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#1 2008-06-04 19:15:25
- tom22
- Member
- Posts: 295
The Five Great Singers
I can only think of five in the 20th century: Jolson, Crosby, Dinah Washington, Tony Bennet, and Janis Joplin.
Sinatra was never in the league.
#2 2008-06-04 19:19:12
- tom22
- Member
- Posts: 295
Re: The Five Great Singers
PS: Mary Martin and Rosie Clooney. certainly very close. Sinatra still couldn't compete. Oh and Jimmy Durante. a far better songster than Sinatra could hope to be.
#3 2008-06-04 21:08:57
- Coolidge
- Member
- Posts: 1192
Re: The Five Great Singers
I would rank Torme and Sinatra and possibly Johnny Hartman above Bennett.
Can't abide Joplin, though I know she has a following. Billy Joel is my modern pick but admit to some vanilla taste which increases with modernity of the music.
Favorite lady is Chris Connor. A better torch singer there ne'er was. Would rank Fitzgerald or Connor above Washington. Anne Phillips was good too, but she only made one record. Ernestine Anderson underrated for similar reasons.
My five then: Crosby, Torme, Sinatra, Connor, Joel
Last edited by Coolidge (2008-06-04 21:13:24)
#4 2008-06-04 22:26:22
- katon
- Member
- Posts: 363
Re: The Five Great Singers
Chris Connor, what a voice. 
Still around, too, though I'm guessing she's seen better days.
Last edited by katon (2008-06-04 22:35:03)
#5 2008-06-04 23:27:56
- Film Noir Buff
- Dandy Nightmare
- From: Devil's Island
- Posts: 9341
Re: The Five Great Singers
No Nat King Cole, No Belafonte?
#8 2008-06-06 02:54:21
- The_Shooman
- A pretty face
- From: AUSTRALIA
- Posts: 13179
Re: The Five Great Singers
Too many good singers to mention.
#9 2008-06-06 03:34:25
- Moose Maclennan
- Ivy Inspiration
- From: Hernando's Hideaway
- Posts: 4577
Re: The Five Great Singers
^
Rolf Harris?
#10 2008-06-06 04:28:36
- flannel
- Member
- Posts: 155
Re: The Five Great Singers
Ella, Lady Day, McRae, Crosby, Garland
Ambivalent on McRae vs. Sarah Vaughan
#12 2008-06-06 07:44:10
- tripchauncey
- Member
- Posts: 568
Re: The Five Great Singers
Chums,
Colour me Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered, but what is the topic?
Are we talking quality of voice (jolson?), entertainment, charisma? All,, or nothing at all?
I presume tht we are keeping this to the great American songbook, and not Caruso, Pavarotti, ect.
Cheerio.
edit -- for stupidity in remembering song name.
Last edited by tripchauncey (2008-06-06 08:15:29)
#18 2008-06-06 18:10:00
- brescd01
- Member
- Posts: 22
Re: The Five Great Singers
Hilarious, I thought this thread was about Caruso, Ruffo, Ponselle, Bjorling and Callas (the last two not part of Tulio Seraphin's original list but most people would put them with the other three..
Last edited by brescd01 (2008-06-07 06:47:19)
#19 2008-06-06 20:20:50
- Vaclav
- Member
- Posts: 1330
Re: The Five Great Singers
I feel they , are :
Shaun Ryder
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybRe5oxosiM
Keith Morris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTPFhuRDI6w
Jack Ely
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0V4NRBQ7as
Mike Muir:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXK0Hjfkrgw
&,
Barry White
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BFrTxvxKTs
#20 2008-06-07 09:17:01
- formby
- Member
- From: Wiseacre
- Posts: 8359
Re: The Five Great Singers
^
'...Shaun Ryder...'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybRe5oxosiM
Vaclav's spot on here, I think you list could be "improved" with the addition of Jonny Rotten.
"Dressing, like painting, should have a residual stability, plus punctuation and surprise." - Richard Merkin
Souvent me Souvient
#21 2008-06-07 09:33:19
- The_Shooman
- A pretty face
- From: AUSTRALIA
- Posts: 13179
Re: The Five Great Singers
Good singers are interpreted in different ways. Eg,
* high range
* quality of vocal sound
* Expressiveness
* low range
* smoothness
* rough rock/metal voice
The point is....great singers come from each music gentre'.
Most importantly...VOCALS MUST HAVE CHARACTER!
#22 2008-06-07 09:52:29
- formby
- Member
- From: Wiseacre
- Posts: 8359
Re: The Five Great Singers
Joking aside. Best female singer in popular music (not opera) is without doubt in my mind the godmother of soul herself; Ms Aretha Franklin. Now that's a F**KING voice.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Dressing, like painting, should have a residual stability, plus punctuation and surprise." - Richard Merkin
Souvent me Souvient
#23 2008-06-08 15:55:25
- Afro Saxon
- Member
- From: Connecticut
- Posts: 90
Re: The Five Great Singers
Aretha Franklin by far I say, then Fitzgerald. I tend to enjoy female vocals more than male and can't think of a male I enjoy simply because of their voice. Sam Cooke's voice was soulful in the extreme sometimes he almost brings me to tears.
#24 2008-06-08 16:09:14
- formby
- Member
- From: Wiseacre
- Posts: 8359
Re: The Five Great Singers
^I also like Louis Armstrong's voice, not because it's a classic or technically good voice, it's just because it's so honest. For example when he sings the song "What A Wonderful World" he sounds like he actually means it, I can imagine him recording that song with that big beaming grin on his face. He's great. Fabulous biography as well:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Louis-Armstrong-Extravagant-Laurence-Bergreen/dp/0767901568/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=121296
I also think Roy Orbison had a great voice as well, another very honest voice, no male singer in rock and roll could sing about unrequited love quite like Orbison...
Excellent singers, both of them...
"Dressing, like painting, should have a residual stability, plus punctuation and surprise." - Richard Merkin
Souvent me Souvient
#25 2008-06-08 17:29:31
- tom22
- Member
- Posts: 295
Re: The Five Great Singers
It was supposed to be about popular singers, but I am happy to see where it goes. There actually were only two great voices of the 20th century: Ella Fitzgerald and Bing Crosby.
We can argue about it, but you would be wrong.