My Favorite Singers

A list in no order whatsoever of some of my favorite singers. Diverse, but not really amazingly diverse. There’s no throat singers, yodelers, opera stars, R&B soulsters, metal screamers, country twangers, or rappers. While my tastes do venture into all those categories, except the yodeling and opera, these have become the singers that have stayed with me for years. They are the trusted ones that never let me down, and I return to them time and again because they’re all unique, recognizable, and ingrained into my opinions of what makes a good singer.

Bob Dylan

Most people hate his voice, but I’ve always been drawn to it. Bob Dylan embodies an anti-authoritarian yearning that is carried into his lyrics and music; a twangy whine that went against the grain of almost everyone when he started. Yet now, most contemporary singers born in the last 40 years are influenced by him whether they like it or not.

Steve Perry

Nicknamed “The Voice” in Journey’s heyday, loved by the fans, and hated by the critics. Steve Perry is the voice of AOR, and millions have tried and failed to come close to his tonality and skill. What puts him so far ahead is the fact that he was born to sing, combined with an innate sensibility to make it evocative. He communicates raw talent with a fluent technique.

Bjork

From whispers to roars, Bjork is a posterchild for originality. I’ve always thought that she might’ve grown up sheltered from the sounds of other singers, whereby organically developing her own unique vocals. Her voice is the canvas and brush in a sense, because it’s so multi-dimensional. Dabbling into folk, electronica, jazz, and pop, she has a voice that doesn’t fit well anywhere, yet is the only possible fit for her music.

Gregg Allman

His singing is effortless and pristine. I really believe that Gregg Allman has never had to practice or exercise his voice because it just is – in more words; he’s a natural. There’s no filters in it, the voice is pure, undiluted, and honest. He howls and gently speaks in tones that weave into the meaning of blues and country that is the Allman Brothers sound.

Thom Yorke

Radiohead’s frontman is blessed with a voice that simultaneously sooths and grinds on the ears of his listeners. A high tenor that frequently jumps into falsetto territory, his voice can exude weakness and subtlety like no other. The closest thing that I can compare it to is Miles Davis’ approach to trumpet playing. Thom Yorke embraces fragility with a control that pushes his music to new places.

Stevie Nicks

The oddball in Fleetwood Mac is Stevie Nicks. Out of the 3 vocalists in the band, only she is instantly recognizable. She provides the friction to the melodies making everything beautifully harsh, and in the process; interesting. The limited range and rasp work in her favor to make for a voice that’s truly genuine.

John Wetton

Mostly known as the vocalist and bassist for King Crimson in the 70’s and then Asia in the 80’s, John Wetton possesses a crystalline voice that never seems to lose its edge with time. His recent solo work and return to Asia last year are evidence that his clear tenor is strong and commanding, albeit in a gentle way. His voice is unusual in that it resonates simplicity over technique while being juxtaposed with his band’s prog/pop musical ventures.

Tom Waits

The 2 most similar vocal approaches on this list are, Bjork and Tom Waits. They both stretch their voices to the absolute maximum, but in the case of Waits, he stretches it to the point of seemingly physical pain. Each song has its own unique voice singing, and his vocals are able to connect his vision directly to the audience’s hearts and ears. From a drunken crooner to a carnival grunt to a lonely troubadour, he is in due service to his characters.