Top ten ballad singers ~

[Soul Sister]

BEST BALLAD SINGERS ~
Singers you never get tired of listening too!
Name your Top Ten 'SOLO' male & female Artist's in seperate lists whether it's a Jazz Vocalist or Soul Singer ~

MALE ~

1. Jimmy Scott ~ [[a.k.a. Little Jimmy Scott)
2. Arthur Prysock
3. Johnny Hartman
4. Walter Jackson
5. James Brown
6. Jackie Wilson
7. Marvin Gaye
8. Billy Paul
9. Timothy Wilson
10. Derek Martin

* Special Mention ~ Mel Torme, Nat King Cole, Gerald Alston, Otis Redding, Tommy Hunt, Ben E. King , Chuck Jackson, David Ruffin, Teddy Pendergrass, Peabo Bryson & Luther Vandross.
________________________________________________

FEMALES ~

1. Dinah Washington
2. Big Maybelle
3. Nancy Wilson
4. Etta James
5. Etta Jones
6. Billie Holiday
7. Linda Jones
8. Aretha Franklin
9. Teena Marie
10. Laura Lee

* Special Mention ~ Angie Bofil, Mildred Bailey, Morgana King, Little Miss Cornshucks, Gladys Knight, Thelma Jones, Theola Kilgore, Mitty Collier, & so many more..........

S.S.
***

[ralpht]

Good to see Jimmy's name on the list SS. How could he not be? I'll never forget Mike Mclean's report to me after attending a Jimmy Scott concert. He had one word..."Elegant".

[Soul Sister]

Hi Ralph,
Yes, I hear that from fans elegant, class act, gracious, and giving.
Thanks for sharing that. I miss seeing Mike here.
You'd love him Ralph, both on and off the stage.

S.S.
***

[JIVE FIVE Mary G.]

This is a tough one for me, because so many of my favorites are group lead singers, but here goes.

MALES

1. Marvin Gaye
2. Jimmy Scott
3. David Ruffin
4. Louis Armstrong
5. Jackie Wilson
6. Otis Redding
7. Bobby Womack
8. Sam Cooke
9. Smokey Robinson
10, Vic Damone

Honorable mention: Teddy Pendergrass, Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, Dean Martin, Eugene Pitt, Daryl Hall. Timothy Wilson. Pitt & Hall have done solo ballads.

FEMALES

1. Gladys Knight
2. Ella Fitzgerald
3. Etta James
4. Linda Jones
5. Sarah Vaughan
6. Billie Holiday
7. Aretha Franklin
8. Helen O'Connell
9. Carla Thomas
10. Theola Kilgore

Honorable mention: Lena Horne, Carmen McRae, Loletta Holloway, Irma Thomas, Teena Marie, Nancy Wilson.


~~Mary~~

[Soul Sister]

Bump up for the Ballad lovers of sweet love songs.
This is for the lover in you.


S.S.
***

[luke]

Lorraine Ellison; Phyllis Hyman; Lenny Welch; Gladys Knight;Linda Jones; Etta James; Brenda Holloway;Smokey; David Ruffin; Otis Redding; Barbra Streisand.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrYwtAz-LZQ talk about neglected-Stay With Me-Ms Ellison.

[blueskies]

Too many to list....but, one stands out for me....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2O44ijR6QE

[Soul Sister]

LOVE Morgana King, blueskies. She's made some really good albums.

S.S.
***

[thomas96]

Lena Horne is my favorite. No top 10, couldn't pick 9 others, there's so many great ones.

[blueskies]

Love Morgana, too, Soul Sister.
New Beginings is one of my favorite LP's of hers.

[Soul Sister]

That's cool, blueskies.

S.S.
***

[blueskies]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_QvVji5E9Q

Morgana does a little Stevie Wonder.