What about Maryanne Faithful?
Although her low voice is the product of about 40 years of smoking. Younger folk may know her from the cameo she did with Metallica a few years back.
Oh, how could we all forget the great Alice Faye?
Margo Timmins
Beat me to it. But even lower, Eve, her contemporary Lee Morse, she of “T’Ain’t No Sin to Take of Your Skin and Dance Around in Your Bones” and “He’s Still My Baby” fame.
(And I’m thrilled to see Diamanda mentioned of course; she’s one of my personal divas.)
Ah–and the mention of Lee Morse shook my wee brainie loose and reminded me of the lovely, deep-voiced and deadly Libby Holman!
You probably think of her first as a comedian, but she sure can sing: Bette Midler.
. . . Ah, my age is creeping up on me; I think of Bette as a singer (I bought all her albums back in the '70s) who later got into acting . . .
PJ Harvey can hit some pretty low notes.
Has no one yet mentioned Sarah Vaughan?
Anita Baker
Dionne Farris
Des’ree
Patti Andress from Tuck & Patti
Meshell Ndegeocello
(just to name a few)
Tanita Tikaram
That’s because she is a goddess, and everyone else was paying attention to mortals.