Best female rock vocalist

#61
I'm not sure why there has to be a specific best female vocalist of rock music? There are dozens and dozens of fantastic female vocalists. I have a few particular favorites though.

PJ Harvey of course, Emily Haines of Metric is an extremely underrated musician and vocalist, Shirley Manson of Garbage, Karen O, the vocalist of the Cardigans, Allison Goldfrapp, so many more I can't remember or haven't even heard yet.
 
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#63
I had mentioned earlier some softer, folky vocalist faves, but now for some real rock singers…
Holly Beth Vincent is an under-the-radar American who went to the UK, and while her career was not lengthy, she managed to issue an all time flawless snotty pop-punk classic, later covered by the band Transvision Vamp. The added extra is that the bass takes the solo spot…

Ironically she later did some recordings with Johnette.
Then I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the late Kim Shattuck of The Muffs. What a scream! She did it so effortlessly, and switch back to her bratty but melodic style, no problem. I met her once, and Muffs bassist Ronnie is a friend of mine…



I even know that pawn shop.
 
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#65
Michedelic said:
The dual queens of British folk-rock, Sandy Denny(Fairport Convention)and Jacqui McShee(Pentangle)…






I’m glad to say I’ve had the rare in the US opportunity to have seen both perform live; just a few years before her tragic death, Fairport had a brief reunion, and I caught them opening for…get this….Weather Report, Alphonso era.
I’ve seen Jacqui twice in later years…with a reformed Pentangle, then as a duo with John Renbourn, the Pentangle guitarist not involved with the get-together.
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Great choices. It's sad that Folk Rock never quite took off into the mainstream. I like to imagine a world where it became to the UK what Country music is to the US.
 
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#66
I'm not a fan of the "best" categorization, but I will say that
A) I agree that Grace Slick, Ann Wilson, Annie Haslem, and Linda Ronstadt certainly belong on any list of "great" rock singers
B) I am genuinely astonished that after four pages no one mentioned Bjork, or Sinead O'Connor; I find their range, power, and timbre impressive and captivating, and I can listen to them sing long after I tire of the sound of the voices listed throughout this thread (including those in my previous bullet-point)
C) Add this name to the You've Probably Never Heard Of Her list: Claire Hamill (full disclosure: I've only ever heard one song Claire sang on, but it is such an incredible vocal performance that her name has stuck with me for decades)
D) Barbara Streisand reads this thread and says "Hold my beer..." I know, not really rock, but holy good god y'all does she have a set of pipes!
 
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#68
Not so active these days, but I did not see Carole King? Pipes and Writes.

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And a real fave of mine with an angelic voice, and the daughter of the Gentle Giant, Inara George.

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Rock singers? Not so much.
 
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#69
Wyrdlow said:
Annie Haslam of Renaissance has an immaculate voice - definitely number one for me.


Maddy Prior from Steeleye Span.


And, dragging myself screaming into this century, I reckon Olivia Rodrigo has a superb voice.
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Never seen (nor heard of previously) Olivia, but I have seen Annie twice (Renaissance's Azure D'Or tour in '79, and Annie with her "reconstituted" Renaissance in '18), and Maddy with Steeleye Span on November 17, 1972 when they opened for Procol Harum.
 
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#72
KeepItMoving said:
She is just a genius musician all the way around. Not many (any?) other people made such a successful transition from the era when songwriters wrote songs and singers sang them to the (post-Dylan) era when you had to do both.
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The Bird and the Bee Hall and Oates tribute is easy to listen to. She has good genes.
 
#79
Jeff Scott said:
Never seen (nor heard of previously) Olivia, but I have seen Annie twice (Renaissance's Azure D'Or tour in '79, and Annie with her "reconstituted" Renaissance in '18), and Maddy with Steeleye Span on November 17, 1972 when they opened for Procol Harum.
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Sad to say I've never had the pleasure of seeing Annie live, and it's likely I'll not now. On the "one that got away" list. :sorry:
Steeleye Span I've had the great pleasure of seeing many times and had a few chats with Maddie - an absolutely charming lady and generous with her time. :)
Here she is tolerating us last October on Steeleye's 50th Anniversary Tour...
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Olivia's only two albums in to what I expect to be a long career - great pop-rock material, and an excellent ballad voice too.

Got to say, Jeff - you've seen some awesome gigs, man! :cool::thumbsup:
 
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#80
If Cocteau Twins is considered "rock" then Elizabeth Fraser is my pick- my favorite singer of all time.

I second the person who mentioned Leather Leone from Chastain- easily the most powerful singer I've ever seen live.

Here's an amazing singer some of you may not be familiar with:

 
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