# most distinctive singing voice

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817>\
**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:** 8\
**Page:** 7

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**Author:** ![guy\_from\_wpa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5e9695/32.png) [@guy\_from\_wpa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guy_from_wpa)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/121 "2003-08-16T02:35:42Z")

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Re: Michael Jackson: I think he picked up those hiccups and hoots after the song I Just Can’t Stop Loving You (done with Siedah Garrett). In the book “The Billboard Book of Number One Hits”, she says:

```
 "When we were doing it, I didn't realize how much we were sounding alike. Michael is a vocal chameleon; he can sound like anyone."

```

Re: Jeff Lynne: Listen to the Traveling Wilburys, and I have a hard time figuring out Jeff Lynne or George Harrison.

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But for your consideration:

Rick Astley  
Patsy Cline  
John Denver  
Carole King  
Linda Ronstadt  
Jim Nabors  
Johnny Mathis  
Nat King Cole  
Bing Crosby  
Caruso  
Mario Lanza

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**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/122 "2003-08-16T04:11:18Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by rostfrei \*  
> There’s a jazz singer named Blossom Dearie that has one of the most distinctive voices around.

Already been mentioned, a few times.

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**Author:** ![peritrochoid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@peritrochoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peritrochoid)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/123 "2003-08-17T14:19:56Z")

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Louise Rhodes of Lamb, especially in the song _Gabriel_ … oooohhh … sexiest voice I’ve ever heard, and I can recognize it in an instant.

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**Author:** ![acrossthesea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@acrossthesea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/acrossthesea)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/124 "2003-08-17T15:28:58Z")

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Whitney Houston  
Mariah Carey  
Wesley Willis  
Thom Yorke (Radiohead)  
Layne Staley (Alice in Chains)

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**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/125 "2003-08-17T18:57:53Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by SuperNelson \*  
> \*\*Richard Butler \*\*

Mike Ness sounds a lot like Richard Butler. I never noticed untill I heard Social Distortion’s cover of “Pretty In Pink”. He sounds EXACTLY like RB.

Jon

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**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/126 "2003-08-17T19:54:00Z")

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Nobody has mentioned Joni Mitchell, or did I read too fast?

The category seemed to be “most distinctive” not “most pleasant” so it’s hard to believe no one’s mentioned her

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**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/127 "2003-08-18T15:29:56Z")

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Chris Cornell (Soundgarden, Audioslave)

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**Author:** ![Nanook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nanook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanook)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-distinctive-singing-voice/194817/128 "2003-08-18T15:42:41Z")

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I can’t believe no one mentioned STREISAND, arguably the greatest of them all, along with Garland.

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