Discussion - Great Black Singers

[Historian]

I hope the moderators won’t mind me starting a new thread on this topic of great black singers.

Personally, I use adjectives like “greatest” very carefully, as it’s extremely difficult to adequately assess all the outstanding singers in order to reach this conclusion. To provide one example, I always refer to the unbelievably technically outstanding late Canadian jazz pianist Oscar Peterson as being “one of the greatest” pianists, rather than “the greatest.”

Like many listeners, I have always loved the silky smooth vocals of Luther Vandross, but there is no way under the sun I’m going to even think of applying the term “greatest” to him! Same with Marvin Gaye! They are outstanding black vocalists, but greatest?

Below are seven black singers that I regard as being truly outstanding in every sense of the word (impressive range, beautiful tone, style, etc.). Now, Reggae Massive, who are your outstanding black singers?

Larnelle Harris
Ronnie Dyson
Alvin Slaughter
Jackie Wilson
Garnet Mimms
Solomon Burke
Donnie McClurkin

[Peter R]

Larnelle have pipes... outstanding! (I didn't say "greatest")

[MdmeX]

Solomon Burke - "Good Bye Baby" is still one of my favorites

[Gamma]

jerry butler
donnie hathaway
david ruffin
billy eckstine
nat cole
PAUL ROBESON

[Lazie]

Mi notice both Historian and Gamma a commit blasphemy. Guh outa road and put any of those names vs Luther and hear what the repondents will say. Ever site have blog or a forum, but then .. there is the RBSC forum. Well there are singers and then there is Luther.

[Gamma]

everybody inna your age group.....yuh limit yuhself! nuh know how yuh can compare luther with man like paul robeson!

[Historian]

Popularity and Greatness Not the Same!

everybody inna your age group.....yuh limit yuhself! nuh know how yuh can compare luther with man like paul robeson!

Excellent point, Gamma! It is really obvious, at least to me, that there are quite a number of singers who have greater range, depth and so on than Luther, whose claim to fame is a silky smooth voice! Also, I'm not sure if there are many serious music lovers who would seek to place Luther Vandross in the same category of the legendary Paul Robeson!!

The problem here is not that Lazie is not sincere, because he appears to be very sincere in his view about Luther Vandross. Rather, the problem seems to be that Lazie is confusing "popularity" with "greatness"!! The two are not always interchangeable!

[Karl]

Rather, the problem seems to be that Lazie is confusing "popularity" with "greatness"!! The two are not always interchangeable!

Well as I always 'pick' on Lazie -

...just one likle sinting - Why the bias against the ladies?

[Islandman]

You have two more of my short list here bwoy. Ruffin and Hathaway.

There is something about Ruffin that I can't quite explain that makes him special for me. Bwoy him really sing from the depths of his soul! Those early Temptations songs like My Girl and Since I lost My Baby with Ruffin at the lead are all-time classics!

Lazie, it sound like your R&B music catalog start in 1980 or thereabouts!

[Historian]

Lazie, it sound like your R&B music catalog start in 1980 or thereabouts!

LMAO

[MdmeX]

Well since I'm female, let me bring on some favourite WOMEN - in no particular order

Roberta Flack
Nina Simone
Shirley Bassey
Ella Fitzgerald
Billie Holiday
Aretha - can you spell R-E-S-P-E-C-T

This is a million dollar discussion and we're all winners

[Lazie]

...

Lazie, it sound like your R&B music catalog start in 1980 or thereabouts!

Wait ... yuh got jokes Islandman. Anyway, all laughs aside, even if the collection started 1990, Luther Ronzoni Vandross is head and shoulders above the rest.

I realize that people are thinking about songs they like then throwing out names. If thats the case then smady list Michael Jackson cause how many of us liked his hits?

[Islandman]

Let me do a Lazie and throw in a post 1980 singer! Anita Baker deserves to be in that list.

[Sir X]

Do reggae singers fit in that class of Black ?

If so

1) John Holt
2)Marcia Griffiths
3)Dennis Brown
4)Gregory Issacs
5)Phyliss Dillon

[Gamma]

ronzoni? isn't that the machine dem use to clean the ice at the ice hockey rinks?

yuh notice nobody threw out michael jackson? in fact ongle YOU mention him .... as inappropriate as his name is in this serious discussion .... sorry we are a little sophisticated in our taste in music than that ..thank you very much!