My Favorite Female Vocalists: the Honorable Mentions

Here are the terrific women who almost made my top dozen...

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a thing for strong female vocalists. I think part of it stems from the fact that I enjoyed singing from a very young age, and female vocalists were in my range as a kid. Also, most of my boyhood and teenage crushes were singers (heck, even Carrie Fisher could sing).

I started thinking about my favorite female vocalists, and I realized how difficult it was to narrow them down! I began making a top 10 list and expanded it to 12, and I still had some names left over.

Here are my honorable mentions! I put them in alphabetical order by first name just because a nerd and need to organize them in some way.

Disclaimer: this isn’t meant to be an all-time definitive list. These are simply my favorites.

Adele

I remember the first time I heard Adele’s voice. Remember when iTunes used to do a free single of the week? Once, it was “Hometown Glory,” and that powerful voice hooked me.

Not only is her voice so clear, powerful, and versatile, but her phrasing is also unique — and it’s part of what makes her one-of-a-kind. She has undoubtedly bared her soul over the years in her songs — almost to the point of self-indulgence — but she can still move me in so many ways.

Ashley Cleveland

Ashley Cleveland banged around Nashville as an in-demand session singer and songwriter before she got her big break. That came with Big Town, a rocking album that didn’t shy away from her faith and her personal struggles — and didn’t get the chance it deserved.

She then moved over to the Christian marketplace, where she had some success and became the first woman to win a Grammy in the Christian rock category. She would go on to win three of them altogether.

Brooke Fraser/Brooke Ligertwood

Releasing her first album at the age of 19, Brooke Fraser took the charts by storm in her native New Zealand, and she gained international fame for her work with Hillsong United and later with Hillsong’s main band.

Along the way, she experimented with different styles of music, got married, had kids, and came back to record worship music. Now she records under her married name of Brooke Ligertwood, but she’s still making music that inspires the soul.

Christine Dente

Husband-and-wife Scott and Christine Dente began making music in the early ‘90s under the moniker Out of the Grey. Their glorious alt-pop was a combination of thoughtful lyrics and sophisticated music, most of which relied on Christine’s clear vocals.

She was even able to lend her pipes to other projects.

Christine McVie

When Christine McVie passed away in December, I wrote at PJ Media:

In a band that was full of stars and immense talents, McVie still made her presence known. Her solid keyboard playing, her smoky voice, and her solid songcraft churned out sparkling hits and glorious album cuts and helped bridge the gap between rock and pop for the band.

Both with Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist, McVie made memorable music even better because of her unique voice.

Mary J. Blige

When Mary J. Blige first came on the scene in the early ‘90s, she had the image of an edgy, street-smart tough gal, but she wasn’t afraid to let her vulnerability show.

Her soaring voice gave her big hits, as well as a platform to share her story and encourage others. Along the way, she cemented her legendary status among the great ladies of R&B, pop, and gospel — and she even made a name for herself on the big screen.

Jo Stafford

My musical tastes run the gamut from medieval polyphonic Christmas music to the hits of today, and when it comes to traditional, pre-rock-era pop, nobody holds a candle to Jo Stafford.

Before, during, and after World War II, Stafford’s gorgeous voice was a staple of radio stations, and she even had a career in comedy that stemmed from sketches she and her husband used to perform "when things got a little quiet, or when people began taking themselves too seriously at a Hollywood party."

Who else would artists as diverse as Rosemary Clooney, Patsy Cline, and Judy Collins claim as an influence? It’s easy to see why because Stafford’s voice was second to none.

Patsy Cline

No artist of either gender in any genre could convey heartache like Patsy Cline, and she could drag you into the depths of romantic despair right along with her.

She, along with producer Owen Bradley, helped usher in a sophisticated new sound they called “countrypolitan” that blended country with lush pop stylings. She borrowed her phrasing from more traditional pop artists like Jo Stafford; still, there was no doubt that she was country and no doubt that she was Southern.

That contralto was haunting, even when she was singing about something happy.

Patsy Cline has had plenty of imitators, but there will never be anyone who sounded like she did.

Shirley Bassey

Anyone who knows me well knows that I’m a big fan of the James Bond movies and books, so why wouldn’t I include the woman who performed three movie theme songs?

Confession time: I’m not familiar with Shirley Bassey’s music outside of the 007 canon, but I can only imagine that, since she has achieved such legendary status, it stands to reason that she’s as powerful a vocalist singing songs that don’t accompany the opening credits of a spy movie.

Mikamote, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons