Your favorite vocalists of all time

[The Cysko Kid]

Totally subjective topic. No genres.

My top 5

1. Freddy mercury

2. Ella Fitzgerald

3. Layne staley (of Alice in chains)

4. Nat King Cole

5. David Bowie

Hon mention: Brad Nowell (of sublime)

[Mudfly]

Gonna jump in on this one too....and agree right away with Staley and Mercury....(cant argue with any of them actually)

1) Freddie Mercury

2) Layne Staley

3) Chris Cornell

4) Ann Wilson

5) Marvin Gaye

Oh...and Aretha Franklin.....

[The Cysko Kid]

As Westside Steve Simmons is a pretty amazing vocalist himself I'd be interested in who he likes best

[One Post]

Don Henley

Jon Bon Jovi

Layne Staley

Sara Mclachan

Ozzy

[One Post]

Oh! And Jana Kramer oh goodness!

[gftChris]

other names (not to disagree with the above though):

Bruce Dickinson

Dean Martin

Anthony Kiedis

Joni Mitchell

[Westside Steve]

Hey sorry to slightly deviate from the OP, but I've broken this down into a couple categories and selected people not only on the basis of whether they are my favorites but for what I see is the actual talent, the chops, the abilities especially in the Rock category. Power, Pitch, range and control.

These are not necessarily my favorites but many are. I list them because I think they are among the best at what they do.

Among the guys who really really impress me for technical proficiency:

Eric Carmen ☆

Paul McCartney ☆

Joe Lynn Turner

Lou Gramm

Steve Perry

HM Meatloaf in his prime ☆

Crooners into which category I add expression and feel

Frank Sinatra ☆

Mel Torme

Jack Jones ☆

Lesley Gore ☆

Richard Harris ☆

HM for the sheer fact he can do so much with his voice, Al Jarreau

I added a subset of distinctive voices that aren't particularly great but they are memorable

Mick Jagger

Tom Waits

Alex Harvey

Bruce Springsteen

Alice Cooper

WSS

[The Cysko Kid]

Well that's cool you can do it any way you want I just want to avoid unnecessary discussion about who fits into what category or who is better than whom

[The Cysko Kid]

Each respondant has given at least one name I'm not immediately familiar with and that's great. That gives me some stuff to discover.

[Westside Steve]

@the-cysko-kid said:

Well that's cool you can do it any way you want I just want to avoid unnecessary discussion about who fits into what category or who is better than whom

I understand. That's just a list of guys I respect for their talent and ability. I put stars beside my very favorites.

WSS

[The Gipper]

Elvis

Freddie Mercury

Roy Orbison

Eric Carmen

Paul McCartney

Subset:

Carl Wilson

Roger Daltry

Mama Cass Elliot

Art Garfunkel

Barry Gibb

I stuck with the Rock n Roll genre...

[The Cysko Kid]

Roy Orbison certainly had a killer voice

[Chicopee John]

I don't know that I have favorite vocalists - kind of like having a favorite flavor of ice cream I guess - but any list has to include both Linda Ronstadt and Bonnie Raitt, IMHO

[The Cysko Kid]

@chicopee-john said:

I don't know that I have favorite vocalists - kind of like having a favorite flavor of ice cream I guess - but any list has to include both Linda Ronstadt and Bonnie Raitt, IMHO

Your honest opinion is fine that's what I asked for. On another note you don't have a favorite flavor of ice cream? I like ice cream but I can't go wrong with chocolate peanut butter ribbon

[The Gipper]

[The Gipper]

[The Gipper]

To me, I have always felt that this is perhaps THE perfect Rock n Roll song. It has the great Roy Orbison vocals. A really top notch guitar riff, a great, short drum solo, and a perfect subject: Watching Pretty women.....and Daisy Duke counts here for that.

The only problem is that they made this song the subject of a decidedly mediocre movie with a not very pretty Julia Roberts in the title role.

But that does not take away from the song.

[Chicopee John]

@chicopee-john said:

I don't know that I have favorite vocalists - kind of like having a favorite flavor of ice cream I guess - but any list has to include both Linda Ronstadt and Bonnie Raitt, IMHO

I guess you have to add Patsy Cline and Lou Rawls

For 'today's version' of Roy Orbison, you have to add Raul Malo of The Mavericks (can't wait to see Raul & the boys in June)

[Westside Steve]

I really love the Mavericks!

WSS

[Chicopee John]

@westside-steve said:

I really love the Mavericks!

WSS

Have you ever seen them live, Brother Steve? They are fantastic and play a long show to boot.