who do you think has the best singing voice of all time!

[Smoking Monkey]

+1 on Joe Cocker. Even if he does not have a beautiful, flowing voice, he can masterfully interpretate songs and imbue very touching emotions in each piece.

Even more problematic is Randy Newman who's voice takes a long time to get used to, but eventually you can't imagine any other people giving life to his characters.

Plus Joe Cocker can really scream, man!!

[Smoking Monkey]

How about turning this around a bit: worst singers- I'd say The Shaggs, Lou Reed (even though he's one of my heroes), Barry Manilow, and Christina Aguilera. That ought to bring some people out

[bikebryan]

Originally Posted by BigMikeinKC

The problem here is that we can't really judge some of the singers from the past, before clean recordings were available.

Now the orginal post asked for the best singing voice of all time, not for my personal favorite, so:

Dietrich Fisher-Dieskau

Unless you have seen them live. I can personally speak for Steve Walsh in his rimne while he was in Kansas - before he left and was replaced in the early 80s. His voice live was everything it was on their recordings, and more. Today, not so much.

[matchingmole]

Sandy Denny (Fairport Convention)
Grace Slick (Jefferson Airplane)
Jack Bruce (Cream)
Frank Sinatra
Annie Lennox (Eurythmics)
Jesse Collin Young (Youngbloods)
Howlin' Wolf
Sonja Kristina (Curved Air)

[matchingmole]

damn... I forgot Tim Buckley and Jim Morrison (The Doors)

[Topekadude]

Men: Chris Isaak, Marvin Gaye, Dean Martin

Women: Shakira, Natalie Merchant, Amy Winehouse

[femurman2003]

Steve Perry

[growler]

Nobody can sing a heartbreak song like Linda Rondstadat.

Billie Holiday
Ruth Brown
Maura O'connall
Emmylou Harris

Sam Cook
Otis Redding
Raul Malo
James Grant

[dearhunter]

Speaking strictly of pitch, depth and range........Steve Perry

[Guest102513-1]

Steve Perry?? Would never have guessed that one. But without question, Journey sucked once he left

Lot's of ideas, but to throw out a couple of different names.... in terms of live performances,

Michael Crawford and Adele and Shirley Manson of Garbage

[dearhunter]

Steve Perry had what is called "active perfect pitch" back in the day......it was impressive.

He could hit a requested note. Then, have the note come in on the piano after he started it...and he had amazing range.

[Guest102513-1]

Did Steve Perry have a post-Journey career??...seems like I might have remeber one album. Also remeber that he felt very isolated from the other members of Journey, even during there highest point

[bikebryan]

Originally Posted by dearhunter

Steve Perry had what is called "active perfect pitch" back in the day......it was impressive.

He could hit a requested note. Then, have the note come in on the piano after he started it...and he had amazing range.

As much as I love Steve Perry's voice, during Journey's prime he did not have to vocal range of Steve Walsh of Kansas, nor the sheer power of voice. Steve Walsh was probably the best tenor in rock of that time (Mid 70s to early 80s). I haven't heard Steve Perry in a while, but I did see Kansas with Steve Walsh a couple of years ago, and his voice has NOT aged well.

[dearhunter]

I agree that Walsh had more projected power.....Kansas was my favorite band in the 80s.....he did have a tendency to trail off flat at the end of an extended note in live perfomance......not that I cared...I was busy doing something unmentionable here and chasing pussy

[Guest102513-1]

Say it isn't so, DH, lol