Only I think I have the cross-eyed, from looking at this spreadsheet of partnos.
So here's my question for you, as I look up partnos and listen to music in my tiny cubey:
Who's your favorite singer of all time? I mean, the one you think is the best voice you've ever heard.
P.S.--I still haven't had time to play with my fossil stuff from Maryland. Soon, people. Soon.
UPDATE! Here on my birdy blog so far, each commenter picked at least one female singer. On my other (political), almost all the super-opinionated types refused to pick! Here is a list culled from your comments:
Joan Baez (2 votes, including a tie with Madame Callas)
Ella Fitzgerald
Maria Callas
Eva Cassidy
All female vocalists--interesting! One person on the political blog did pick Paul McCartney.
Shall we qualify, then? To get a few more names into the mix? Here are a few thoughts:
1. My birding pal from work Hillel and I discussed the fact that some people are great singers (technically proficient, beautiful voice, etc.) while others are great vocalists, able to interpret a song like no one else but not necessarily the best technical voices. I think someone like Chrissie Hynde falls into this category. Not always pitch-perfect but emotionally honest and gut-wrenching.
2. The male/female thing--personally, I prefer the voices of women to men (go figure). However, someone like Andrea Boccelli can make me stop in my tracks to listen to him, as can Eric Clapton. Bono is also excellent. However, all the people on my initial list were females, from Streisand (the total package) to Shelby Lynne, Sinead O'Connor, and Alison Krauss (who IMHO could be, as the liner notes on one of her CDs say, "simply the best singer on the planet").
3. The question of genre loomed large for many. Let's narrow it to your favorite kind of music, with your favorite voice in that genre. Or not--whatever!
Some ideas to get your brains out of the dumb on a beeee-yootiful Friday morning.
16 comments:
I like Ella. Nothing fancy, just everything in its place.
How about one in each category?
No? Well then, it's a tie between Joan Baez and Maria Callas.
Joan Baez--hands down.
Eva Cassidy. Period.
Hello all--note that everyone picked women! I think everyone on my list is female as well. Wonder why?
Matty Boy--the First Lady of Song is an excellent choice.
NCMountainwoman--Interesting choices, both of them.
KGMom--really? I have never much liked her.
Lynne--Oooh, my friend Matthew loves her. What a short life she had. Her "Fields of Gold" is all I've ever heard.
Hands down...Celine Dion.
I cannot brain THIS WEEK.
And I ADORE Miss Ella. Saw her twice in concert.
1. Etta James (Old stuff)
2. Josh Groban (soft rock/sappy stuff), especially when he does "O Holy Night"....oooooo.
3. The original cast of RENT (showtunes) La Vie Boheme!
4. Geoff Tate of Queensryche (heavy rock). Dude makes my toes curl up and die a little)
5. Grace Slick (60's hippy stuff). not the best singer on the planet...just DISTINCTIVE.
Joan Baez, Judy Blue-eyes, Emmy Lou Harris, and K.D. Lang!
Waylon Jennings?
Ray Charles for getting it all out of a song!
Gosh, I mean what about Billie Holiday, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, or (fab of all fab) Nusrat Fata Ali Khan. OMG got to go and listen to him NOW........
I HAVE THE DUMB.
Love it!
LOL!
It's a trend with me, lately, Delia.
Barbara Streisand knocks my socks off. She IS the whole show.
Celine Dion gives me the shivers sometimes.
Christina Aguliera (spelling) - love her.
George Michael...ahhhh.
Barry White, Luther Vandross...still love them.
So many beautiful women's voices. How do you choose? As for men, there are those from opera of course, but frankly, I loved Johnny Cash.
I do NOT like to listen to men whose voices sound like women's.
You just know I'm about to be contrary.
:-)
I love, love, love Ray LaMontagne, Justin Nozuka, Michael Buble, Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz, etc.
Number one best singer ever, living or dead, male or female -
Ms Barbra Streisand. She has the range, the pitch, the intonation, the phrasing, the interpretation - Need I go on?
As for men's voices, I have always loved John Denver - clear, beautiful, and with such an important message.
~Kathi
I think I may have to make this into a poll!
Richard--Seriously? (I'm not being mean, I'm just making sure!) And welcome to the bloggy!
Beth--I hear you, man. Another vote for the First Lady of Song!
Susan--your choices are cracking me up. You'll always be into that 80s hair metal band thing, won't you? Oooh, and Grace Slick--nice choice! Etta James--Love her! Great choices.
Rabbits' Guy--nice choices with the 60s songstresses--can't go wrong there. Wow, a vote for Waylon. Ray Charles definitely got the most out of a song.
D.Moll--welcome to the bloggy! Of course Lady Day is a classic. Jimmie Dale Gilmore has a very distinctive voice--in my mind, he's one of those "love him or hate him" singers. I've never heard of Nusrat Fata Ali Khan--I'll have to google....
Mary--nice choices there--I think Aguilera has a great voice but not a lot of discipline. I think she overdoes it a lot, like a lot of the "divas" tended to do after Whitney and Mariah Carey started trying to out-do each other.
Bobbie--welcome to my humble bloggy, especially with your solid vote for the Man in Black. A true legend.
Laura--I like Buble as well, the others I'm kinda meh on.
Katdoc--Gotta agree with you on Ms. Streisand. Has there ever been anyone who can do it all like that, and yet not be insane or hooked on pills, or whatever? John Denver--a blast from the past! One of my favorite singers when I was a kid. Nice work!
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