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

Posted by: Guido Fawkes on 20 January 2006

Impossible to answer, of course. However, I can say my favourite vocalists and they'll be of no surprise to anybody.

Female: Shirley Collins
Male: Robert Wyatt

I also think (in no order) Mary Black, Anne Briggs, Vishti Bunyan, Kate Bush, Mary Capin-Carpenter, Sandy Denny, Peter Hamill, Celia Humphries, Kirsty MacColl, Jacqui McShee, Maddy Prior, Paul Rodgers, Richard Sinclair, Melanie Safka and Dusty Sprinfield are excellent.
Posted on: 21 January 2006 by Squarepusher
quote:
Originally posted by Earwicker:
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??


???
Posted on: 21 January 2006 by Gianluigi Mazzorana
It's hard to say and not fair for the singers i've never heard.
One of them i like more is Tracey Thorn, Everything but the girl.
Posted on: 21 January 2006 by dave brubeck
Female - Betty Carter
Male - Chuck D of Pubic Enemy fame
Posted on: 21 January 2006 by dave brubeck
Pubic Enemy? Who are they?
Posted on: 21 January 2006 by Gianluigi Mazzorana
A group that sings against Bush.
Posted on: 21 January 2006 by erik scothron
quote:
Originally posted by Sloop John B:
quote:
Originally posted by erik scothron:


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



You've got a lot of nerve!


bob dylan sounds like a cross between a strangled cat and a snear by someone with a partial face paralysis I am astonished that even his most devoted fan would suggest he was the vocalist of the centuary. He wrote a few good songs then murdered them by performing them. My advice: Listen to a properly trained opera singer live for a few minutes and then listen to dylan's thin, sad, impoverished two dimensional cartoon character whine and you may change your mind. I quite like his song 'hurricane' but mainly for Scarlet River. on violin.
Posted on: 21 January 2006 by Rasher
Elvis Presley
End of thread. Razz
Posted on: 21 January 2006 by Bob McC
The people who nominate Presley are taking the piss surely!
Posted on: 21 January 2006 by chuck777
Dean Martin is my choice.

Charles
Posted on: 21 January 2006 by Polarbear
freddie mercury.
Posted on: 21 January 2006 by dsteady
Clearly, it's Phil Lesh.
dn'l
Posted on: 21 January 2006 by Guido Fawkes
quote:
Originally posted by dsteady:
Clearly, it's Phil Lesh.
dn'l


Seriously? I love Phil Lesh's music and his immense contibutions that support artists attempting to create fresh and original music. Phil has written some truly great songs - Unbroken Chain comes to mind - and mixed that truly ground breaking masterpiece Anthem of the Sun. I just don't see him as the greatest vocalist though.

dteady, please can you recommend what you think is Phil at his best. I've got most of the Grateful Dead albums up to Blues for Allah.

Thanks, Rotf
Posted on: 21 January 2006 by Paul R S
Elvis Presley
Nick Cave
Freddie again


Eva Cassidy
Margo Timmins
Carole King
Aretha
Posted on: 21 January 2006 by scottyhammer
freddie
gillan
plant


s.bassey
delores o roran
alison moyet
Posted on: 21 January 2006 by Malky
[QUOTE]Originally posted by ROTF:
please can you recommend what you think is Phil at his best
___________________________________________________

Closing the Dead's October 1990 Wembley show, taking lead vocal on The Band's 'The Weight'
Posted on: 21 January 2006 by jayd
quote:
Originally posted by Earwicker:
Chaps,

Since when has Mick Parry had good taste in music?

Regards,

Earwicker

I said better than yours. I never said good.
Posted on: 21 January 2006 by MichaelC
Another vote for Freddie (even my father, who hated all things "pop" commented upon his voice and going on to comment that he should really have been an opera singer!!!).

I would also add:

Plant & Gillan too.

But up there with Freddie is for me:

David Clayton-Thomas
Posted on: 21 January 2006 by dsteady
quote:
Originally posted by ROTF:
quote:
Originally posted by dsteady:
Clearly, it's Phil Lesh.
dn'l

dteady, please can you recommend what you think is Phil at his best. I've got most of the Grateful Dead albums up to Blues for Allah.
Thanks, Rotf


Rotf, Sorry, I should have included a smiley with that comment. I too love Phil Lesh and his contributions to music, but I made the comment with full irony, since, I think, even the most diehard Phil phan must admit that his voice is pretty damn shakey. But, to answer your question I'd say that much of his recent Phil and Friends output is very good. "There and Back Aagin" stands out, but as with all things Grateful Dead, it's best to see him live.
daniel
Posted on: 22 January 2006 by Rasher
quote:
Originally posted by bob mccluckie:
The people who nominate Presley are taking the piss surely!

Normally I do, but in this case absolutely not. Honest.
Listen to pre-Vegas stuff properly & you'll see.
Posted on: 22 January 2006 by RiNo
Birgit Nilsson
Jussi Björling
Posted on: 22 January 2006 by o.j.
johnny cash
j.j Cale
Louis Armstrong.
robert plant.
Michelle shocked.
Burdon (best black white voice)
ulla meinecke.
thelma houston.
sinnead oc onnor
portishead
kari bremnes

maybe not the "best" ,but a selection of Voices which sound
absolute unique and interesting.
Posted on: 22 January 2006 by Earwicker
I've given it some thought and it was definitely Freddie Mercury.

EW
Posted on: 22 January 2006 by o.j.
I "forgot" to mention Freddie,
think he is not in the competition,
because of:He is a league of its own.
think he will win male voice voting.
O.J.
Posted on: 22 January 2006 by Spock
Very difficult question, but nominations in the most “beautiful voice” category would go to

Eva Cassidy
Jeff Buckley

Spock
Posted on: 22 January 2006 by Earwicker
quote:
Originally posted by o.j.:
I "forgot" to mention Freddie,

How could you? He was by far and away the greatest singer of the 20th century. An absolutely incomparable talent.

EW