Underrated Soul Singers
Cosmo
9,768 Posts
This is not for the Marvins or the Otises... this is for them dudes that, while they might have sold records, aren't always looked at as being pure voices.Now I just saw dude perform on BET Awards and thought to myself, dude really is one of the best voices of our generation. That dude is Johnny Gill. Dude is the shit.The other one I always got to prop is is Jeffrey Osborne. God, who kills it like this dude?Who else is up?
Comments
Ill Add.....
Phil Perry,Keith Washington,El Debarge,Billy Griffin, and.......Rachelle Farrell.
Watched him perform last night at Essence Fest, and he tore the Superdome apart. KILLED it.
had the pleasure of DJing at one of his shows this past winter, dude brought it. Intense.
I would like to add OV Wright
Goddamn...
Natalie Cole is big but isnt canonized...IMO.
Click On - I REFUSE
I hope you don't mind if I add another.
I was thinking of starting a Mavis Staples thread.
Always a big fan of every step of the Staples singers careers.
Mavis did a solo lp for Stax, that gets it.
For pure church shouting find their Freedom Highway lp.
Mavis did an lp with Prince in the 80s. I didn't think it worked to well.
But in recent years she did 2 great albums.
Have A Little Faith from a few years back.
And last year she did a cd of civil rights era songs with Ry Cooder producing.
I saw the Staple Singers a year or 3 before Pops died.
Sadly, Mavis sisters voices were no longer strong.
Still great seeing legends.
Mavis was strong.
Pops moved me to tears with his MLK monologue during Why Am I Treated So Bad.
Muddy Waters
Boy George
Mark Murphy
Toots
^ Not that these people don't get mentioned as great singers, but they deserve to be thought of as soul singers.
Would love to hear some 80s / 90s names in here...
Her first lp was a straight southern soul out of Muscle Shoals. After that she got slotted into smooth jazz but still crossed over to the R&B charts.
But I'd like to catch Garfield throw down. Sounds like he could still let loose.
hells jeah
^ From 1991. I always thought she should have been a hit. Could have done what Sharon Jones is doing now.
JBs in the horn section.
Another Essence Fest fave: Ledisi. BROUGHT THAT SHIT. Hadn't heard much hype about her yet.
jr bailey
rance allen group
labi sifre
esther williams
esther phillips
bobby caldwell
womack & womack
names are escaping me as of now, female from side effect, and the female from brainstorm.
The Transistions - Biv 10 - 2001.
caroline crawford as well
Solo - Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis project.
Despite the 90's Radio sound the lead dude can blow.
buggin'
she killed ice king and they say....and was dope live.