# Outside Opera - Your all time female voices



## Gneiss (Feb 3, 2009)

Ok a bit of fun with an almost impossible task, unless you don't like any 

*So who would be your ALL TIME top three female voices (excluding opera).* Although Deanna would still be in my top two even if I _had_ included opera singers....

1. Deanna Durbin 



2. Connie Frances 



3. Judith Durham


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Gneiss said:


> Ok a bit of fun with an almost impossible task, unless you don't like any


Not liking any would make it a lot easier than liking many. Here are six that have meant a lot to me for a long time. There are others that I love nearly as much, but I'm already breaking the rules as it is.

In no particular order....

Linda Ronstadt






Sarah Vaughan






Dusty Springfield






Aretha Franklin






Patsy Cline






Peggy Lee


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

*Alanis Morissette*, here singing the astonishing 'That I would be good' (though maybe not doing too well with the flute):





and again, live:





*Sarah McLachlan*, with a live performance of 'Possession' that's almost terrifying (watch her eyes):






*Mary Fahl (October Project)* What an extraordinary voice, and what wonderful music she made with the two October Project albums. Here's 'Ariel':





and 'Bury My Lovely':


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## Gneiss (Feb 3, 2009)

jhar26 said:


> Patsy Cline
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Great to see these two mentioned....

Funnily enough I heard Patsy Cline singing "You Belong To Me" earlier today


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## ednamayfan (Feb 6, 2009)

That's easy!!!

#1 would have to be Deanna Durbin who was trained by Met star Andres de Segurola.

http://www.deannadurbindevotees.com/singing-f2/opera-voice-t136.htm

#2 Kathryn Grayson.

#3 Jane Powell.


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## Gneiss (Feb 3, 2009)

ednamayfan said:


> That's easy!!!
> 
> #1 would have to be Deanna Durbin who was trained by Met star Andres de Segurola.
> 
> http://www.deannadurbindevotees.com/singing-f2/opera-voice-t136.htm


Wonderful tribute site. Thanks for the link....


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## Mr Dull (Mar 14, 2009)

Emma Kirkby because I just love that crystal clear voice of hers (yes I know she has been in operas but she isn't a primarily an opera singer).

Aretha Franklin one of the greatest soul singers.

Edith Piaf even without understanding the words her singing still gets you.


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## Mr Dull (Mar 14, 2009)

I should have added Nina Simone listening to her sing strange fruit is very unsettling and haunting.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Máire Ní Bhraonáin:





Kate Bush:




(some people find her very high voice annoying, but she is such a creative musician - really out in left field)

Candice Night (yes - I do ocassionally notice she has a nice voice):





I saved my favorite for last - Annie Haslem:


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## handlebar (Mar 19, 2009)

Oh where to begin!

Non-opera yet Lieder:

Dawn Upshaw
Christa Ludwig
Ella Fitzgerald
Annie S. Von Otter
Janet Baker
Martina McBride (i dislike country music but LOVE her voice)
Alison Krauss (Oh what a sweet voice and face to go with it!! )

Jim


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## xJuanx (Feb 24, 2009)

Janis Joplin, Edith Piaf, Françoise Hardy, Carla Bruni


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## Vegg (Mar 20, 2009)

Anneke Van Giersbergen, amazing voice.


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## david johnson (Jun 25, 2007)

custer larue & emily copeland, all the others are third place.


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## JoeGreen (Nov 17, 2008)

Janis Joplin. It might not be everyones favorite but I just love the rawness!


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## ConcertVienna (Sep 9, 2009)

Ella Fitzgerald
Sam Brown


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## bongos (Nov 27, 2008)

CLASSICAL NON OPERA 
Emma Kirkby 
Victoria de los Angeles

OTHERS 
Linda Ronstadt 
Judy Collins
Joan Armitrading
Helen Reddy
Ella Fitzgerald
Aretha Franklin
Roberta Flack
Mama Cass Elliott
Eva Cassidy
Emmylou Harris

and others


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## Kevin Pearson (Aug 14, 2009)

I can't think of a single currently active female vocalist I enjoy besides Diana Krall. Past vocalists I would list:

Jeannette MacDonald
Kathryn Grayson
Deanna Durbin
Jane Powell
Carmen Miranda
Billie Holiday
Doris Day
Judy Garland
Alice Faye
Bessie Smith
Ella Fitzgerald
Mama Cass Elliot
Buffy St. Marie
Joni Mitchell
Judy Collins
Joan Baez
Carly Simon


Kevin


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## cultchas (Sep 19, 2009)

Non Opera Singers [Jazz, Soul, R&B, Rock, (post/proto) Punk]

Sheila Jordan
Annie Ross
Sarah Vaughn
Billie Holiday
Etta James
Tina Turner
Esther Phillips
Chaka Khan
Chrissy Hynde of The Pretenders
Kate Pierson of B-52's
Suzanne Vega
Bjork (Sugarcubes)
Edie Brickell
Siouxie Soux of Siouxie and the Banshees
Jill Scott
and Yoko Ono


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## Cortision (Aug 4, 2009)

Julie Andrews
Judith Durham
Shirley Bassey
Sarah Brightman

I like many others, but I'm not very good at remembering which singer sung which songs.


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

Two undoubtedly great voices.

*Sandy Denny*
_Her signature song_
Who knows Where The Time Goes





*Eva Cassidy*
_Just her and a guitar, recorded in a cafe, but the vocal artistry is amazing_
Danny Boy


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

another one (more current)...

*Inara George*
_Not the most versatile singer, but she has the sweetest tone._
Fool In Love


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## bdelykleon (May 21, 2009)

Are there singers outside classical? I'm astonished...


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## karenpat (Jan 16, 2009)

Here is my contribution...

Loreena McKennitt





Helen Sjöholm




 (from the Oscar nominated film As it is in Heaven

Sara Gazarek





I have a lot of other favourites too.....


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## Davidjo (Sep 30, 2009)

Heard Gladys Knight on TV last night - still singing exceptionally well though she must be at least in her late sixties. Wonderful control over a superbly soulful voice. "Midnight Train to Georgia" is probably her best known work. 

Diana Ross in the sixties and early seventies also had a very distinctive quality - a slightly child-like, vulnerable quality (a bit like Billie Holliday I suppose) that brought a lot to songs.


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## nimmysnv (Oct 1, 2009)

Vegg said:


> Anneke Van Giersbergen, amazing voice.


Hi,

Anneke Van Giersbergen is my favourite voice too as she was from the Dutch band and now she is having her band called Agua de Annique.

Her songs are simply beautiful and I like it the most.

Thanks!!


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## Lukecash12 (Sep 21, 2009)

Karita Mattila: 



Birgit Nilsson: 



Annie Rozane: 



Zara Dulokhanava: 



Elizabeth Schwarzkopf: 



Christine Schafer:


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## The Cosmos (Oct 2, 2009)

No mention of Patti Smith yet?! *Horses* is an absolute classic me thinks! A poet and a punk at the age of 28 when Horses was released (and a cocky one that!) - how cool is that? .

Birdland

Her attitude was the voice for me!


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## Ostinato (Jun 24, 2009)

Frida Boccara (1940-96) is my all-time favourite French singer - in fact, one of my favourites from anywhere. Her voice had everything - warmth, richness, power, clarity, versatility and perfect pitch. And she looked beautiful too. It's a pity she never became famous in the UK.


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## chillowack (Jul 16, 2009)

Lot of fabulous singers listed here, but I'm amazed no one has mentioned *Mariah Carey*, who has one of the most gorgeous and amazing voices of all time.

I think Mariah suffers from a certain "pop stigma," whereby people may be embarrassed to mention her--and I myself am not a fan of most of her music--but her vocal range and control are absolutely phenomenal, and the texture of her voice is really mellifluous and beautiful as well. She's one of the all-time great singers, IMO.

In rock, I admire *Pat Benatar*, who had a really gutsy voice with an extraordinarily wide range. I believe she may have been operatically trained.


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