Dan Auerbach from the Black Keys wins.
Not only is he white, he’s from Akron.
When I was a kid, I remember having heard “I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues,” a few times on the radio, and thinking it was some black guy singing (I knew who Elton John was, but didn’t know that song was his).
Well, she pretty much is. She’s half Indian (her father is Ravi Shankar), but she’s certainly not black.
This is exactly what I thought of, and in fact I was going to suggest that maybe bubastis has the two confused due to the similar first names, both being redheads, British and popular roughly around the same time?
As for me,the first time I heard “You Oughtta Know” by Alanis Morisette I assumed she was black and British.
Oh and for the longest time I thought “You’ll Never Find” was sung by Englebert Humperdinck and not Lou Rawls :smack: Don’t ask.
I used to think Ella Fitzgerald was white and Dusty Springfield was black. I was also surprised Billy Ocean was black, and many years ago, it caught me a little off guard when I first saw a picture of Tom Waits and realized he was white!
Put me down as another vote for Rick Astley.
Seal sounds as white as they come.
I thought George Michael was a brother when I first heard “Father Figure” and “Faith.” Not because he sounded black so much as he got a hell of a lot of airplay on urban Top 40 radio back in the late 80s. In fact, he’s one of the few white artists of the 20th century I can think of that topped sales rankings on black pop/r&b radio music charts, which ain’t an easy feat. I think only Eminem’s repeated the feat since then.
Anybody else remember Lisa Stansfield? I swore blind “Been Around The World” and “Sincerity” were sung by a black woman. I was astonished to get her debut album and see this Gothy looking white girl on the cassette art.
I thought Boo-Ya Tribe was black until I saw the video for “Psycho Funk.” Damn west coast artists, screwing up everything.
I was surprised when Sia (Zero 7) turned out to be white.
John Fogerty. I remember reading a quote from him in an interview during the CCR days when he said that people would come to their shows and say “Naw, that ain’t them, Creedence is spades!”
Lisa Stansfield (Stanisfield?) who had a couple of hits in the '80s. Been Around the World was her biggest hit. When Madonna first came out-- around Lucky Star-- I was shocked to find out she was white.
I thought both Eagle Eye Cherry and Eliot Sloan were white.
Indians from India are white people? This race stuff is sooooo confusing.
I don’t know what you’d classify him as, but I had no idea the lead singer of Coheed and Cambria would look like this. I imagined he was your stereotypical Thin White Punk on Dope.
Oh, yeah. How could anyone forget the divine Lady T, Teena Marie?
Somebody already did. Just as you mentioned Lisa Stanis. . . whatever and I didn’t notice until after I posted.
Stupid, sneaky under radar posts.
Wha–? Where?
:: Reads back.::
:: Shakes fist ::
DAMN YOU, AN ARKY!!
Yeah; she was Rick James’ bitch! [/Chappelle]
I always thought Michael McDonald was black, and wasn’t convinced otherwise until meeting my husband, who is a rabid Michael McDonald fan (AND a Rick Astley fan, to boot), and even then, he had to show me his picture on a CD cover.
And… don’t laugh… I always thought Steve Winwood was black. I don’t know why.
I can see that. “Roll With Baby” kinda sounds like a black guy.
**Askia ** obviously meant to type, “Roll With It, Baby.”