Fav dead black chick singer?

[modest mouse]

Some like Billie Holiday.
or Ella
or Bessie Smith
or Nina

Im partial to Sarah Vaughn who seems to go unheralded but brings a mix of emotions to her bag of tricks that keeps her listenable over time.

Anyone else dive into the genre on occasion? Opinions? Manifestos?

 

[Marxist]

Ella wins. Her work with Satchmo is just too strong. And talk about phrasing...

 

[Ishmael]

Toss a coin. Ella for her perfection or Billie for her heart. I honestly wouldn't want to pick one over the other.

Ishmael

 

[Lancecastor]

It's gotta be Michael Jackson.

 

[Marxist]

It's gotta be Mahalia Jackson.

I totally forgot about her. Gospel rarely gets its due in discussions like this.

 

[kotori]

First two names to come to mind when I saw the thread title, even while the page was loading, were Ella and Billie. I saw Ella Fitzgerald once with her trio, at Princeton University in 1980 or '81. Billie maybe--maybe--had more "soul" (I hope that doesn't sound too goofy), that raw, natural tallent, but Ella wins hands down for artistry.

And someone should mention Dinah Washington, too. She had a special talent and unique style.

 

[modest mouse]

Gospel is a different vein.

I'd concede that Ella is the most skilled and Billie probably had the most 'shit' to bring to her music.

She doesnt really fit but Ma Rainey is worth noting too.

 

[patient1]

Bessie Smith & Etta James would be more to my liking.

 

[lisalove]

All of the above are amazing.

Is Etta James dead? I thought she was too, then a few weeks ago I'm sure I read she was appearing somewhere.

 

[Minout]

Etta James is alive and well.

I vote for Sarah Vaughn.

 

[Lancecastor]

Portia White

Perhaps the finest, though little known, contralto of the 20th Century. A very sad story.

http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~jay/pages/docs/star.html

 

[patient1]

Sometimes it's a pleasure not to know what I'm talking about.

 

[deliciously_naughty]

ella forever