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Oh F it - Guitar thread has been fun - How about best rock singers?

L

Loyal Coug1

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Aug 24, 2022
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My list doesn't include screamers like Brian Johnson from AC/DC. Again, no particular order:

Dead ones:
Bon Scott (AC/DC)
Freddy Mercury (Queen)
Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy)
Ronny Van Zant (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
Suppose we had better add Elvis......

Live ones:
Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden)
Robert Plant (Zeppelin)
Roger Daltry (The Who)
Phil Mogg (UFO)
Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow and I think Deep Purple for an album or two)
Ian Gillan (Deep Purple, that guy has some chops)
Gregg Rolie (Santana and Journey. I'm not a Steve Perry fan)
Edit - geezus forgot the voice. Paul Rodgers (Free, Bad Company, The Firm. solo)

If this thread takes off I will add others.

Among the top guitarist and singer:

Deep Purple - Search Videos

www.bing.com www.bing.com
 
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Loyal Coug1 said:
My list doesn't include screamers like Brian Johnson from AC/DC. Again, no particular order:

Dead ones:
Bon Scott (AC/DC)
Freddy Mercury (Queen)
Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy)
Ronny Van Zant (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
Suppose we had better add Elvis......

Live ones:
Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden)
Robert Plant (Zeppelin)
Roger Daltry (The Who)
Phil Mogg (UFO)
Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow and I think Deep Purple for an album or two)
Ian Gillan (Deep Purple, that guy has some chops)
Gregg Rolie (Santana and Journey. I'm not a Steve Perry fan)

If this thread takes off I will add others.

Among the top guitarist and singer:

Deep Purple - Search Videos

www.bing.com www.bing.com
Click to expand...
Pretty short list for me.
Plant, Mercury, Gregg Allman and Ann Wilson (5 octave range!)
 
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Diamond Dave is up there.
Bob Segar
Janis Joplin for female vocalist
 
Too long of a list. Bowie, Gabriel, Wilson, Lennox, Buckley, Harry Nelson, just too many!!
 
79COUG said:
Pretty short list for me.
Plant, Mercury, Gregg Allman and Ann Wilson (5 octave range!)
Click to expand...
Definitely Ann Wilson! She simply was the best in her prime. I don't even know who I'd put second amongst women...the gap is wide. That's all I have to say about that
 
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I could go on for a long time.

Ann Wilson
Chris Cornell
Layne Staley
Geoff Tate
Brad Delp (Boston)
Elton John
Steve Walsh (Kansas)
Chester Bennington
Robert Plant
Roger Daltry
Jim Morrison
 
How about Steven Tyler of Aerosmith? I am not a big fan anymore but the guys voice is powerful
 
Subset question. In order, of these three singers, who is the best, next best...

In no particular order: Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, and Lindsey Buckingham.
 
Coug1990 said:
Subset question. In order, of these three singers, who is the best, next best...

In no particular order: Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, and Lindsey Buckingham.
Click to expand...
Damn. McVie (RIP) was the most soulful, Nicks was great (and hot) Buckingham was good.

But frankly, I liked the original Mac lineup with Bob Welch singing....and Christine..

'emerald eyes' - Search Videos

www.bing.com www.bing.com
 
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I gotta take Christine over Stevie if strictly voice is the criteria. Buckingham was fine, but not their equal.

Next up: Meisner, Henley and Frey?
 
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Coug1990 said:
I just thought of another great singer, Steve Perry. Should also add Gregg Rolie as well.
Click to expand...

I've been listening to Steve Perry quite a bit the last month. They have been playing a lot of live Journey at the bar I go to.

Used to sneak into my brother's green VW bug that he used to drive across country to Pullman and back and listened to his Journey tapes when I was a kid.

Steve Perry Rocks
 
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cr8zyncalif said:
I gotta take Christine over Stevie if strictly voice is the criteria. Buckingham was fine, but not their equal.

Next up: Meisner, Henley and Frey?
Click to expand...
I guess if I were to put them in order I would go Christine, Lindsey, and then Stevie. But, they were all oustanding singers. Some groups don't have one great singer, they had three. I also think Lindsey is an underrated Guitarist.

Also, you should add Timothy B. Schmidt to the singers on the Eagles.
 
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Coug1990 said:
He was very good and had a nice solo career as well. But, he was not in the original lineup. Peter Green was the original lead singer.
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You must of watched the bio of the band. Very interesting. Way underrated is the rhythm section John and Mick. Mick never overplayed but his licks were always varied and interesting.
 
moxeecoug said:
Neil Diamond and Gordon Lightfoot put on great concerts!
Click to expand...
Anyone remember The Leamonheads? I remember reading an interview with Robert Plant who said he was playing their new album over and over. Then they opened up for Jesus Jones that I had tickets to. Great concert. They were also on Letterman and I remember Paul playing guitar..never saw that before. Maybe had or has. Plant had drinks with them in a bar and one of the members drank Plant's drink in one gulp while the bartender had his back turned. When he turned around Plant asked him if could have another one.

 
froropmkr72 said:
Not everybody appreciates certain voices . I loved Segar, Joplin, Nelson, Neil Young, etc.
Click to expand...
These are great threads. Everybody has their own answers and nobody is wrong. Plus I always learn something new, someone I haven’t hear of, etc.
 
This one is really hard because different voices fit with different music, some probably wouldn’t work in other genres.

Freddie Mercury could sing anything, and proved it with the various sounds Queen played (so maybe Brian May deserves another point as the guitarist too). Ann Wilson probably fits there too, and both of them had a few pieces where they were essentially a cappella, with little or no music behind them, just carrying the number with their voice.

While I’m not a fan of her own music, and it’s a stretch to call her rock (not sure what to call most modern music), one I haven’t seen mentioned is Lady Gaga. I’ve seen her do some covers of older tunes - I think she did a commercial with Tony Bennett - and she’s got a fantastic voice. Pretty sure she could sing anything too.
 
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95coug said:
This one is really hard because different voices fit with different music, some probably wouldn’t work in other genres.

Freddie Mercury could sing anything, and proved it with the various sounds Queen played (so maybe Brian May deserves another point as the guitarist too). Ann Wilson probably fits there too, and both of them had a few pieces where they were essentially a cappella, with little or no music behind them, just carrying the number with their voice.

While I’m not a fan of her own music, and it’s a stretch to call her rock (not sure what to call most modern music), one I haven’t seen mentioned is Lady Gaga. I’ve seen her do some covers of older tunes - I think she did a commercial with Tony Bennett - and she’s got a fantastic voice. Pretty sure she could sing anything too.
Click to expand...
Christina Aguilera over Lady Gaga 8 days per week.

Pipes.
 
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Observer11 said:
Christina Aguilera over Lady Gaga 8 days per week.

Pipes.
Click to expand...
Ok - if we are talking women rock singers now,

Of Course Ann Wilson (Heart)
Martha Davis (the Motels, although they are more pop-ish)
Rindy Ross (Quarterflash)
Chrissy Ampflett ( RIP the Divinyls)
Johnette Napolitano (Concrete Blonde)
And also of course Pat Benatar - saw her in Spokane about a decade ago


the motels only the lonely - Search Videos

www.bing.com www.bing.com

www.bing.com

the dinynuls - Bing

Intelligent search from Bing makes it easier to quickly find what you’re looking for and rewards you.
www.bing.com www.bing.com

concrete blonde songs - Search Videos

www.bing.com www.bing.com
 
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Men

Freddy Mercury Queen

Steve Perry Journey

Peter Ceterra Chicago

Steven Tyler Aerosmith

Sammy Hagar Van Halen

Elton John.

Ozzy Osbourne

Women

Anne Wilson

Janis Joplin

Lennox

Joan Jett.

Lita Ford

Bangles

Cyndi Lauper.

Would include others like Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, etc, but they are not rock singers.
 
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Loyal Coug1 said:
Ok - if we are talking women rock singers now,

Of Course Ann Wilson (Heart)
Martha Davis (the Motels, although they are more pop-ish)
Rindy Ross (Quarterflash)
Chrissy Ampflett ( RIP the Divinyls)
Johnette Napolitano (Concrete Blonde)
And also of course Pat Benatar - saw her in Spokane about a decade ago


the motels only the lonely - Search Videos

www.bing.com www.bing.com

www.bing.com

the dinynuls - Bing

Intelligent search from Bing makes it easier to quickly find what you’re looking for and rewards you.
www.bing.com www.bing.com

concrete blonde songs - Search Videos

www.bing.com www.bing.com
Click to expand...
Benatar has an amazing voice. She still tours with her husband, guitarist Neil Gerardo.
 
Coug1990 said:
Benatar has an amazing voice. She still tours with her husband, guitarist Neil Gerardo.
Click to expand...

Pat Benatar is a great singer, has great songs, but the thing that makes her voice good, songs good, is, was her edginess, semi raspiness, Powerful, intense, angst, passionate, etc, voice, that was semi similar to Joan Jet but she either didn't have the range, vocal chops that others like Anne Wilson had, or her edge in her voice semi drowned it out, kind of like how the screeching of Hetfield(He sings awesome when not screeching(Nothing Else Matters), and Slayer(sound more like undead singers), butchering their good voices.

Lita Ford, Joan Jett, Janis Joplin, also had edgy voices, but they either were first before Pat Benatar, an or they could also hit notes others couldn't, like Lita Ford, she not only had edgy voice, and not only had intensity, passion, etc, but she could also kinda, sorta hit notes that Anne Wilson, Mariah Carey, Celine Dione could hit, especially in her duet with Ozzy, in the song If I Close my Eyes Forever

Some think Benatar has vocal range, like Wilson, others, but she just used her POWERFUL voice to BELT out enough air with her pipes, that she could hold out EXTREMELY LONG notes almost forever, but at lower octaves, lower notes.

Some might argue that if I have Joan Jett on my list Benatar should also be on my list, and that's fair.

But since Joan Jett was before Benatar, that's why I have Joan Jett on my list over Benatar.

But could make a valid argument that Benatar should get Joan Jett's spot in my list because she was more then the 1 hit wonder Jett was, and has similar voice to Joan Jett, etc.
 
Loyal Coug1 said:
My list doesn't include screamers like Brian Johnson from AC/DC. Again, no particular order:

Dead ones:
Bon Scott (AC/DC)
Freddy Mercury (Queen)
Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy)
Ronny Van Zant (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
Suppose we had better add Elvis......

Live ones:
Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden)
Robert Plant (Zeppelin)
Roger Daltry (The Who)
Phil Mogg (UFO)
Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow and I think Deep Purple for an album or two)
Ian Gillan (Deep Purple, that guy has some chops)
Gregg Rolie (Santana and Journey. I'm not a Steve Perry fan)
Edit - geezus forgot the voice. Paul Rodgers (Free, Bad Company, The Firm. solo)

If this thread takes off I will add others.

Among the top guitarist and singer:

Deep Purple - Search Videos

www.bing.com www.bing.com
Click to expand...
No screamers for me either.

Roy Orbison
Jim Morrison
Burton Cummings
Bob Segar
John Fogerty
Stevie Wonder
Marvin Gaye
Paul McCartney

Linda Ronstadt
Stevie Nicks
Bonnie Raitt
Grace Slick
 
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Loyal Coug1 said:
Ok - if we are talking women rock singers now,

Of Course Ann Wilson (Heart)
Martha Davis (the Motels, although they are more pop-ish)
Rindy Ross (Quarterflash)
Chrissy Ampflett ( RIP the Divinyls)
Johnette Napolitano (Concrete Blonde)
And also of course Pat Benatar - saw her in Spokane about a decade ago


the motels only the lonely - Search Videos

www.bing.com www.bing.com

www.bing.com

the dinynuls - Bing

Intelligent search from Bing makes it easier to quickly find what you’re looking for and rewards you.
www.bing.com www.bing.com

concrete blonde songs - Search Videos

www.bing.com www.bing.com
Click to expand...
Nice list, Listened to them alll.
 
Loyal Coug1 said:
Ok - if we are talking women rock singers now,

Of Course Ann Wilson (Heart)
Martha Davis (the Motels, although they are more pop-ish)
Rindy Ross (Quarterflash)
Chrissy Ampflett ( RIP the Divinyls)
Johnette Napolitano (Concrete Blonde)
And also of course Pat Benatar - saw her in Spokane about a decade ago


the motels only the lonely - Search Videos

www.bing.com www.bing.com

www.bing.com

the dinynuls - Bing

Intelligent search from Bing makes it easier to quickly find what you’re looking for and rewards you.
www.bing.com www.bing.com

concrete blonde songs - Search Videos

www.bing.com www.bing.com
Click to expand...
Concrete Blonde...awesome.
 
To me, the two greatest women rock singers are Ann Wilson and Karen Carpenter. She is not a rock singer, but Barbra Streisand has a great voice.
 
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