# most distinctive singing voice **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 13, 2003, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817 "2003-08-13T03:21:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/61 "2003-08-13T15:16:41Z")
I’ll add Jimmie Dale Gilmore to the mix. ---
**Author:** ![WillSantini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ed8c4c/32.png) [@WillSantini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillSantini)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/62 "2003-08-13T16:53:07Z")
Marty Robbins Waylon Jennings Kris Kristofferson Hank Williams ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/63 "2003-08-13T17:01:35Z")
Barry White ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/64 "2003-08-13T17:30:13Z")
(kicking myself for forgetting Karen Carpenter!) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/65 "2003-08-13T17:39:58Z")
Amalia Rodriguez Salif Keita Joao Gilberto ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/66 "2003-08-13T17:41:57Z")
**JuanitaTech** beat me to Barry White. I think a lot of people mentioned are only unique in what they sing, not in their voices themselves. Freddie Mercury is pretty much unique when he sang his entire vocal range, hence the impossibility of finding someone who can front Queen for their entire back catelogue. I’ll add Shirley Bassey (our Shirley) as another unque singer, though there are a couple of transvestite stars that can do a mean impersonation of her. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/67 "2003-08-13T17:43:31Z")
Barry Manilow And, didn’t Journey replace Steve Perry with a soundalike? ---
**Author:** ![greck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ab992/32.png) [@greck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greck)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/68 "2003-08-13T17:53:05Z")
Barry White Tom Waits (after he got gruff) Geddy Lee (good one!) Bob Dylan (if that counts as singing) Louis Armstrong Willie Nelson Johnny Cash Neil Young Macy Gray (although she needs a few more hits to qualify) We’re talking people who, if they come out with a new song, you recognize it right away, right? Journey has a guy now that sounds JUST LIKE Steve Perry, pretty amazing though, cause his voice is distinct. Someone said the guy from Green day? yeah, right, everybody sounds just like him. Fake brittish accent punk singers are a dime a dozen nowadays -dont believe me? listen to the ataris second album. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/69 "2003-08-13T17:55:31Z")
See, I woulda said Joplin, but I think, oddly enough, that she and Steven Tyler sound pretty damn similar when they’re really wailing. Just fulfilling my quota of mentioning Aerosmith in every music thread in CS. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Mamapotomus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/94ad74/32.png) [@Mamapotomus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mamapotomus)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/70 "2003-08-13T18:16:23Z")
I can’t be the only **Julee Cruise** fan here, can I? She did the music for the Twin Peaks movie and her voice is truly bizarre. I really can’t explain it but it’s the most distinctive voice I’ve ever heard. ---
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/71 "2003-08-13T19:11:57Z")
I’ve read over the list so far and I “think” that these are being mentioned for the first time… Brad Roberts (lead for Crash Test Dummies) David Lee Roth Sammy Hagar Stan Freeberg Shel Silverstein Thurl Ravenscroft (“You’re a mean one… Mister Grinch”) John Flansburgh ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/72 "2003-08-13T19:28:48Z")
Richard Thompson Emmylou Harris ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/73 "2003-08-13T20:10:35Z")
> [@](#): > > Anybody mention Jello Biafra and Exene from the band X? I said Jello on the last page. Although there’s always room… ---
**Author:** ![Baggins111](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@Baggins111](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baggins111)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/74 "2003-08-13T21:29:30Z")
Already got the ones that first came to mind (Alison Krauss and Leonard Cohen) I’ll add: **Dave Matthews** **Fiona Apple** **Garrison Keillor** \ I know, I know, but you can tell it’s him. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/75 "2003-08-13T21:33:08Z")
Elvis Joey Ramone ---
**Author:** ![Merseybeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Merseybeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merseybeat)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/76 "2003-08-13T22:51:52Z")
Aretha Franklin ---
**Author:** ![Merseybeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Merseybeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merseybeat)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/77 "2003-08-13T22:53:07Z")
Should’ve added Dionne Warwick to that! ---
**Author:** ![rolandgunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@rolandgunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolandgunslinger)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/78 "2003-08-13T23:59:40Z")
The singer for QUEENSRYCHE. ---
**Author:** ![Merseybeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Merseybeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merseybeat)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/79 "2003-08-14T00:19:04Z")
I don’t think I’ve spotted LITTLE RICHARD - can’t get more distintive than him! ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/80 "2003-08-14T00:20:31Z")
**Donald Fagen** Sheesh, am I the only Danophile on this board? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817.md?page=5)