Grateful Dead Music Forum

ok, so i figured we'd beat a dead horse and continue along the lines of the recent favorite musicians and guitarist threads.

just list your favorite 10 or so signers and maybe why you like them so that others can get some insight to stuff they might like, though i guess a lot of reasons could be the same(emotive,heartfelt,etc)


mine-in no order

1.gram parsons-not technically great(often drunk even on albums), but truly cried when he sang
2.jerry-made every song his own
3.richard manuel(the band)-amazing range, angelic tone, tortured soul
4.john hartford-a little monotone, but reminds me of my grandpa and perfect fit for old-tyme music
5.ben kaufmann(ymsb)- can sing anything
6.david byrne(talking heads)-his paranoid phrasing fits the music perfectly
7.drew emmitt-just listen to leftover salmons "reach". the man projects
8.jim james(my morning jacket)-reverb drenched and takes you away
9.george jones-the man upon which all other country singers are compared. makes you want to pop open a brew
10.dwight yoakam-iconic twang
11.robbie fulks-witty phrasing, great range
12.willie nelson-very beautiful jazzy phrasings. he sounds like he doesn't even have to try
13.conor o'burst(bright eyes)-his trembling voice is one part emo, one part actual integrity
14.bobby osbourne-the greatest bluegrass singer ever. listen to the osbourne brothers 'ruby'

Ray Charles
Van Morrison
John Fogerty
Karen Carpenter
Billie Holiday
Jay Farrar
Rick Danko
Al Green
Frank Sinatra
Johnny Cash

Jerry Garcia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEg41k3Shq0[/youtube]

Bob Weir
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUiutKkMeiA[/youtube]

Brent Mydland
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4ARbQpVFHc[/youtube]

Johnny Cash
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7K4jH7NqUw[/youtube]

David Gilmour & Roger Waters (a great vocal team)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYd6mCAcQw8[/youtube]

Brad Nowell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGlC6F8Jq_s[/youtube]

Gene Ween (aka Aaron Freeman)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjtuKtJoDKw[/youtube]

Bob Dylan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E06SoECI ... re=related[/youtube]

John Lennon - the only artist who features a cover, but just listen to that voice!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4_ghOG9JQM[/youtube]
also
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBpIfVt46Bk[/youtube]

jerry garcia
bob dylan
john fogerty

I cant believe you havent mentioned
jim morrison
janis joplin
crosby
stills
nash

jerry garcia
bob dylan
john fogerty

I cant believe you havent mentioned
jim morrison
janis joplin
crosby
stills
nash

Bobby, Jerry, Pig, Brent - we all know about them
BEACH BOYS - great harmonies, give Sloop John B a listen
Lowell George (Little Feat) - nice clear tone, i love it
B.B. King - he's the king dammit
Fogerty (CCR) - Have YOU ever seen the rain?
Ella Fitzgerald - don't listen to much vocal jazz but she does it for me
Sinatra - conversational but rich and musical
Stevie Ray Vaughn - gritty sound great for blues
Chris Robinson (Black Crowes): probably the only younger rock voice i really dig. ass kicking attitude and good musicianship
Greg Allman - he wails. the old guy still got it
Bob Marley - ya man
Elton John - versatile guy
Janis - you should already know
Luciano Pavarotti - so POWERFUL
John Lennon - timeless
Van Morrison - van is the man.
Tom Petty - something appealing about that nasal twang
Mississippi John Hurt - understated, masterful. feels like you're with him
Meat Loaf - lot of soul, and i just think Paradise by the Dashboard Lights is the greatest shit ever

gotta admit i know very few of those country and bluegrass mentioned by big-river-bum. definitely agree with credits to The Band, but i have to admit i dont really know the singers voices apart from each other.

Least Favorite: Dave Matthews

Another one to add to the list:


Joe Cocker

Too many to list but besides the obvious love for Jerry, I have to go with Roger Daltry. No one has ever made me more ashamed of my own voice than that guy.

Mick Jagger (didn't appreciate him until my band tried doing the songs!)
Roger Daltrey
Janis Joplin
Anne Wilson (Heart)
Robert Plant
Stevie Wonder
All of the Band
Beck
and one of the best voices alive today and the most overlooked:
Elvis Costello

I would say one of my top fave singing voices would be David Torbert, (NRPS, Kingfish). Probably the best single recording of his voice was the studio version of Panama Red.
Another great singing voice, to my ear, was/is Doug Gray, of The Marshall Tucker Band.
For female vox... yeah... 'hard to beat Karen Carpenter for quality of vocal timbre.
I like the sound of Emylou Harris' voice, too.

In no particular order, (highlighting the ones I haven't seen mentioned):

Eric Clapton,
Rickie Lee Jones,
Bill Monroe,
Sam Cooke,
Otis Redding,
Ella Fitzgerald,
Willie Nelson,
Patsy Cline,
Joni Mitchell,
Jerry Garcia,
Lowell George,
Loretta Lynn,
Nora Jones,
Tony Bennett,
Louis Armstrong,
Ray Charles,
Dolly Parton,
David Bowie,
Stevie Wonder,
Robert Plant

...and FEIST

I guess i'll weigh in on this one too...in no particular order

Jerry Garcia
John Lennon
Stevie Wonder
Billie Holiday
B.B. King...more known for his guitar, but the man can sing with some soul
David Bowie
David Byrne...not the most talented, but something about his voice does it for me
Roger Plant
Marvin Gaye...sooo much soul

aJerry G
Levon Helm
Richard Manual
The Beatles
The Beach Boys
Rick Danko
Bob Dylan
Elvis Presley
Elvis Costello
Raul Malo(the Mavericks)
Joey Spampinato(NRBQ)
Lowell George
Willie Nelson
Capt Beefheart
Howlin Wolf
Muddy Waters
Stephen Stills
David crosby
Grace Slick
I should stop now!

Has anyone put Booby Weir on the list?

i think we can just stop the list here we all know the best singer of all time is trey anastasio

Ryan Adams