Rock singers

You gotta have Percy in there. Ian Curtis too. Agree about Morrison, but not quite up there with Plant.

Perhaps Ian Gillan in the Purps' imperial phase. Roger Chapman of Family was a good singer.

But the greatest rock singer of all? That was Lennon. Whatever other qualities he may or may not have had, he was the supreme rock 'n' roll vocalist.

+1 Jess Roden. His later work probably not rock but still excellent.

+1 Ian Gillan. His vocal performances on In Rock, Fireball and Machine Head are the tops, no question.

Consistently outstanding  over the decades must be DIO. DIO DIO.

Most underrated is Davey Pattison. (Montrose, Gamma and Robin Trower)

Don't forget the best; Robert Plant.

Ian Hunter ...

In the space of about three weeks some years ago I saw Robert Plant, Peter Hammill and Michael Stype, all very good and very powerful.

Eddie Vedder would be there for me too, and for range and sheer force of personality on stage (or perhaps size of ego) Freddie Mercury.

Maynard James Keenan of Tool and A Perfect Circle is another favourite of mine.

Never been one for the screechers (Dio and Bruce Dickinson) or the mumblers.

Fortunately I can say I have seen all of the above, except Bruce Dickinson, and unfortunately in the case of Dio (with Black Sabbath, that was a bad gig).

It would be Hammill and Plant for at the top for me.

Some great singers emerging - thanks. I few more to add to the list

Ian Anderson 

Terry Reid aka the lungs

Stevie Marriott

gregg Allman

Jack Bruce........

Barry

Alex Harvey.

Phil Lynott.

Roger Chapman.

Eddie Vedder.

Grace Slick

Laurence Walsh.

Are just six that come to mind.

I could go on and on & on, but i will leave that to others.

As this band said.

I'm with the Others.

Stu.

Vedder. Yorke. Lennon. 

Agreed ... unless it was McCartney. It's a toss up for me.

... paired with Mick Ronson on guitar, well that was the ultimate rock show.

As for the singer I would add Janis Joplin (if not mentioned already).

A bit left field but I also like Paul Wiliams; Juicy Lucy, Tempest and Colosseum.

Alex Harvey

Jack Bruce

Don Van Vliet

Arthur Lee

Maggie Bell

are a few that spring to mind

No Mark Knopfler????

Cosmic!!!!

+1

If Renaissance are consider a rock group then Annie Haslam 

Another contender would have to be Tarja Soile Susanna Turunen Cabuli (usually just known as Tarja) who is, of course, the singer with that superb Finnish band Nightwish. She is a full lyric soprano and has a vocal range of three octaves, but don't hold that against her because she can really sing too.  

If we are thinking male singers (no male singer except Scott Walker comes close to the top of my favourite vocalist list) then I'd have to go with Richard Sinclair of Caravan and Hatfield & THe North fame. 

If you want a shouting type of singer then try the Marbles' Graham Bonnet, who is the best rock vocalist ever to come from Skegness in my humble opinion. He went on to sing with Rainbow where he was a good honest Down To Earth rock singer.  

Of course Nigel Blackwell, Captain Sensible Beefheart (Don), Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ray Davies and Bob Dylan in their prime are taken as given, but then it is as much about what they sing as how they sing it. Nobody has suggest Liam Gallagher?  

How about Davis Clayton Thomas from Blood Sweat and Tears ?

Hi Barry,

+1 for DCT. Great voice. I'd also include early Rod Stewart, especially when he was with Jeff Beck.

I never realised you were 'Bigball' until I saw your Avatar. How's the RCM going? We must have another session soon. I'll give you a call.

ATB

Steve 

And I would add Steve Winwood and of course Dylan!

Interesting that there are few  females listed.

Can I throw in Beth Hart as one of the current female rock singers worthy of mention.

Apart from some already mentioned from the "early " days Terry Reid, Janis Joplin.

P.S. sorry for the oversight; Terry and Janis have been mentioned.

I like Roger Daltry, Robert Plant, Lennon & McCartney, Rod Stewart (when he wants to - think "Stay With Me" or "I'm Losing You"), Freddie Mercury, young Todd Rundgren.  I know I could name some others if I spent more time, and many suggestions above are fine ones.

Of course, this thread makes me think of the old joke:

Q: What do you call a guy who hangs around with a bunch of musicians?

A: "The singer"

(It's just a joke...geared towards instrumentalists, obviously!)

And how about Solomon Burke too?

And for whatever people think about his vocalizations, but the singer for "The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band" in many ways defined what it was to be a lead singer in a rock band.  I mean, can you imagine anyone else singing the Stones' music?  They might sing it better, but not as well.

And I think we should at least mention "The King"...

For me, this week, it would be between Maynard James Keenan and James Dewar.

1. Tim Buckley

2.Otis Redding

3. Paul Rodgers.

4. Les Brilleaux

5. All Green 

6. Sam Cooke 

7. Smokey Robinson

Regards Graham.

Here are a few more: Patti Smith, Chrissie Hynde and Debbie Harry (and of course there are a lot of good other female vocalists e.g. PJ Harvey and Sheryl Crow but are they rock singers).  

Of course, this thread makes me think of the old joke:

Q: What do you call a guy who hangs around with a bunch of musicians?

A: "The singer"

(It's just a joke...geared towards instrumentalists, obviously!)

Hi Mark,

The answer to the original joke was "The drummer".

ATB

Steve