So who was the greatest vocalist of the 20th Century?

Easy!

Maria Callas

Jeff Buckley

G

On the basis of where do I default when I can't think of anything else to listen to, then:

Kathleen Ferrier and The Band (Rick, Levon & Richard)

I think Frank Sinatra deserves an honourable mention

Second Kathleen Ferrier, an absolutely unique voice. But then so were the likes of Hans Hotter, Birgit Nilsson, Kirsten Flagstad, Fischer-Dieskau, Astrid Varnay, Wolfgang Wingassen and so..... as I suggested in another thread, I really don't think there's such a thing as a single greatest vocalist, I think the idea of a greatest anything is a little silly.

For what it's worth, and this just shows how differently two people can see the same thing, for me I find Jeff Buckley rather too like someone scraping their fingernails down a blackboard.

regards, Tam

Sinatra
Stevie Marriot
Marvin Gaye

Easy really...

Male: Peter Hammill (two ms)
Female Liz Frazer (Cocteau Twins)

Freddie Mercury

Does best vocalist = singer with the best voice?

If so female is easy enough
Ella Fitzgerald, Irma Thomas, Arethra Franklin.

Male: more difficult ( for me) Freddie White. Elvis Presley, Art Garfunkel


However if it best volcalist = the singers we like most for their voices

female : Lucinda Williams, Patti Smith, Suzanne Vega

Male, Bob Dylan, Phil Lynott, Frank Black.

Now, now EW - I'm not convinced you are being 100% sincere.

I could make a good case for Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, and Dame Janet Baker.

quote:

Now, now EW - I'm not convinced you are being 100% sincere.

Heehee! There was a man whose sense of style and understatemant, whose fine sense of the meanings of a word, and whose sublime taste and skill with a phrase make him the greatest of all singers... yes, you've guessed it...

Barrrrrcelloooooooona!

Radio googoo...

EW

quote:

Originally posted by Sloop John B:
Does best vocalist = singer with the best voice?

.. best volcalist = the singers we like most for their voices

Well either really - I'm not sure I know who has the best voice, but I know who I really like. I would guess Shirley Collins could sing any note she was asked to sing with immaculate clarity, but I'm not sure this has ever been tested.

I always find it interesting to learn what everybody thinks, as I get curious to learn why somebody thinks they are special, which leads me to try to listen to something different.

Jeff Buckley
Nick Drake
Mark E Smith
Morrissey
Ian Brown

Liz Fraser
Nina Simone
Billie Holliday
Natalie Merchant
Kristin Hersh

quote:

Originally posted by Squarepusher:
Jeff Buckley
Nick Drake
Mark E Smith
Morrissey
Ian Brown

Liz Fraser
Nina Simone
Billie Holliday
Natalie Merchant
Kristin Hersh

Oh? Not Freddie Mercury then??

Tom Waits -no brainer.

The greatest? Well I just don't know or even think it can be so easily judged, but my favourite was Flagstad, which is sad because mostly she recorded Wagner, which I don't enjoy! But in other repertoire, where she was more at home on the humaine and psychological level, such as Norwegian Melodie (roughly Art-song), she shows something I love very much. She made a unique Fidelio as well (Salzburg 1950 is a fair example of her extra-ordinary portrayal...), and I have her in other things as well which are all priceless.

Fredrik

quote:

Originally posted by Earwicker:
Oh? Not Freddie Mercury then??

You know, if your taste in music was better, I'd swear you were Mick Parry.

quote:

Originally posted by graham55:
Easy!

Maria Callas

Jeff Buckley

G

A truly great performer - she put heart and soul into her music but not a truly great voice - too harsh I would say.

Jussi Bjorling

Aretha Franklin
Cesaria Evora
Tom Waits
John Lee Hooker
and what about Karen Carpenter?

Nic

Female classical: Emma Kirkby
Female jazz: Ella
Female rock/pop: Dusty Springfield

Male jazz (ish): the recently deceased Lou Rawls
Male soul: Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding
Male Rock/pop: choose from Bob Seger, early Rod Stewart, Stephen Stills, Steve Winwood, Carl Wilson, Roger Daltrey

quote:

Originally posted by Sloop John B:
Does best vocalist = singer with the best voice?

If so female is easy enough
Ella Fitzgerald, Irma Thomas, Arethra Franklin.

Male: more difficult ( for me) Freddie White. Elvis Presley, Art Garfunkel


However if it best volcalist = the singers we like most for their voices

female : Lucinda Williams, Patti Smith, Suzanne Vega

Male, Bob Dylan, Phil Lynott, Frank Black.

bob dylan? Are you serious? A strangled cat sounds better surely?

Well, for me the voice of the twentieth century was Frank Sinatra; if I had to pick a female to give some pc balance, that would be Aretha, but thee voice is Frank, although Elvis gives him a close run for his money.

Who will they still be listening to in a hundred years time ?

Why, Frank, Elvis, and Leonard Cohen of course.

quote:

Originally posted by erik scothron:


bob dylan? Are you serious? A strangled cat sounds better surely?

You've got a lot of nerve!

Greatest, don't know. These are some of whom have given me the greatest pleasure at variuos times:
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau [Winterreise]
Muddy Waters
Jeff Buckley
Robert Plant
Ian Gillan

quote:

Originally posted by jayd:

quote:

Originally posted by Earwicker:
Oh? Not Freddie Mercury then??

You know, if your taste in music was better, I'd swear you were Mick Parry.

Chaps,

Since when has Mick Parry had good taste in music?

Regards,

Earwicker

I think Dietrich-Fischer Dieskau probably has it, all things considered. I could make a case for Janet Baker, Elizabeth Schwarzkopf, Birgit Nilsson and a few others, but on balance F-D wins.

I'm also a big admirer of Peter Schreier.

EW