The simplest premise, who are your top two (or three, we'll have no fighting here) male and female vocalists of all time? There is no such thing as a wrong answer!!!

 

Male

 

Chuck Jackson 

Frank Beverly

 

Female

 

Dee Dee Sharp

Thelma Houston

 

Go!

 

Teddy Pendergrass

David Ruffin

Levi Stubbs

Marvin Gaye

 

Tammi Terrell

Gladys Knight

 

 

 

Hello Kev mate

I was in a hurry so I thought I'd just name the most obvious one for now

You know me, if I make a list it will soon become quite long... Al Green, David Ruffin, Bobby Womack, Aretha, Gladys, Marvin Junior etc.

Edited September 12, 201311 yr by Paul

do you think an artist needs a substantial body of work to be considered a great vocalist?

do you think an artist needs a substantial body of work to be considered a great vocalist?

 

Hello Mike

That's a good question because I think most people think first about those with a body of work, that's why I mentioned Levi Stubbs, Al Green, Bobby Womack etc. and when I get time I'll add Johnny Adams, The O'Jays and James Carr to that list.

But as much as I love Aretha and Gladys (not to forget Candi) I also have a thing about some artists who weren't very prolific: Annette Snell, Debbie Taylor, Norma Jenkins, Jean Stanback, etc.

The same applies to some artists who weren't always very musically consistent because I've always have a thing for people such as Don Covay, Donnie Elbert, Roy C and even Bunny Sigler who could amaze me with one record and bore me with another.

But my problem, you probably know, is that when I make a list I don't know when to stop.

 

 

Hope to catch up with you soon.

think I got go for oits too, female it'd have to be Linda jones.

 

Christ almighty what at on about lad! sorry its Eddie Kendricks and Rochelle Flemming today.

No disrespect to any of my fellow artists, whose voices I love dearly, but:  Male, Johnny Mathis, Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson and female, Etta James.

 

Lorraine

Edited September 12, 201311 yr by lorchand

Male: Bobby Taylor

 

Female: Tammi Terrell, Kim Weston.

male

marvin gaye

terry callier

 

female

brenda holloway

gladys knight

Edited September 13, 201311 yr by appy2be

for the men it`s the two jackies for me

Jackie Wilson&Jackie Lee

and for the ladies in a photo finish,can`t be separated

Patti Austin&Gladys Knight

do you think an artist needs a substantial body of work to be considered a great vocalist?

 

yeah.....that's how I read the question raised in this thread....."greatest" meaning biggest and best in my personal view, too many great vocals on individual tracks so too difficult to narrow it down otherwise.

do you think an artist needs a substantial body of work to be considered a great vocalist?

Yes defo Mike, singers like Albert Jones and Mike James Kirkland and Jo Armstead just failed to make "the cut" for me on that concept in comparison to the one,s mentioned

 

Kev

The Boys..... Ray Charles, Johnnie Taylor, Little Willie John, Paul Williams and a shout for Merle Spears.

The Girls.... Margie Hendrix, Ruth Brown, Etta James, Johnnie Mae Matthews and Della Reese.

Marvin Gaye

Sam Cooke

(not soul but - Nat King Cole)

 

How about Soul Source's Lorraine Chandler

Martha Reeves.

Got to be   Levi Stubbs   for me , for the pure emotion he could put into a song    

 

Bazza    

Brenda holloway

Gladys knight

Levi Stubbs

Smokey Robinson

Spencer wiggins

Edited September 13, 201311 yr by NEV

Jo Armstead is seriously underrated. So is Joe Tex.

No surprises from me, Jackie Wilson & Aretha would get my votes.

 

Really rate Willie Roundtree but, sadly like so many others, there's little material out there.

Too many for me really - but Edwin Starr deserves a shout so he gets one from me.

 

Edwin Starr

 

 

Peter

Too many for me really - but Edwin Starr deserves a shout so he gets one from me.

 

Edwin Starr

 

 

Peter

Glad you mentioned Edwin.   Way back when Greg Tormo had his own  chat group, the magazine  Mojo posted up their 100 top vocalists - black artists featured heavily with the usual suspects featured highly Marvin, Aretha etc  I ran our own poll and we all voted for our top 10 (maybe 20) - I then compiled quite a long list.   Edwin featured very high indeed.  But the artist that was highest in our poll (not top) that did not feature in the Mojo 100 was Chuck Jackson.

 

If anyone is interested I'll dig it out and post it up.

 

Mike

Male : Bobby Womack

           Sam Dees

           George Jackson

           Walter Jackson

 

Female : Jo Armstead.

               Doris Duke

               Aretha Franklyn

               Gladys Knight 

Almost impossible to do this !!

 

Teddy Pendergrass

Jerry Butler

Eddie Levert

 

Aretha Franklin

Tammi Terrell

Millie Jackson

Stripping out what they were given to record & leaving sheer ability/soulfulness:

 

Walter Jackson & Madeline Bell

Looking back through the thread has Jimmy Radcliffe had a mention?

Male. Levi Stubbs

Willie John

Roy Hamilton

Female. Big may belle

Etta James

Marie knight

Gladys Knight

Dusty Springfield

Judy Garland

Donny Hathaway

Jackie Wilson

Frank Sinatra

Lou Johnson

Bobby Bland

Marvin Gaye

Aretha

Linda Jones

Tammi Terrell

Most of the legends I would have chosen have been listed already Bobby Womack, Aretha et al. But what about Charles Bradley as a great male vocalist? His Victim of Love album shows what a great vocalist he is. Also Little Milton is overlooked.

Edited September 13, 201311 yr by autumnstoned

Levi Stubbs----Walter Jackson.

Bobbie Smith----Almeta Lattimore.

non soul....

Elvis Presley----Karen Carpenter.

Edited September 15, 201311 yr by I KNOW NOTHING

Reaing through there are so many I agree with.

 

Jackie Wilson 

Livi   Stubbs

J.J Barnes

 

 

Diana Ross 

Gladys Knights

Brenda Hollaway

 

could go on & on

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg2ZuvOeEnI

Edited September 15, 201311 yr by garethx

Edited September 15, 201311 yr by garethx

In no particular order Eddie Kendricks

                                  Roy Hamilton

                                 Philip Wynne

 

                                 Carolyn Crawford

                                Irma Thomas

                                Doris Duke

Just wondering if everyone who has replied to this thread replied again in a couple of weeks time without looking at their previous choices would come they up with the same ones, just a thought

Lead singer of The Tomangoes

Roy Hamilton

Luther Ingram

 

Gloria Jones

Sandy Wynns

Barbara McNair

Curts Mayfield

 

Alice Clark

Just wondering if everyone who has replied to this thread replied again in a couple of weeks time without looking at their previous choices would come they up with the same ones, just a thought

Yes Definately

Ray Pollard by a country mile, no real stand-out on the females but Big Momma Thornton for Hound Dog is up there.

Male:

 

James Carr

Oscar Toney Jr.

Tommy Hunt

 

Female:

 

Doris Duke

Etta James

Big Maybelle

Lead singer of The Tomangoes

Roy Hamilton

Luther Ingram

 

Gloria Jones

Sandy Wynns

Barbara McNair

 

Dusty Williams aka Claude Williams as on writer credits

BIG MAMA THORNTON

ARETHA FRANKLIN

 

 

OTIS REDDING

SMOKEY ROBINSON

todays pick, my third stab at this, 

 

robert owens

 

martha wash.

Wouldn't disagree with most of the above.

Not sure if these have been mentioned:

 

Darrell Banks

Norman General Johnson

 

Kim Weston

Wouldn't disagree with most of the above.

Not sure if these have been mentioned:

 

Darrell Banks

Norman General Johnson

 

Kim Weston

"The General" great choice, should of had him in mine

 

Kev

Reminds me of the superb George Jackson compilation that you were involved in Gareth.

Don't think anyone has nominated Loleatta Holloway.......

It never ceases to amaze me how many people misspell very famous soul singer’s names.

 

For the record, mine’s Otis Reading

It never ceases to amaze me how many people misspell very famous soul singer’s names.

 

For the record, mine’s Otis Reading

you have me worried . that's how you spell 'Loleatta Holloway' isn't it?

You're right Mike.

Edited September 16, 201311 yr by phillybuster

The simplest premise, who are your top two (or three, we'll have no fighting here) male and female vocalists of all time? There is no such thing as a wrong answer!!!

 

Male

 

Chuck Jackson 

Frank Beverly

 

Female

 

Dee Dee Sharp

Thelma Houston

 

Go!

Levi Stubbs

Chuck Jackson

Edwin Starr

Dusty Springfield

Brenda Holloway

Lisa Stansfield.

 

Steve

It's been difficult to do but after much thought

Male

Little Anthony

Darrow Fletcher

Female

Etta James

Billie Dearborn