I’ll add Jimmie Dale Gilmore to the mix.
Marty Robbins
Waylon Jennings
Kris Kristofferson
Hank Williams
Barry White
(kicking myself for forgetting Karen Carpenter!)
Amalia Rodriguez
Salif Keita
Joao Gilberto
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.
Barry Manilow
And, didn’t Journey replace Steve Perry with a soundalike?
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.
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.
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.
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
Richard Thompson
Emmylou Harris
I said Jello on the last page. Although there’s always room…
Already got the ones that first came to mind (Alison Krauss and Leonard Cohen) I’ll add:
Dave Matthews
Fiona Apple
Garrison Keillor <sp?> I know, I know, but you can tell it’s him.
Elvis
Joey Ramone
Aretha Franklin
Should’ve added Dionne Warwick to that!
The singer for QUEENSRYCHE.
I don’t think I’ve spotted LITTLE RICHARD - can’t get more distintive than him!
Donald Fagen
Sheesh, am I the only Danophile on this board?