On a recent errand to do something that was totally not felonious, I sneezed while firing my compression phaser rifle and missed my intended target, thus vaporizing not the physician destined to cure gastroesophageal reflux disease but some nutjob with an axe about to go on a killing spree.
As it turns out, among the doctor’s companion’s was a member of the Stonecutters–specifically the chair of the committee that made Steve Guttenberg a star, rigs every Oscar night, and so forth. Mistaking my error for heroism, the Stonecutter offered me a favor: he’ll see to it that any seven extant actors, singers, or other artists, currently laboring in relative obscurity, receives far greater fame and fortune.
I couldn’t think of anybody I wanted to help. I love Mandy Patinkin, Natalie Portman, Adele Adkins, and Valerie Martin, and everyone else can suck it. But I thought some of y’all might have a suggestion. Thoughts?
Personally, I can name a few. I can’t provide YouTube links since I’m at work, but…
I’m utterly baffled that a woman as talented and with as much ranged as Anneke van Giersbergen hasn’t gotten greater recognition, especially since her music ought to be quite accessible to mainstream. She is, hands down, my favorite female musician, and her voice is just… perfect.
For bands, I could name a few that I’m also surprised don’t have more recongition for the same reason, because they are very talented and ought to be accessible, like Anathema. But since it applies to anyone, I’d also love to throw in some that wouldn’t fit in with mainstream but I think deserve more recognition, particularly bands like Opeth, Therion, Katatonia, Dark Suns, and Symphony X. And specific musicians, I’d love to see Jeff Loomis, Dan Swano, Mikael Akerfeldt, Danny and Vincent Cavanagh, and Arjen Lucassen.
I’m sure that, if I actually put some more thought into it I could provide a longer list but, well… yeah.
No. She doesn’t need any help; that’s the point. Portman could briefly amp her her fame by doing sluttier roles but then she’d not be Natalie Portman, and nobody wants that. Likewise the others.
Maryilyn Older, of Chaise Lounge: www.chaiseloungenation.com. Actually, I’d like to see all of Chaise Lounge topping Billboard, but the lovely and talented Ms. Older in particular. Fantastic jazz/swing/lounge singer, with an astonishingly great voice. I’d listen to her read the phone book.
An artist that immediately came to mind is singer-songwriter Vienna Teng. I’ve been a fan since I first listened to her album Warm Strangers back in 2004. I’m genuinely surprised she hasn’t achieved greater recognition, especially with the success of other female singer-songwriters like Adele and Sara Barielles (though her style is completely different).
Perhaps it’s because she’s somewhat hard to pin down genre-wise. I’d say she sings a delightful, diverse blend of indie folk and chamber pop, but one can easily hear blues, gospel, and new age influences in more than a few of her songs. She’s also an excellent songwriter.
Dude, William H. Macy has a rock solid career as a character actor…what would be the point of making him more famous? Any movie fan who has any taste in films knows who he is already, and the people who don’t know who he is aren’t worth a damn anyway. I don’t even think he would want to be more famous.
