# Recommend good, torch-ey female vocalists! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 19, 2012, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-torch-ey-female-vocalists/619268 "2012-04-19T14:24:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-torch-ey-female-vocalists/619268/1 "2012-04-19T14:24:22Z")
Think “Julie London, but not dead.” ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-torch-ey-female-vocalists/619268/2 "2012-04-19T14:35:10Z")
May I suggest: Patty Griffin [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVy4w6vq8y8) Joan Osborne [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/556ExJv3ymk/hqdefault.jpg "I've Got To Use My Imagination (cover) by Joan Osborne") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=556ExJv3ymk) Christina Perri [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HH7WXlf9WLk/hqdefault.jpg "Christina Perri - Jar of Hearts") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH7WXlf9WLk) Missy Higgins [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/c9QNRvXH1HI/hqdefault.jpg "Missy Higgins - Where I Stood (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9QNRvXH1HI) Adele [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBcMKwbMEcQ) ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-torch-ey-female-vocalists/619268/3 "2012-04-19T15:29:10Z")
Also Eilen Jewell: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/3JUgPmbvYj4/maxresdefault.jpg "EILEN JEWELL SANTA FE") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JUgPmbvYj4) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/CTuBoqon4JA/hqdefault.jpg "Eilen Jewell "Sea Of Tears"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTuBoqon4JA) Plus, she can rock, too: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/FihtGIRbLsI/maxresdefault.jpg "Eilen Jewell "Queen of the Minor Key"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FihtGIRbLsI) ---
**Author:** ![Sandra\_Battye](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sandra_battye/32/552_2.png) [@Sandra\_Battye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sandra_Battye)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-torch-ey-female-vocalists/619268/4 "2012-04-19T15:59:30Z")
Patti Austin [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epPBiikqTcs&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epPBiikqTcs&feature=related) Diana Kraull [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it1NaXrIN9I](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it1NaXrIN9I) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-torch-ey-female-vocalists/619268/5 "2012-04-19T16:41:45Z")
[Amy Irving.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XB0kM53EwPo) ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-torch-ey-female-vocalists/619268/6 "2012-04-19T16:44:13Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > Think “Julie London, but not dead.” \*Not \*dead? That leaves out all the best ones . . . ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-torch-ey-female-vocalists/619268/7 "2012-04-19T17:46:04Z")
[Holly Cole](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holly_Cole) maybe. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-torch-ey-female-vocalists/619268/8 "2012-04-19T17:51:38Z")
[k d lang](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwIH4_AnlpQ&feature=related). ---
**Author:** ![Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunzio_Tavulari)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-torch-ey-female-vocalists/619268/9 "2012-04-20T10:13:27Z")
Madeleine Peyroux ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-torch-ey-female-vocalists/619268/10 "2012-04-20T10:50:39Z")
The best young jazz singer on earth Melody Gardot. [Your Heart Is As Black As Night](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kmc1XN3iVVc) [Baby I’m A Fool](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmCnlglACfE&feature=related) [Who Will Comfort Me](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fnX2zrLfTQ&ob=av3e) [Love Me Like A River Does](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdKrUiUcEqw) I saw her in concert with Diana Krall and Madeleine Peyroux and she completely blew them off stage. ---
**Author:** ![Anonymous\_Coward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/94ad74/32.png) [@Anonymous\_Coward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anonymous_Coward)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-torch-ey-female-vocalists/619268/11 "2012-04-20T12:48:16Z")
Imelda May is wonderful [Knock 1 2 3](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmACjhjksXg) [Inside Out](http://youtu.be/_CRnai8nCIU) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-torch-ey-female-vocalists/619268/12 "2012-04-20T16:49:36Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > \*Not \*dead? That leaves out all the best ones . . . Yes, but dead singers rarely tour. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-torch-ey-female-vocalists/619268/13 "2012-04-20T16:59:35Z")
**Duffy** : [Duffy - Warwick Avenue (Official Video) - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhZ5-L9znt8) ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-torch-ey-female-vocalists/619268/14 "2012-04-21T00:54:57Z")
Bernadette Seacrest is very good: [Tango](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LvdioqFtAE) [Broken](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TQO79TymXU) [So Cruel](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6og1RDXKxw) ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-torch-ey-female-vocalists/619268/15 "2012-04-21T01:00:03Z")
A little further afield, I might suggest Neko Case. Torchy alt-country. Her recent albums are a little more singer-songwritery and poppy, but her album Blacklisted is twangy and torchy throughout. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-torch-ey-female-vocalists/619268/16 "2012-04-21T02:32:00Z")
If you’re not familiar with Eva Cassidy I recommend “Live At Blues Alley”. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-torch-ey-female-vocalists/619268/17 "2012-04-21T02:48:44Z")
Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-torch-ey-female-vocalists/619268/18 "2012-04-21T02:51:36Z")
I second Patty Griffin! …and for an exceptionally cool torchy new singer, how about some [Chrissi Poland](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eQph00GiPA&feature=youtu.be)? ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-torch-ey-female-vocalists/619268/19 "2012-04-21T03:01:50Z")
Look up some video of New Orleans singer Meschiya Lake. You’ll thank me. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2012, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-torch-ey-female-vocalists/619268/20 "2012-04-21T03:42:42Z")
Not young (currently about 75), but years of discography to pick from: [Carol Sloane](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqfqSdPQF_k). One of my favorites. But thanks for the thread, I’m definitely checking out some of these. Roddy [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-good-torch-ey-female-vocalists/619268.md?page=2)