Who Is Your Favourite Singer Ever?

Charles Aznavour

 

Van Dyke Parks...just kidding!

Of the rock pantheon, the usual suspects: Elvis Presley, Freddie Mercury, Lennon. And in terms of delivery and raw power, i think Little Richard - in his prime - is unsurpassed.

I'm a fan of Demis Roussos as well, and Nino Ferrer. The first has a strange, but beautiful voice (poor material on his solo career, sadly). And Ferrer is unique.

But I like all kinds, really. The french crooners (Yves Montand, Gilbert Bécaud, Chevalier, etc.) are a marvel to listen. Caetano Veloso and João Gilberto are incredible singers too.

 

Carl Wilson
John Lennon
Judee sill
Dennis Wilson
Harry Nilsson

 

Harpo

 

Peter Hammill

 

Howlin' Wolf
Bob Dylan

 

Paul Westerberg.

 

Amazing. He just did his farewell concert over here.

Janice McClain for me.

 

A few years back I would have said Dusty Springfield. But now it's

Helen Merrill

 

Male:
Billy MacKenzie (Associates), David Sylvian, Fee Waybill, Danny Woods, Glenn Tilbrook, Roddy Frame, Peter Gabriel, David McAlmont, Daryl Hall

Female:
Dusty Springfield, Judee Sill, Diana Ross, Kate Bush

 

Who is my favorite singer ever? I accept that this is primarily a personal choice not based on objective criteria. It is based primarily for me as a singer who uses his voice as an instrument, if not the most up front instrument used in the song. My answer is without a doubt, Terry Reid. I love his voice on all his albums, but his singing on River always carries me away. I wish he would put out more albums.

 

Freddy Mercury, Steve Marriott, Paul McCartney, Dean Martin and many more.

 

A number a favorites mentioned in the thread, but ones I always go back to are

Chad Mitchell
Lyambiko

 

George Jones.

 

Chris Robinson. Love all his bands.

I also have a thing for falsettos in soul and R&B, really dig Curtis Mayfield. I also get a huge kick out of Prince's voice I'm not even gonna lie

 

Thank you for asking:

Sir Harry Lauder

 

Al Green
Joni Mitchell
James Taylor
David Ruffin
Eddie Kendricks
Gladys Knight
Jon Lucien
Dionne Warwick
Nancy Wilson
Tammy Wynette
Wendy Waldman

 

Elvis

and
Ray Charles
Otis Redding
Freddy Mercury
Springsteen
Wilson Pickett
Joe Cocker
John Fogerty
Aretha
Etta James
Sir Paul
Dylan
Elton John
Sheryl Crow

 

Yes, yes, and yes.

 

Can't believe you were the first to mention him, beat me to it but I'm glad you did, what a singer he was.

Other favs of mine:-

James Dean Bradfield
Liam Gallagher (well from 93-98)
John Lennon (the obvious choice for me)
Bon Scott
Chris Bell
Steve Marriott
Captain Beefheart
Neil Young
Richard Manuel
Jim Jones (The Jim Jones Revue)

 

Elvis Presley and
Aretha Franklin and
Linda Ronstadt.
As people used to say, those three could sing the phone book.

 

Roky Erickson

 

That's a difficult one to answer.

I could easily have said Freddie Mercury if Queen had stopped making music say after Jazz (maybe earlier, even) but they continued and his voice became too shouty/powerful for my liking (and some of the material was an offence to creation IMO) so unless I can say FM 1973-1978 then I won't pick him.

I like Buck Dharma's work with BOC but his voice is a bit samey/bland so I'll discount him and besides, he's not on most of the BOC tracks as lead vocalist.

Some I really like are

Phil Mogg (UFO)
Paul Rodgers (Free/Bad Co)
Dan McCafferty (Nazareth)
Robert Plant
Phil Collins
Jon Anderson
Sandy Denny
Ann Wilson
Barbra Streisand
the lass from Madder Rose, Mary Lorson

 

Maynard James Keenan

 

Nat King Cole.
What clarity. Not only can you hear every word he sings, you can hear each letter.