Unmistakable voices

[koeeoaddi]

As kind of a companion to the Songs you would have sworn were sung by somebody else (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=534263) thread, which artists have such a distinctive voices that you know them instantly and never mistake them for anyone else?

For me, it's Richie Havens, Bob Dylan, Buffy St. Marie, James Taylor, Robin Williamson, Rickie Lee Jones, Leonard Cohen, Johnny Cash and, um, ...Tiny Tim.

You?

[twickster]

Rod Stewart, Joe Cocker.

[runner pat]

Neil Sedaka
Frankie Valli
Gordon Lightfoot

[Enginerd]

Sting, Townes van Zandt, Neil Young.

[Elendil's Heir]

Aretha Franklin, Don Henley, Ray Charles, Roy Orbison, Bruce Springsteen, Phil Collins, Bruce Hornsby.

[RealityChuck]

Rev. Peyton, Steve Winwood, Meat Loaf, Janis, Gary Brooker, Vanda/Young (of Flash and the Pan -- one has a very distinctive voice, only I'm not sure which of them), Loudon Wainwright III, and the champion of them all, Howlin' Wolf,

[dropzone]

Lou Reed.

[Argent Towers]

Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac has one of the most distinctive voices ever, in my opinion. It has always been one of my favorite voices of rock music because.

[Pray for peace]

Tom Waits
Morrisey
Kate Bush
Peter Murphy

[Surly Chick]

Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton.

[Hazle Weatherfield]

Don Knotts
Robert Smith of The Cure
Bjork
Kate Pierson of B-52s
Fred Schneider of B-52s
James Earl Jones
Fran Drescher

[tumbleddown]

I'd agree with just about everybody listed and add Elvis Presley, Rick Astley (after a year and a half of being Rickrolled) and Colin Meloy from The Decemberists.

[Starving Artist]

Robin Gibb
Aretha Franklin
Michael Jackson
Donald Fagen (of Steely Dan)
Michael McDonald
All the Beatles except George
Barbra Streisand
Eric Clapton
Elton John
Nat King Cole
Janis Joplin
Frank Sinatra
Phil Collins
Glen Campbell
Tony Bennett
Helen Reddy
Mick Jagger
Louis Armstrong
Glenn Frey (Eagles)
Helen Rogers (Jazzmasters)
Olivia Newton John
Chris Cornell
John Denver
Beth Gibbons (Portishead)
Stevie Wonder
Kenny Rogers
Jimi Hendrix
Lionel Ritchie
Eartha Kitt
Carol Channing
George Thorogood
Van Morrison
Stevie Ray Vaughn

[Daddypants]

Geddy Lee
The lead singer of AC/DC, whose name I can't remember.

[Pray for peace]

OK, a couple more...

Janis Joplin
Peter Gabriel
Michael Stipe

[Hazle Weatherfield]

Paul Lynde!

Casey Kasem!

Dick Clark!

[woodstockbirdybird]

Peter Garrett of Midnight Oil
Shane MacGowan
Joe Strummer
Billy Bragg
Freddie Mercury
Joey Ramone
Bob Mould
Corrinne Tucker (Sleater-Kinney)
David Byrne
Gordon Gano (Violent Femmes)
Exene Cervenka
Cyndi Lauper

[jackdavinci]

Tom Waits and the guy from Crash Test Dummies

[Tinkertoy]

Randy Travis

[Icerigger]

With out question, Karen Carpenter.

[lawoot]

Thurl Ravenscroft (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPBS7dVrE1U)

[Chefguy]

Stevie Nicks

Jimi Hendryx

Billy Holiday

Jackie Wilson

Marvin Gaye

Gordon Lightfoot

Frank Sinatra

Tony Bennett

Jerry Vale

Marty Robbins

[KneadToKnow]

The lead singer of AC/DC, whose name I can't remember.

Which one? Bon Scott (pre-Back in Black) or Brian Johnson (since)?

[Sitnam]

Nat King Cole
Leadbelly

[cochrane]

No one has mentioned Joe Walsh yet?

David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar have pretty distinctive voices, too. So does Steven Tyler. And add former J. Geils'er Peter Wolf.

[enomaj]

Luther Vandross
Prince
Richard Pryor
Barry White
Lou Rawls
Gilbert Gottfried

[Gilbert Gottfried]i'm altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further[/Gilbert Gottfried]

[Trick Rider]

Tom Petty
Gord Downie
Win Butler and Regine Chassagne (only together, strangely enough)

[Earl Snake-Hips Tucker]

Mama Cass, anyone???

[norinew]

Morgan Freeman. Well, except the dude from the Allstate Insurance commercials seems to be a 'wannabe Morgan'.

[Rattlehead02]

Morgan Freeman. Well, except the dude from the Allstate Insurance commercials seems to be a 'wannabe Morgan'.

Keep making remarks like that and see how long it takes until Jack Bauer is shoving ball point pens into your knee cap! Blasphemer! :p

To take this down a heavier path:

King Diamond
Phil Anselmo (Especially during the Cowboys/Vulgar period)
Chuck Billy (Testament)
Dave Mustaine (Megadeth)
Don't know his name, but the singer for Exodus
Axl Rose
Rob Zombie

[cochrane]

A pair of Johns: Fogerty and Mellencamp.

[Daffyd]

Jimmy Somerville (Formerly of Bronski Beat and the Communards)

[Talon Karrde]

Nico
Chuck D from Public Enemy
Mike Mills and Michael Stipe from R.E.M.

[astro]

G.G. Allin

[Baggins111]

Alison Krauss

Garrison Keillor

Tom and Ray Magliozzi

Sean Connery