Blues Vocalists Who Can Actually Sing?

[Stratman76]

I'm mining for blues vocalists who can actually sing? Who are they? At least vocalists with a distinctive style. I know this can be largely subjective, but I'm hoping to catch some new fish.

I like...
Freddie King
BB
Albert King
Buddy Guy (is distinctive)
Howlin' Wolf (is VERY distinctive)
Lightnin' Hopkins (also distinctive)
Mississippi Fred McDowell (has got it goin' on)
Richard Johnston (relatively unknown out of Memphis)

Who should I be listening to?

Added
Michael Burks
Sugaray of Aunt Kizzy'z Boyz (serious pipes)

Added - Thanks to you fantastic peeps o' TGPLand
Larry McCray (righteous- just learned he's coming to St. Louis in August)
Sugar Ray Norcia is OK- didn't realize he sang for Ronnie Earl in Deep Blues (great CD!)
Otis Rush (forgot about him!)
Magic Sam
Sonny Boy Williamson (and I thought he just played harp)
John Nemeth (can definitely sing)
Jonny Lang (for sure)

The rest...I haven't explored yet. Thanks for the recommendations.

[flyingvees]

Larry McCray
Sugar Ray Norcia
Darrell Nuelsch
Curtis Salgado

Just to name a few...

[SLBlues]

You should definitely listen to the late, great Sean Costello. His CD's are available here: http://www.seancostellofund.org/store.html

One of many You Tube vids: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ3anFVGKgI
Be sure to check out more of his You Tube stuff.

RIP Sean

[The Doper]

Otis Rush
Early Buddy Guy
Bobby Bland
Son Seals' first album

[AnthonyStauffer]

Tony Vega of the Tony Vega Band (http://www.amazon.com/s/qid=1247676862/ref=sr_nr_i_1?ie=UTF8&rs=&keywords=tony%20vega%20band&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Atony%20vega%20band%2Ci%3Adigital-music) is my current favorite guitarist and singer. Man, what I wouldn't give to sing like that. Except practice of course.....

[SigXer]

Susan Tedeschi

[blues junkie]

Peter Green
Danny Kirwan
Jeremy Spencer

[cbguy]

I like all of the above as well as Lloyd Jones and Robert Cray.

[RGB]

My favorite current blues singer would have to be Malford Milligan.

http://www.myspace.com/malford

[imonabuss]

Tommy Castro

[meterman]

Otis Rush is the man! Especially his early stuff will give you chills, plus you can hear where Clapton got alot of his vocal style from (Otis plus JJ Cale = early EC)...

Also Bobby Blue Bland, Little Milton, hell I think Muddy was a great singer too....

[jumpnblues]

Who can actually sing or who we really like? The two are not necessarily related.


Tom

[NyteOwl]

Coco Montoya and Bonnie Bramlett

[Jim Jones]

I freakin' love Elmore James' voice!!! His voice gets me even more than his playing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCqEstr5H3o&feature=related

Jim

[GCDEF]

Coco Montoya and Bonnie Bramlett

Definitely Coco.

Chris Cain too.

[Scott Miller]

Hm. I'm seeing names that I wouldn't put on the list. Or maybe I don't understand the question. I mean, all blues singers can sing, if you mean presenting vocals in an acceptable fashion, like, PeeWee Crayton or Earl Hooker or, don't shoot me, Freddie King. But not all of them can sing like, I dunno, Johnny Taylor or Bobby Blue Bland.

Not that it's a requirement to be an awesome singer; one of my very favorite singers is St. Louis Jimmie, not a vocal powerhouse, but he knocks me out every time.

[Bobby D]

Sherman Robertson can sing his A$$ off......which made it all th emore intimidating to play with him, cause he can also PLAY his A$$ off.

He taught me a lot about the blues and about being a PERFORMER, not just a guitarist. :bow

[Mandoboy]

Sonny Boy II
Lightnin'

They don't do the look-at-me histrionics; the phrasing is deep, and they are soulful characters.

You can't fake the funk.

[dantedayjob]

Koko Taylor
Ruth Brown
Etta James
Luther Allison
Cassandra Wilson

[Derek Q]

Muddy Waters
Big Mama Thornton
Etta James
Big Maybelle
Little Milton
T-Bone Walker
Bonnie Raitt
Robert Johnson
Charlie Patton
Son House
Magic Sam

[Derek Q]

In the "not a singer's singer...but still a blues singer" category:

Albert King
Albert Collins
Robert Jr. Lockwood
St. Louis Jimmy
Professor Longhair
Jimi Hendrix
Slim Harpo
Little Walter
Jimmy Reed
Jimmy Rogers
Otis Spann
Lightnin' Hopkins


"The mold broke after they were born" singers:

John Lee Hooker
J.B. Lenoir
Howlin' Wolf
Otis Rush

[Wooley]

http://i354.photobucket.com/albums/r423/wooley72/RobertCray2.jpg

Oh, and Shemekia Copeland!

[notpetrucci]

Two pages and nothing about Jonny Lang???

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y251/SteveO6290/JonnyLang1.jpg

Kid can tear it up with anyone.

-Jon

[Scott Miller]

Among contemporary singers, John Nemeth. Definitely a singer's singer.

[j2b4o]

the best of all is mississippi john hurt

[Category 5]

Tab Benoit
Zac Harmon
Mike Zito

All excellent singers, distinctive voices, and play lead guitar at the same time.

DonR

[lennyonbass]

all good ones! i like boz scaggs, too.

[stevieboy]

I think it's all about what you enjoy. A lot of people loved Sam Myers' singing, including me.

Would he qualify here?

[Thinsocks]

Not that it's a requirement to be an awesome singer; one of my very favorite singers is St. Louis Jimmie, not a vocal powerhouse, but he knocks me out every time.

Yeah, "Murder in the 1st Degree" was the first song I thought of.

[theRocco]

Skip James

Very haunting high voice, I'd say very distinctive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv-_mzVBSF8 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMjbQltMGhg&feature=related)

[Derek Q]

Skip James... good one!! That voice and the 12 string is utterly unique.
He's like the blues' vocalist's answer to Roy Orbison... or more likely, Roy is the rock & roll vocalist's answer to Skip.

Also, I know she didn't use a Dumble or anything but I'll also add Billie Holiday to the list.

[RGB]

Skip James

Very haunting high voice, I'd say very distinctive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv-_mzVBSF8 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMjbQltMGhg&feature=related)


Agreed...the real deal.

You might like Chris Thomas King's version for contemporary artists as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWUu7sUyMPE

[thewhit]

John Mayall
Eric Clapton
Ruthie Foster
Robben Ford

[Broken Cord]

Oh bollocks! since many Blues rockers are being mentioned already, I'll through in a somewhat new comer; Aynsley Lister. Lister was mentioned on BB's; "You, Me and BB", on satellite 74. The lad has chops and can sing too.

[harvestmark]

I hope I'm not the first to say Susan Tedeschi.

Mark Miller

[zombywoof]

Ya'll should be ashamed - BESSIE SMITH
The best there ever was or ever will be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Who6fTHJ34


Of those who are still with us - Tracy Nelson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThhOewiZWu8

[Sweetfinger]

I freakin' love Elmore James' voice!!! His voice gets me even more than his playing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCqEstr5H3o&feature=related

Jim

Elmore +1 :drool

John Nemeth, too! I'm surprised no one's mentioned Nick Curran. I dig his Wynonie Harris meets Little Richard style. How about Janiva Magness? She's not Blues Entertainer of the Year for nothin!
The guy SRV modeled his vocal style on: Doyle Bramhall, not to mention his son DBII. In that same vein, I like Mike Henderson outta Nashville, like SRV but with a bit more country influence. Kim Wilson and Lou Ann Barton -two of my faves. Of course, Lou Ann is really Etta James with extra twang:)
There's the gospel influenced singers too: Mavis Staples would be right up there.
Sugar Pie Desanto, Ray Charles, Dinah Washington?
I Think BB and Little Milton already got mentioned.

[emilio]

another vote for Susan Tedeschi, and if he hasn't been mentioned already, Kim Wilson

[blueserv]

Mike Finnigan's one of my favorites.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usw-O8_-tGI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9day-FsZl4c&feature=related

[Twangmaster]

ummmmm.... Etta James

and Janis

Susan Tedeschi
Greg Allman

It was nice to look through the thread and find Curis Salgado in there!

oh yeah Jake and Elwood!

[KBR]

Lot's of em,
I like Elmo James,
John Lee Hooker, Rice Miller
Albert, BB & Freddie King,
T Bone, Curtis Salgado, Nemeth, Howlin Wolf, Magic Sam, Otis Rush
Bobby Blue Bland, Ray Charles, Little Johnnie Taylor, OV Right, Jimi Hendrix.
Too many to name, really.

[dlguitar64]

Muddy Waters and Son House do the most for me.

[Bluzeboy]

Surprised no one has mentioned Mark Dufresne. Used to be with Roomful.

3 1/2 octave vocal range and a great harp player.

[zombywoof]

If I had to pick one blues song recorded in the twentieth century it would have to be Blind Willie Johnson's "Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground." Granted, Blind Willie does not "sing" l - it is a moan. And his singing voice is an acquired taste. But you put his voice together with that slide guitar and you have the most beautiful and haunting piece of blues music ever laid down.

[saggybottom]

Kim Wilson

Nick Curan

[j2b4o]

leadbelly for sure and like I said before mississippi john hurt is the all time best in my book.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRQgQhcEPHI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oE9QYkkxyVQ

[bluesbreaker59]

Lee McBee, I think is one of the better modern singer/harp players

Tom Waits - occasionally does a blues flavored tune

JC Anderson - one of my all time favorites, but doesn't get mentioned outside Iowa

Roy Brown - not always my style, but a great singer, in the blues genre

Most of the others that I like have been mentioned

[Stratman76]

Larry McCray
Sugar Ray Norcia
Darrell Nuelsch
Curtis Salgado

Just to name a few...

Thank you for the tip on Larry McCray! I just learned he's going to be playing here (in St. Louis) on August 5th.

[teleman1]

Janiva Magness. Check her out!

[teleman1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVAKMTvm3uM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJlFD5jt16E&feature=related

[bsuite]

Doug Pinnick ,very heavy blues singer with a great voice

[Stratman76]

Doug Pinnick ,very heavy blues singer with a great voice

Doug Pinnick of King's X?

[Sub City]

Junior Wells/Buddy Guy, Luther Allison, Otis Rush, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Howlin Wolf, Little Walter, Freddie & BB King, Clarence Spady.

[kimock]

Tracey Nelson for sure http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_vYPZjRGts

[bluesmain]

:beer
There is this guy Mike Welch... he has some pipes and chops ;)

[the-tone]

Tad Robinson is one of my favorites right now. check him out.
http://www.myspace.com/tadrobinson

[LLbean]

Taj Mahal

[hunter]

Plenty of singers for sure. One of the greats:

Johnny Adams

hunter

[mtlin]

I'm surprised by how little Muddy Waters love on this thread. One of the best.

[Jazzydave]

Susan Tedeschi

She was one of the first to come to mind (after the usuals of course). She's not a bad guitar player either!

http://musicroadman.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/susan-tedeschi_3.jpg

[KBR]

Little Milton (Campbell) is one of my Faves, along w/ Ray Charles, and Early Bobby Bland.

These Cats made me to decide to just play Guitar back in 1962/63...still playin, still Not singin!

[johnwtuggle]

Ray Charles! My favorite to steal licks from. Oh and Solomon Burke rules as well.

[sonvolt]

Any love for Taj Mahal !

[bluesjuke]

I think it's all about what you enjoy. A lot of people loved Sam Myers' singing, including me.

Would he qualify here?


You know it!

[It's Time!]

Robert Plant has a great Blues vocal style.

BB King
Buddy Guy
Eric Clapton
Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughan
Jim Morrison had a great Blues style
Clarence Gatemouth Brown
Johnny and Edgar Winter
Jimi Hendrix
Johnny Cash
Jack Bruce

Com'on, there's a million of them.

[bluesjuke]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVAKMTvm3uM&feature=related



This one from my buddy teebeeferris.
I was supposed to go and hook up with him and that show.

As you can see it was a mistake not to go.

[bsuite]

Doug Pinnick of King's X?

Yes, that guy is a monster!
Not your traditional style of blues but blues never the less.