What is the best, over the top male vocal performance in your collection? One that really grabs and moves you?
For me? None. Only female vocalists really get me… must be a mother thing. I have a ton of male vocalists I think are fabulous… but none can hit a note and give me shivers or goosebumps. None.
Maybe… Roger Daltry on Love Reign O’er me. … but I dunno… I adore Quadrophenia and everything on it…one of my absolutely favorite records… but a man screaming… hmmm…
Peace
Bruce in Philly
Jeff Buckley’s ‘Grace’.
Good question. I will tell you. I have these nights where I listen to the old crooners like Sinatra / Dean Martin/ Johnny Hartman. First of all the recordings are pretty darn good. Secondly - there are a lot of guys that sound similar - but nobody sounds like dean martin which is kind of amazing really. I was listening and thought - does anyone sound even remotely like this guy? And even though I’m not a big fan or anything - it kind of drew me in.
For me, no one better than Buddy Holly. He has full range and constantly alternating between high and low notes. Give him a critical listen and I think he will surprise you.
Phil
In the right mood these performances leave me speechless:
Frank Sinatra without a doubt, then Johnny Cash.
Gosh - I could name several.
Joe Williams
Mel Tormé
Capitol-era Sinatra
Kurt Elling
And for outstanding single performance, Bruce Cockburn’s recording of his song, “Gavin’s Woodpile.” An odd choice maybe, but an extremely effective (and affecting) performance, IMO.
Although a lot of Al Green’s stuff leaves me cold, in my mind there’s something special about three tracks - You Are So Beautiful, How Can You Mend A Broken Heart? and A Change Is Gonna Come
Roy Orbison “Crying” Saw him do it live many times and it was astonishing each time. His “In Dreams” also amazing
Love listening to Johnny Hartman late at night.
From out of nowhere, I just recalled Mick Hucknall of Simply Red singing Heaven. I was frequently hooked into a sing along (when no one was around).
Chas
I always found Billy Joel’s early work (Glass houses and earlier) to be very good. Check out “She’s always a woman” from The Stranger or “Summer, Highland Falls” from Turnstiles. I also second Jeff Buckley and “Grace” as well.
Many professional voice coaches and critics have long held that Frank Sinatra had the best voice of any “popular” singer since recordings were in distribution. It took me many years to get that perspective, but I would agree with that opinion now. His command of his instrument was flawless. Even Jim Morrison was a huge admirer of his talents. RE aiki14’s comment about Roy Orbison, I agree he had quite an unusually versatile voice with many operatic qualities (even though he denied having been influenced by opera singing.) Dwight Yoakam described his voice beautifully: “like the voice of an angel falling backwards out of an open window.”
This is going to be a great topic, Nat King Cole’s voice was my boyhood admiration. His voice has an amazing richness, and an emotional kindness.
Chas
I Believe to My Soul … Ray Charles . He did put on one hell of a concert at FSU 1969/70
There are so many good male vocalist, I refuse to say that one is the best.
Chas