Don't agree at all, for instance Linda Ronstadt wouldn't even rate in my book, no disrespect it's just that I can think of plenty of other females that would absolutely blow her away! She couldn't even begin to challenge this...Baby Jean Kennedy!
Has anyone mentioned Dinah Washington yet? She had it all, and could sing absolutely anything. Her 1958 version of "Trouble In Mind": from Compact Jazz: Dinah Washington Sings The Blues (Mercury, 1987)
Most (all?) if these have yet to be mentioned here (I'm pretty sure)... ~Linda Thompson (of Richard & Linda Thompson and solo works) ~Sally Timms (of The Mekons and solo works) ~St. Vincent/ Annie Clark ~Lucinda Williams ~Georgia Hubley (of Yo La Tengo) ~Linda Sharrock (of Sonny & Linda Sharrock)
Whenever a topic such as this comes up, my first thoughts are 2 who have already been mentioned & I'll *add: Annie Lennox Taylor Dayne **** Brenda Russell Norah Jones Paula Cole Lianne LaHavas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aqekJ5VIx8 - Norah, " Be Here To Love Me' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbyGYhfzFaA - Paula, "Elegy" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnogG7IMj8o - Lianne, "Green And Gold", off album "Blood"
I need to pick me up one of those mic stands. Do you know if there's a version that also turns pages?
It is a specialized course in butler academy that produces that type of mic stand. Except that the stand needs to play piano particularly well also, thus a rare breed indeed.
Realized when I was trying to describe a pop/rock singer-songwriter who'd done a side-project which sounded completely different (& better, IMO) to someone that it was more of a stage & screen type of sound... That's not who I'm adding, but it did make me go on to listen to & think this artist definitely deserves a place here: Audra McDonald Warning: Have a couple of tissues handy!
Whitney Houston is just awesome. I only really like a few of her songs, but she certainly was great at singing. If she was the best? Dunno. Great? Oh yes.
Wagnerian Opera - Flagstad in her prime deserves a mention in the same sentence along with the other immortals already named. Happy to see a few mentioned Khalsoum. What tracks I have heard by her will rip your heart out and make you wish you understood Arabic. Every genre has its immortals with astounding vocal ability. And I sure that there are countless others that are or were among the greats that no one has ever heard of.