# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/101 "2003-08-14T13:20:27Z")
The late, great Barry White. Israel’s Dudu Fisher. Nobody else is that good. ---
**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 14, 2003, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/102 "2003-08-14T13:34:01Z")
Good call on MJ, Treviathan. Seems so obvious now! ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/103 "2003-08-14T14:58:53Z")
Macy Gray popped into my head as soon as I saw the thread title. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/104 "2003-08-14T16:27:28Z")
How could we forget **Chrissie Hynde**? ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/105 "2003-08-14T16:35:49Z")
I’m surprised no one has mentioned Iggy Pop or David Bowie yet (unless somehow I missed it). With the possible exception of Edwyn “A Girl Like You” Collins, who unintentionally managed to sound a bit like both of them at once, I don’t think there’s any mistaking either of their voices. I see **Equipoise** got Nico already, and she’s a good one. I was well-read enough in rock history that I was familiar with descriptions of Nico’s voice before I ever actually heard it, but when I finally did I knew exactly who it was without being told! ---
**Author:** ![moejuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@moejuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejuck)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2003, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/106 "2003-08-14T16:54:50Z")
Art Garfunkle has slipped through the cracks. He is easily recognized when you hear one of his songs. ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/107 "2003-08-15T00:14:08Z")
Richard Thompson and Gordon Lightfoot are kind of similar vocally so I would have to strike Thompson from consideration, as much as I adore his work. Since I can’t believe we’ve gotten this far and no mention of him, I’ll offer up the distinctive and unusual voice of the late great Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. Whether playing it low in ballads and pleading songs like “Portrait Of A Man” and “Darling Please Forgive Me”, going wild with songs like “Constipation Blues” or “I Hear Voices”, or making a song his own with a cover version of “I Love Paris” or “Orange Colored Sky” - the man stood out vocally. His beautiful pure voice also able to grunt, groan, howl, wail, snort, and cackle like a one man madhouse. He must be heard to be believed. Seek him out. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/108 "2003-08-15T00:54:23Z")
Tom Waits is the first one to come to mind, but he’s been mentioned many times. Mel Torme? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/109 "2003-08-15T19:57:08Z")
You just don’t find too many bass singers these days. (I know Barry White was bass, but he always seemed to me to be more of a melodic speaking style, rather than actual singing.) With that in mind, I nominate the lead from Crash Test Dummies (Got the albums at home, but don’t know his name offhand.) ---
**Author:** ![Xander\_Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ce73a5/32.png) [@Xander\_Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xander_Cane)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/110 "2003-08-15T20:14:39Z")
I don’t know if anyone already mentioned them but it doesn’t matter. Kate Bush and David Bowie, 'nuff said! ---
**Author:** ![Swiring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Swiring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swiring)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/111 "2003-08-15T20:17:11Z")
Chet Baker Ella Fitzgerald Lady Day Nat King Cole Kathleen Battle Luciano Pavarotti Placido Domingo Frank Sinatra Slim Gaillard Mary Coughlan Vera Lynn ---
**Author:** ![Zweistein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/54ee81/32.png) [@Zweistein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zweistein)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/112 "2003-08-15T20:22:43Z")
Andreas Scholl, Countertenor ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/113 "2003-08-15T22:25:17Z")
For some reason, I immediately thought of Lee Marvin and ‘Wandering Star’. That is frightening. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/114 "2003-08-15T22:34:44Z")
I always thought that both Barry Gibb (especially in falsetto) and Robin Gibb (with his trembling vibrato) possessed very distinctive voices. I think someone has already mentioned Michael McDonald, who also has a very distinctive voice. ---
**Author:** ![Plankspanker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Plankspanker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plankspanker)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/115 "2003-08-15T22:49:15Z")
what i dont get is nobody has mentioned James Hetfield (Metallica) yet. i mean, that guy like redefined the heavy metal grrrrrrowwwwwllll!!! Another one would have to be Zach De la Rocha (RATM). I also find Dexter Holland (The Offspring) and Jimi Hendrix quite distinctive as well… ---
**Author:** ![rostfrei](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7bcc69/32.png) [@rostfrei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rostfrei)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/116 "2003-08-16T00:35:33Z")
There’s a jazz singer named Blossom Dearie that has one of the most distinctive voices around. She is well known for singing the song “Figure Eight” for the SchoolHouse Rock clips from the 1970s. ---
**Author:** ![look\_ninjas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@look\_ninjas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/look_ninjas)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/117 "2003-08-16T00:43:29Z")
I must have been skimming this list too quickly. Surely we can’t have gotten this far without one person mentioning Robert Smith of the Cure. Also, someone mentioned John Lennon, but I think Ringo Starr has the most distinctive singing voice of all the Beatles, for better or worse. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/118 "2003-08-16T01:34:16Z")
Eartha Kitt. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/119 "2003-08-16T01:38:27Z")
This should be at the top of the list: Florence Foster Jenkins. If you’ve never heard her, you have no idea what you’re missing, and how lucky you are. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/120 "2003-08-16T01:40:26Z")
Leonard Cohen Ville Valo of HIM [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817.md?page=7)