One of my biggest complaints about today's popular music--so much of it sounds alike. Turn on the radio and listen. Now imagine the voice you're hearing without the music in the background. Uh-huh, most of the guys are yelping, grunting or whining, while most of the girls are stuck on wail, scream or purr. Ain't a whole lot of straight-up sanging going on (smile). Yeah, I said it. Meant it too. Where have all of the distinctive voices gone? Where are the songs and the voices we'll want to listen to 10, 20, 30 years from now?
The following is a list of distinctive voices . . . voices of singers who are no longer with us . . . voices that still make me smile whenever I hear them on the radio. My list is in no particular order and in all honesty could continue on well past the number 13.
THIRTEEN VOICES I MISS . . .
1) MARVIN GAYE
2) LUTHER VANDROSS
3) MINNIE RIPERTON
4) LOU RAWLS
5) JOHNNY TAYLOR
6) PHYLLIS HYMAN
7) DONNY HATHAWAY
8) CURTIS MAYFIELD
9) SARAH VAUGHAN
10) JAMES BROWN
11) DAVID RUFFIN
12) TUPAC
13) BIGGIE
So . . . which/what voices are on your list?
After you're finished here, you might want to jump over to Malcolm's Pop Culture Dish and check out his Thursday list of 13 "TV Shows I Would Love To See In Reruns Again."
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8 comments:
My list would include: Marvin Gaye, Dusty Springfield, Luther, Curtis Mayfield, James Brown, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Patsy Cline, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Timi Yuro, and Bobby Darin.
You are so right about the lack of distinctive voices. It's like they roll the singers off the same assembly line.
Hmm, my Mom has an old Dusty Springfield album I need to find and dust off. I haven't heard her since I was a kid.
After watching the recent PBS special on STAX, I plan to add some Otis Redding to my collection. Even though I'm a Memphis product (home of Stax)I've never really listened to Redding, but the PBS special really turned me on to his voice.
Timi Yuro is an new one on me. Never heard of him (or her). But thanks for submitting your list.
I wonder if the album your mom has is "Dusty In Memphis". Whenever someone compiles a greatest albums of all time list, "Dusty In Memphis" usually places somewhere on it. I purchased the deluxe edition CD a few years ago and wasn't disappointed.
Timi Yuro had one of the most unique voices ever. Many people mistakenly thought that she was black. "Hurt" and "What's A Matter Baby" were her 2 big hits (in 1961 and 1962, respectively). If you wanna listen to Timi, I included the link to a You Tube clip of her performing a song called "If".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oE8EDrecrA
I'd have to go with Aaliyah. She died too young and was silenced too soon. (Am I showing my age?)
Keith,
Yeah Aaliyah was cool. Even I liked "Back and Forth" (smile). Her death was both a shock and a tragedy. But her voice, I don't know . . . I really can't say it's all that distinctive to me.
You are right though, it could be an age thing. But hey, you "youngsters" are entitled to your own opinions (smile).
Interesting list...
I will be posting some Mayfield real soon. (a whole retrospective).
But you just gave me an idea to consider... posting a playlist of those who have passed on.
Hey Angry Indep.,
Welcome to "The Mix." A whole Mayfield retrospective, huh? Cool! Guess I'll have to stop by and check it out.
My mother once told me she had an uncle who was a big Otis Redding fan. When Otis Redding passed away my mother said that her cried and that he was sad for several days.
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