic torch ballad albums?

 

Keely Smith - The Intimate Keely Smith

 

I'm reading this thread with a lot of interest while listening to a Bethlehem 10 in. Chris Connor-Sings Lullabys For Lovers. Does Chris have a place in this conversation? I don't know that much about her. I think I have an early Atlantic LP somewhere but it's pretty beat so I don't play it but remember the one time I did it seemed pretty good.

 

That album is a classic (The Bethlehem) and Chris is a legend. Her reputation will only increase over time.

 

It can be said Garland recorded two concept albums: Judy in Love (1958, Capitol) and The Letter (1959, Capitol). The first is a collection of love songs, and the second is about a love affair.

 

Thanks for pointing out Judy's concept albums. There must be more torch ballad material in her ouevre. If you think of any more please post it in this thread:

classic torch ballad albums?

which is the home for torch ballad songstresses.

Chris Connor? Absolutely positively.

I just listened to the album on youtube. Memorable stuff. Her rightful place is in this thread:

classic torch ballad albums?

 

After poking around through most of this thread as well as other "related" threads, I came upon this song recorded in 1941. I've known the song for years, but never heard this version. A 21-year old Peggy Lee delivers the goods on this. Love the long intro as played by Benny Goodman. This song works on so many levels. You talk about Sinatra and his intimate vocal which a select few have ever attained. Well, here is another. You can't wear conviction.

 

I'll be the first to admit that it comes across as weird and might induce head-scratching. Even in my own mind, it does not strike me as strong a pairing as some of the others I mentioned. However, I still "endorse" and stand by it.

I paired them because, when I think of Bobby and Nina, my foremost source of admiration lies in their versatility across genres. These are two artists who tried not only jazz and standards but also folk, r&b, etc., etc., and heavily so. (It wasn't just dabbling here or there.) Just as important, they did all of it pretty well. Couldn't think of many others who I would call their equal in that aspect.

Aside from their genre-spanning versatility, these are the other areas in which I saw parallels, or some degree of similarity:

2) both born in the 1930s. (For my list, I tried to pair singers on the basis of the generation to which I thought they belonged, though I admittedly let go of the notion in a case or two.)

3) both Bobby and Nina acknowledged being inspired by the records of two "elders": Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee.

4) both cultivated politically active, pro-civil-right stances and brought them to their music (even though, in Bobby's case, some folks think of his stance as yet one more of his temporary phases).

5) both showed a notably ego-centered attitude when it came to their musical careers.

But, really, it was mainly their versatility that led me to pair them, and my admiration of that quality of theirs in particular. Vocally, and in many other aspects, they can be said to be worlds apart.

Of course, we can't help being at least a bit biased when we create subjective lists like these ones. For example, I'd have trouble pairing a singer who I love with one that I can't stand. That's another reason why Bobby and Nina fit in my mind. I'm a big fan of both, and I love most of what they did in their respective albums of jazz-pop standards.

Bobby Darin and Liza Minelli? Interesting pairing.


I can see the connection between Blossom and Little Jimmy (the offbeat voices, especially), as well as between Tony and Peggy (even if to my mind Tony is from the "musical generation" that succeeded Frank and Peggy's). I'm currently trying to think of a female singer who sounded like a man, just to pair her with Little Jimmy. Kay and Bob, I'm not sure about similarities, except perhaps in terms of personality. Anyway, it's been fun to read another take on the same topic.

 

You wouldn’t count Judy, Alone, or That’s Entertainment ? I guess I’m just swayed by the cover art and her working with Riddle, Jenkins... feels very Sinatraesque to me.

 

Loving this thread. Time to revisit Nina Simone.

 

How about Aretha Franklin ? to my mind very versatile She started at the age of 15 or 16 recording Gospel, when she was at
Columbia records she recorded Jazz, blues, R&B, standards, and, of course, we all know what direction her career took at Atlantic
she became the Queen of Soul.

 

Dusty Springfield - in ballad style, particularily on the second vinyl sides of the 'Where Am I Going' or 'Dusty Definitely' LP's.

 

While at Columbia Aretha did a version of " Only The Lonely " which was the title song to one of Sinatra's
greatest Capitol Albums, I must say, she does a very good cover of the song.