Singer with the most distinctive voice

William Shatner? David Hasselhoff?

 

Kate Bush was distinctive, until numerous singers came along to somewhat mimic her sound.

 

Here is one with a FAR better voice: "the best voice in British Folk/pop" Melody Maker

 

I hadn't the time to finish my Kate Bush post, because I'd accidentally hit "post reply," before I'd gathered any songs for it (so only got the one Bush, & one Amos).



Well that just taught me something about you tube videos. This is actually the third one I've tried, because I was only getting the audio, on my phone. For any, like me, who didn't already realize this, all you have to do is push that little square, for a full screen, in the lower right corner. Anyway, I'm sticking with this version.

And I just, mistakenly, hit "reply," once again.

 

My post was referring to both Channing and Merman, but you could add Elaine Stritch, or Zero Mostel, Joel Grey to this list.
Ethel had a great voice for the Broadway stage but she famously never had a single voice lesson! It was brassy and 'in your face'. She called herself the last of the big time belters. But it wasn't especially versatile. Ethel could not sing 'sweet' or soft, or intimate in a particularly convincing way. She was a trumpet, and some songs really call for a flute.

Now that is not to say that more classically trained voices could not be just as in demand on Broadway, providing that the acting chops, comedic timing and stage presence were there too.

 

Most distinctive?

 

you want a woman? I got this one. That is one nasal sound!

or this Miss Cleo was never able to get rid of her lisp, but that tone and range are distinctive.



But nobody beats Eartha Kitt by this standard!

 

There is really no way to compare the two, as they are performing completely different styles of music. I might just as well compare Ms. Maker, to an opera singer. As far as this thread goes, however, I think that Cyndi Lauper's voice is far more distinctive, among female pop singers, than Melody Maker's is, among folk singers. That, in fact, was my first thought-- that she sounds like some of the pop folk singers, of the 1960s & 70s.


I think, what your opinion most strongly suggests, is that you are just fond of that type of music. Though, honestly, there was nothing in the short clip, you provided, that blew me away. I think, for instance, though I am not particularly a fan of hers, Judy Collins has a more impressive, and more distinctive voice, than Ms. Maker.





I was going to say the first was somewhat exceptional, in that it had more of a Country music, than a folk, flavor-- so should we add greater range, to Collins' advantages?-- but the second shows me, I may be under some false assumptions about Ms. Collins' music. In fact, she also does the song with Kris Kristofferson, "Me and Bobby McGee." Here is one that seems more akin to what I heard from Ms. Maker:



Oh, & this is funny-- a song featuring Willie Nelson, but in it, he is doing more this traditional, English folk style, rather than Judy bending to do another Country music song.



I will obviously need another post, as I haven't even reached her best known song (which is from a Broadway show): Send In the Clowns.

 

Continued.

Here's another, that might pass for the modern American version of the stuff done by your advocated Ms. Maker.

 

The singer I referenced was Maddy Prior of Steeleye Span-Melody Maker is a British magazine /website
https://melodymakermagazine.com