# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![Intaglio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71e660/32.png) [@Intaglio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intaglio)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/81 "2003-08-14T00:31:11Z")
Stevie Nicks Patty Labelle Selena Gloria Esteban Cyndi Lauper Marvin Gaye Jeff Lynne John Fogerty Tom Petty Michael McDonald Dennis DeYoung Mick Jagger Bono ---
**Author:** ![Berserker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Berserker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berserker)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/82 "2003-08-14T00:41:27Z")
Crispin Glover ---
**Author:** ![auntnut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f6c823/32.png) [@auntnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntnut)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/83 "2003-08-14T00:45:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Skwerl \* > \*\*Aaron Neville \*\* That was my FIRST thought for this thread…it’s weird hearing this “Voice of an Angel” (he has been quoted as) and seeing this HUGE black man with an odd mole between his eyebrows… Handsdown my favorite singer also (Just in case you wanted to know and you can file that under “useless info. I could live without” file) ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/84 "2003-08-14T00:48:23Z")
Crispin Glover sings? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/85 "2003-08-14T00:49:47Z")
:smack: Howlin’ Wolf ---
**Author:** ![Shiva418](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@Shiva418](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shiva418)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/86 "2003-08-14T00:57:46Z")
Two words, **David Tibet** , the man who IS **Current 93**. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/87 "2003-08-14T01:18:35Z")
Heh. When I was growing up, my pa loved to teach me all about music. When we would overhear a snippet of a song somewhere, he would often ask me “Who’s singing?” At first, I found this very difficult. And then I figured something out–He would ask me that ONLY if either Ella or Aretha was singing. They each have a unique voice anyway, so it’s DAMN easy to tell them apart. He became very impressed with my ability to identify singers. After reading this thread, it occurred to me that I should probably confess. So, I just called him up and told him that I’ve been on to him for decades. He had a good laugh at himself–he hadn’t realized that it was only those two that he had asked about. And I thanked him for taking the time to introduce me to all sorts of most excellent music. 🙂 Anyway, I immediately thought of Aaron Neville too. I’m a huge fan, both of his solo work, and his work with the Neville Brothers. (Though I love Art’s voice too!) I really don’t like the “vocal gymnastics” style of singing that’s been all the rage for the past few years. The only one who can pull that off, in my humble opinion, is Mr. Aaron Neville. I’m also a big fan of Ozzy’s singing. I think he’s hands-down the best heavy metal vocalist ever. And definitely distinctive. And I’ve often thought that it might be fun to get Stevie Nicks, Emmylou Harris, Natalie Merchant, and Carly Simon to sing together. They’re each so unique, and to put them together might yield a really great result. Or a disaster. ---
**Author:** ![Odieman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a87d85/32.png) [@Odieman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odieman)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/88 "2003-08-14T01:49:10Z")
Richard Harris…just think of “MacArthur’s Park” Muddy Waters Cyndi Lauper…no wait thats her speaking voice that’s distinctive 😃 ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/89 "2003-08-14T02:11:33Z")
Marley’s post of Howlin’ Wolf reminds me of Son House. Gravel-liest voice ever! ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/90 "2003-08-14T02:13:12Z")
Yet another vote for **Blossom Dearie** , that’s who I thought of when I read the OP. You can add **Jack Sheldon** (“I’m just a Bill”, “Conjunction Junction”) while we’re on Schoolhouse Rock. ---
**Author:** ![Skwerl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Skwerl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skwerl)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/91 "2003-08-14T02:32:05Z")
Billy Corgan, also. ---
**Author:** ![the\_Lady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@the\_Lady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_Lady)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/92 "2003-08-14T03:41:39Z")
Nanci Griffith ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/93 "2003-08-14T03:46:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mamapotomus \* > \*\*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. \*\* Julee Cruise bizarre??!! It’s a beautiful, lovely voice, but not at all bizarre. It’s not that distictive either. Her voice, coupled with Badalamenti’s music, is disctintive, but there are tons of wispy, ethereal voices similar to hers. You just haven’t heard them. Don’t misunderstand, I do love her dearly. The Twin Peaks soundtrack, and her album Falling Into The Night, are two of my favorite records. Lists like this assume that _everybody_ knows who the singers are. I might recognize Ray Charles or Loretta Lynn, but somone else who didn’t grow up with radio might not. I’d recognize Kate Bush anywhere, but people who have been deprived would not. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a Queensryche song in my life, so I wouldn’t know the singer if I heard him. My list of unusual and distinctive voices **I** would instantly recognize (off the top of my head, no particular order): Alison Shaw of the band Cranes Betsy Martin of Caterwaul Val Martino of Grace Darling Rose Murphy Victoria Williams Yma Sumac Blossom Dearie Iris DeMent Stina Nordenstam Claire Grogan of Altered Images Virginia Astley Not so much _unusual_ but very distinctive, to me anyway: Lene Lovich Nina Hagen Kate Bush Happy Rhodes Rufus Wainwright Marta Sebestyen Mary Coughlan Mary Margaret O’Hara Jane Siberry Nico Sheila Chandra Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde Rickie Lee Jones ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/94 "2003-08-14T05:06:52Z")
No mention of **Leon Redbone**? If that’s not distinctive, I’m not sure what is. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/95 "2003-08-14T05:20:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by if6was9 \* > \*\*Crispin Glover sings? :eek: \*\* sweet bejeesus, it is a [train wreck](http://download.consumptionjunction.com/multimedia/cj_22483.wmv). Clowny-clown clown. :wally ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/96 "2003-08-14T05:31:55Z")
> [@](#): > > sweet bejeesus, it is a train wreck. > Clowny-clown clown. Ha. Perhaps I should nominate William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. ---
**Author:** ![Dogman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Dogman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogman)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/97 "2003-08-14T05:42:08Z")
surprised no one has mentioned Annie Lennox Leon Redbone I think is an excellent choice for the male side. ---
**Author:** ![Treviathan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/838e76/32.png) [@Treviathan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treviathan)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/98 "2003-08-14T05:44:27Z")
Adam Duritz and Steve Earle spring to mind. And **I** can’t believe (unless I missed it somewhere) that no one finds one Michael “King of Pop” Jackson to have a distinctive voice. What with those tics and yelps and all. ---
**Author:** ![Stage\_Manager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stage_manager/32/7267_2.png) [@Stage\_Manager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stage_Manager)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/99 "2003-08-14T06:52:01Z")
Joel Grey. ---
**Author:** ![SuperNelson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@SuperNelson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperNelson)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/100 "2003-08-14T13:07:12Z")
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