Who are your favorite singers from the '50s?

You are also welcome to mention a recording that exemplifies what you like about the singer.

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Elvis Presley. Almost any recording from the first years would work as an example, but I'll go with One-sided Love affair:

Sam Cooke. I think he was just as great with the Soul Stirrers as he was as a solo artist. My absolute favorite performance of his is He's My Friend until the End from 1954: Sam Cooke & The Soul Stirrers- He's My Friend Untill The End

Lillian Leach. One of the loveliest voices ever. Moon of Silver: Lillian Leach and The Mellows - Moon of Silver - Beautiful 1959 Ballad (the year in the link is wrong: it should be 1956)

Mavis Staple. Her singing really makes the recordings by the Staple Singers stand out among the contemporary music. Uncloudy Day: Uncloudy Day - The Staple Singers

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I think I'll stop here. At least there is no singer from the decade that I'd prefer any day to these.

 

Chuck Berry

 

The Wolf

 

Bobby Darin, Elvis Presley, Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Tony Williams (Platters), Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin.

 

Well, I love the lines he sings. If singing qualities are placed in a spectrum between (but not including) speaking voice and song writing, then I guess Chuck Berry's singing quality is very far to the right.

 

Also a favorite of mine. I considered including him in the absolute top.

 

Yeah, Elvis, Chuck, Wolf, Buddy, Phil & Don, Sam Cooke all fantastic, but don't let us forget:

Al Hibbler

 

I do not know Bobby Darin so well, but his take on La Mer is great.

 

Dion Dimucci

 

Fats Domino. Here’s “Blue Monday”

 

Inimitable.

 

Patsy Cline, Ray Price, Hank Williams, Lefty Frizzell

 

Haven't heard that for awhile. Just love the way he got excited starting at 'a fair exchange'. Brilliant stylist!

 

I love a ton of fifties music ... best voices for me

The Guys
Little Richard - the first hard rock singer
Sam Cooke - so smooth
Elvis Presley - so versatile
Ray Charles - just got better and better
Jerry Lee Lewis - great tone
Phil and Don Everly - brought a whole world of harmony in
Howlin Wolf - was magic

The Ladies
Patsy Cline - could break my heart with her ballads, beautiful voice
Billie Holiday - out and out original with so much texture
Ella Fitzgerald - another legend

 

This is a great list. It is hard to me to pick favorites among the country singers, but it is probably the genre that I enjoy most from the decade, at least if rockabilly is included.

 

I agree with everything you write. I mostly listen to the earlier stuff from Billie and Ella, and if we talk about the '40s and '30s, they are both top five. But it always makes me a little sad to listen to Billie from this period...

 

I can understand that. I have a soft spot for Lady In Satin

 

Amongst those not mentioned yet - Clyde McPhatter, Nat King Cole, Kitty Wells, Wanda Jackson, Peggy Lee, Ray Charles, Lavern Baker, Ruth Brown .....

 

Frank Sinatra and Ricky Nelson.

 

pretty much all who have charted and then some...

 

Porter Wagoner.

 

I seem to mainly listen to 50s' music these days. My favorite singers:

- Elvis Presley
- Howlin' Wolf
- Fats Domino
- Johnny Cash
- Blossom Dearie
- Louis Armstrong (singing a lot in the 50s)

But my favorite singer of all from the 50s is...
- Sam Cooke

 

Ella
Dinah Washington
Rosemary Clooney
Muddy
Johnny Guitar Watson
Satchmo
Carmen McRae
Lambert Hendricks & Ross
Eddie Jefferson

 

Sarah Vaughan
Johnny Mathis
Rosemary Clooney
Ricky Nelson
Nat "King" Cole