Stevie Nicks
Patty Labelle
Selena
Gloria Esteban
Cyndi Lauper
Marvin Gaye
Jeff Lynne
John Fogerty
Tom Petty
Michael McDonald
Dennis DeYoung
Mick Jagger
Bono
Crispin Glover
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)
Crispin Glover sings? :eek:
:smack:
Howlin’ Wolf
Two words, David Tibet, the man who IS Current 93.
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.
Richard Harris…just think of “MacArthur’s Park”
Muddy Waters
Cyndi Lauper…no wait thats her speaking voice that’s distinctive 
Marley’s post of Howlin’ Wolf reminds me of Son House. Gravel-liest voice ever!
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.
Billy Corgan, also.
Nanci Griffith
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
No mention of Leon Redbone? If that’s not distinctive, I’m not sure what is.
sweet bejeesus, it is a train wreck.
Clowny-clown clown. :wally
Ha. Perhaps I should nominate William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy.
surprised no one has mentioned Annie Lennox
Leon Redbone I think is an excellent choice for the male side.
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.
Joel Grey.
Richard Butler