Who are your favourite female singers?

[MaxL]

Looking through my album collection, I actually only have 1 album by a female singer. Eesh. Anyway:

Wendy Smith (of Prefab Sprout)
Tracy Chapman
Mama Cass
Ella Fitzgerald
Taylor Mills
LaVerne, Maxene and Patty Andrews

[Amy B.]

I really don't think Tori Amos gets the credit she deserves as a singer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqH2YBdL738

Or songwriter:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cyaIYpqjOg

Also, respect to Judy Garland.

[roll plymouth rock]

Margo Guryan. Judee Sill. The Carter Family (Maybelle & Sara). Emmylou. And Dolly Parton........wouldn't have said that until I caught her in Nashville this summer at a variety show @ the Ryman. Killer voice. And Patsy Cline. oh, and Bobbie Gentry. And Jackie DeShannon. Lots of em

[Slow In Brain]

Carnie is underated

Wendy has a nice pop sounding voice like the Bangles

Bic Runga

Shona Laing

Christine McVie

[Ron]

It's hard for me to name my favorite female singers, I love the female voice so I'll listen to almost anything if they're singing it honest. 

Some of my favorites:

Country:
Martina McBride
Faith Hill
Patty Loveless
Tammy Wynette
Reba
Allison Krauss
Rhonda Vincent

Pop/Rock:
Marilyn McCoo
Dusty Springfield
The Supremes
Aretha Franklin
Dionne Warwick
Mariah Carey


Probably 100's of 1 hit wonders or people that have 1 or 2 songs I'm really into, like the Proclaimers, or Heart, or the Bangles, or whatever. 

[Ron]

Oh, and I want to add: A lot of people mentioned her, but if you dont' have a healthy appreciation for Dusty Springfield, listen to "24 hours from Tulsa".  It's effortlessly great. 

[onkster]

Tracey Thorn
Astrud Gilberto
All 3 gals from Trio Esperanca
Patsy Cline
Julie London
Amalia Rodriguez
kd lang
Billie Holiday
Sam Phillips

I feel like I'm somehow forgetting some real heavy-hitters...

[Sheriff John Stone]

Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad

[feelflows]

Stevie Nicks
Cass Elliot
Christine McVie
Bonnie Raitt
Dusty Springfield
Natalie Maines
Florence Welch
Grace Potter
Carly Simon

[I. Spaceman]

I wonder if there will be a favorite male singers thread.

[Ron]

Start one! 

[Newguy562]

Amy Winehouse
Sade
Minnie Riperton
Carole King

I don't really listen to female singers..

[SG7]

Kate Bush
Lesley Gore
Ronnie Spector
Martha Wainwright
Mary Hansen
Maki Nomiya
Shannon Butcher
Alicia Keys
April March
Inara George
Bjork
Trish Keenan
France Gall

[EgoHanger1966]

Lesley Gore is my favorite.

[Ron]

I always just wrote off Liza Minelli but I saw her on something about two years ago, I couldn't believe how good she was.  What a pro. 

[Ron]

We forgot another one.  Wynonna Judd.  Oh her soul, very few people can sing with this particular brand of soul in my opinion.  BTW Dave Loggins wrote this song!  (turn your speakers down, it's mixed loud)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zw-ieXvqoc&feature=related

She's very theatrical and over the top, but with a voice like that you can pull that off without looking like a joke.  If you've never heard the story: Naomi was really poor, living in a small mountain town in Tennessee on food stamps... was trying to go to school to be a nurse.  She had a beat up guitar that someone had given her laying around the house, and when Wynonna was a really little girl (5? 6?) she started teaching herself to play it.  Soon everybody started noticing that she had a really fantastic voice.  Naomi started going to fairs/competitions/etc. and singing with her on stage, and they basically rode her natural talent right the hell out of Tennessee and to the top of the record charts.  Once they made it big, Naomi retired and let Wynonna have a solo career, popping in from time to time to do shows with her. 

BTW, they're involved with this thing called the "Santa Train".... every year, they get on a train and ride through the Smokey Mountains, when they get to those little towns like they lived in where everybody's dirt poor, they stop the train and give presents away to all the kids that show up at the stations. 

Another one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epODISlA4i0&feature=related

Kind of over the top, but I think the reason her sister and mom are crying in the audience is because Oprah just had her talking about how lonley she was or some man did her wrong or something. 

[SBonilla]

Not random or complete:

Peggy Lee
Neko Case
Skeeter Davis
El Perro Del Mar
Rose Maddox
Elis Regina
Annette Funicello
Essra Mohawk
Lisa Germano
Rose Maddox

[SBonilla]

Margo Guryan. Judee Sill. The Carter Family (Maybelle & Sara). Emmylou. And Dolly Parton........wouldn't have said that until I caught her in Nashville this summer at a variety show @ the Ryman. Killer voice. And Patsy Cline. oh, and Bobbie Gentry. And Jackie DeShannon. Lots of em

Bobbie Gentry and Jackie DeShannon are in my list. too. How could I have not mentioned them in the first round?

[Puggal]

Amy Winehouse
Billie Holiday...

 

[RangeRoverA1]

1) Lately I played B. J. Ward's cover of IJWMFTT & really loved it! She lightened the song by her laid-back, slightly jazzy vocal (though alternately, one could hear elements of funk & blues in her voice too). 
2) Discovered Lesley Duncan, some 70s singer-songwriter who used to perform on stage with Elton John. Despite not being impressed by her debut, it's that rare case when the voice compensates all the drawbacks. 1st, it's not too girley like Claudine Longet's (awful cover of GOK, btw) or too bass like Nico's; maybe it's mezzo. Then, what's unique about Lesley is that she sang even the upbeat stuff in a serious tone & sometimes even carrying religious notes in her vocal, with some trembling effect. Alas, no one noticed it in the past & she quickly became another fad. Her solo career went downhill like a comet.

[Gabo]

what is considered a "female?"

[Outtasight!]

Mavis Staples, Lucinda Williams, Emmylou Harris, Linda Thompson, shawn Colvin, Patti Smith, Joni, Kate Nash.

[Heysaboda]

what is considered a "female?"

we're going to debate this here???

 

[Mikie]

A Pismo Clam should know what a female is.....

[pixletwin]

Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad

YES!!!!!