My favorite Thurl Ravenscroft performance: “Asleep in the Deep”
Thanks for this thread! As a bass/basso It is blasted hard to find anything for us to perform, though it doesn’t stop me from simply singing popular songs an octave down or so.
Type O negative’s singer the late Peter Steele could reach quite low when he felt like it. Anybody know of some other guys out there other than the operatics and a little fresher than the voices that came before?
That song brings back a memory of an “Our Gang” episode where one of the kids, the big fat one whose name I can’t recall, was singing it and put himself to sleep.
I must’ve been 6 years old at the time and found it hilarious. In fact, I haven’t heard it since.
Yeah…what’s that song of theirs that had that “A cross upon her bedroom door” lyric in it?
Okay, not the best. Really not even terribly good. But Bev Bevan doing Ben Crawley Steel Company is a lot of fun.
“Black No. one”
As an aside, How does one acquire that hollow boominess that Ravenscroft had? I can easily reach all the notes, but only some of them are produced with resonance. tips?
eta, I seem to be able to get that tone by using what feels like the back of my throat and chest together… Perhaps I simply need more practice speaking theatrically.
Excellent, but let’s not forget Jimmy Ricks of the Ravens. Actually, let’s not forget anything by the Ravens.
I mostly listen to Doo-Wop and R&B, and I have recently come to realize that I really dig anybody who can pull off a bass lead. I sent an e-mail to Jim the Curator over at the internet oldies station Destination Doo-wop, and he had a few suggestions to add to my own list. Check out these other bass leads you should know about:
Billy Faison of the Corvairs:
The Corvairs - True, True Love
Gerald Gregory of The Spaniels:
George Hollis of The Flairs:
The Flairs - Steppin’ Out
Will “Dub” Jones:
Cadets - Stranded in the Jungle
The Coasters - Brazil [Not on YouTube, but fantastic]
The Coasters - Zing Went the Strings of my Heart
Ellison White of the Four Jacks:
The Four Jacks - Last of the Good Rockin’ Man
James DelLoach:
The Blendairs - Memories of You
Bill Brown of the Dominoes:
Dominoes - Sixty Minute Man
Dominoes - Pedal Pushin’ Pappa
The Checkers - White Cliffs of Dover
The Checkers - Don’t Stop Dan
Al Conterera of the Mystics:
The Mystics - White Cliffs of Dover
A.P. Carter
James “Big Chief” Wetherington
Tim Foust of Home Free here or (with Avi Kaplan of Pentatonix) here.
Yes, I realize this is a zombie.
George Beverly Shea, who sang for the Billy Graham Ministries for many years, had a gorgeous basso profundo. He was 104 years old when he died. 
This song, “I’d Rather Have Jesus” was probably his specialty. You don’t have to be a person of faith to appreciate it as music.
I will second this mention, although a better example of his deep voice would be Long Black Train.
Oh.
aw dude - I thought it was gonna be best bassist singers and I was gonna be all like
Geddy Lee, bruh!
:(*
Maybe not Ravenscroft deep but deep enough - Ed Ames.
Most metal vocalists go for the deep thing, more often than not augmented by effects, to go for a cookie monster type thing, which I enjoy immensely.
While I can’t provide examples that have no vocal effects, Eric Rutan’s (of Hate Eternal) voice, as evidenced in a sound check, sounds just as deep as he does here.
*TBH this once-upon-a-time Rush fan always had to “contend” with Geddy’s vox. Would also like to mark this occasion that this has been the first time ever at the Dope that an asterisk was used with an emoji.
It turns out the evil, dark song I was seeking was “Christian Woman” by Typo O Negative. Creepy!
Again, gospel, but George Younce of the Cathedrals.
Ha! My quick read of the title had Geddy popping into my head as well. 
Geddy Lee singing bass? Hardly! 
If you’re looking for the anti-bass singer, how about Bradley Delp or Michael Sweet, the singer for Stryper who performed with Boston for a while after Delp’s death?
King’s X singer/bassist Doug Pinnick sings way better than Mr. Weinrib, and I have enjoyed both bands’ music. AFAIK, they never toured together, but believe me, they should have.
Burl Strevel from the Blue Ridge Quartet.
Top prize for anti-bass would have to go to Philip Bailey (EW&F).
I came in here to say the same thing. Eddie beat me to it, in the best way possible.