Recording artists whose voices sound almost EXACTLY like other recording artists

[jillfoster]

There have been a few examples touched on here before... Polly Brown and Jean Terrell being one of the best examples. How many can you think of? Here's a more obscure vocal doppleganger, German pop singer Joy Fleming. Not so much when she sings in the lower part of her range... but during the chorus when she sings in the high part of her range, she is a dead ringer for Taylor Dane:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48fjsASZtXk&feature=related

[jillfoster]

And here's one that sound VERY similar to Tom Jones [[Although this guy is better looking than Tom)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykH1uSfC0sc

[soulster]

I always get Walter Orange and Lionel Ritchie of Commodores mixed up because they do sound a lot alike. In fact, Orange does the lead vocals for a lot of the hits.

[uptight]

I used to confuse Walter Orange for Lionel Richie, too.

I used to think Taylor Dayne and Kathy Triccoli sounded alike. Triccoli sang background on Dayne's albums.

[jillfoster]

Which member of the Emotions is it that sings "Don't Ask My Neighbors"? Cause she sounds a hell of alot like Susaye Greene.

[mark speck]

The guy from America that sounded just like Neil Young on "A Horse With No Name" [[be honest, how many of you thought it was Neil when you first heard that song?).

There's a guy named Geoffrey Metaliko who also sounds like Tom Jones. He did a version of the Northern soul fave "Got to Find a Way" [[better known on the Northern soul scene via the Cajun Hart version).

Best,

Mark

[MotownSteve]

On the Vogue's song 'Magic Town' the lead singer sounds incredibly like Tommy Good

[marv2]

Dorothy Moore [["Misty Blue") and Mary Wilson sound similar. I would also add Candi Staton and Jackie Moore to the list of sound a likes......to me!

[soulster]

The guy from America that sounded just like Neil Young on "A Horse With No Name" [[be honest, how many of you thought it was Neil when you first heard that song?).

Mark

I didn't know anything about Neil Young back then.

[daviddesper]

What about the woman from about 8-10 years ago who sounded EXACTLY like Phyllis Hyman and it was entirely intentional? I can't remember her name or what song she did, but I think she was featured on a man's CD. Was it maybe the Nathan Heathman CD? My memory is foggy and it would be too complicated to look it up when one of you guys will know exactly who she was and what song it was.

[pshark]

William DeVaugn sounds a lot like Curtis Mayfield, I'm sure it was intentional.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDTXljIqxRE&feature=related

Ray Davis[[Parliament/Funkadelic) & Melvin Franklin [[Temptations)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VYsGXf1_Sg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s3SNHIH0bs

[vcq]

There's some early Isley Brothers stuff on the Shout! RCA Sessions disc that sounds like Johnny Mathis [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiDaxU5liFc)to me.

And I don't know about "dead ringer," but I definitely hear Stevie Wonder in Jamiroquai's Jay Kay [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzyj3Wxhjr4).

And a [[non-soul) artist I discovered at the Tower Records in Kyoto: French chanteuse Zaz [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MArgqJVVAiI&feature=related), who sounds eerily similar to Edith Piaf. It's been a long time since I've heard something that made me IMMEDIATELY want to run and buy it, but Zaz has that certain "je ne sais quoi"!

[Doug-Morgan]

Tery Stafford/Elvis Presley.....

[blueskies]

There's some early Isley Brothers stuff on the Shout! RCA Sessions disc that sounds like Johnny Mathis [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiDaxU5liFc)to me.

And I don't know about "dead ringer," but I definitely hear Stevie Wonder in Jamiroquai's Jay Kay [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzyj3Wxhjr4).

And a [[non-soul) artist I discovered at the Tower Records in Kyoto: French chanteuse Zaz [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MArgqJVVAiI&feature=related), who sounds eerily similar to Edith Piaf. It's been a long time since I've heard something that made me IMMEDIATELY want to run and buy it, but Zaz has that certain "je ne sais quoi"!

Oui, ZAZ possède une Piaf sound. J'aime sa voix! Je voudrais m'entendre ce qu'elle pourrait faire avec Motown.

[blueskies]

I always thought Jean Terrell and Syreeta had a similar sound.....at times.

[jboy88]

Anyone else think that Phyllis Hyman & Selena sound alot alike?

[phil]

The first names that come to me are The Ovations' Louis Willams and Sam Cooke.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6W5A8hk4bE&feature=related

[jillfoster]

You know, had I not known different I would have said without ANY doubt that Sam Cooke was singing that record. And Sam Cooke has more than on person who sounds like him:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8M8NCnr7yU

[ltlftc]

Not only does Louis Williams sound similar to Sam Cooke, the lead singer of the Cornelius Bros sounds remarkably like Louis Williams. Check out the Ovations "I'm Living Good' and any of the Cornelius hits.

[mr_june]

I always thought that Nancy Wilson, Dee Dee Sharp and Marlena Shaw all had a similiar voice. Also, there is a Christian singer who sounds exactly like James Taylor, exactly.

[robb_k]

Brenda and Patrice Holloway,

Edward Hamilton, Melvin Davis, Steve Mancha

You can hear the family voice in Dee Dee and Dionne Warwick, Sissie Houston and Whitney Houston

Nat King Cole and Ike Cole

Johnny Moore [[Drifters) and the lead singer of The Jarmels [[forget his name)

Earl Grant trained himself to sound just like Nat Cole.

[skooldem1]

Vesta and Chaka

[luke]

Jackie and Diana Ross!

[mikey]

There were a few more Sam Cooke soundalikes namely Willie Hightower,Benny Conn,Bobby Harris.

[1wicked]

David Simmons....Teddy Pendergrass
Jon Gibson.............Stevie Wonder

[1wicked]

David Simmons....Teddy Pendergrass
Jon Gibson.............Stevie Wonder

[platters81]

James Phelps also sounds like Sam Cooke.......

[mikey]

Hi platters81:Thanks for mentioning James Phelps.

[texassoul]

J.J. Barnes and Marvin Gaye?

[mark speck]

Exactly...that's what caused J.J. not to be picked up by Motown when they bought out Ric-Tic...they thought he sounded too much like Marvin!!

Best,

Mark

[rod_rick]

Which member of the Emotions is it that sings "Don't Ask My Neighbors"? Cause she sounds a hell of alot like Susaye Greene.

Jill you think Sheila Hutchinson of the Emotions sound like Susaye Greene? Being a advid Emotions fan maybe a just a little. Her sister Jeanette sounds more like Susaye than Sheila. Susaye's tones are rounder [[like Jeanettes) as Sheila's tones are very sharp and nasal like. All the sisters of the Emotions have a very HIGH soprano range just don't know if they can sing as high as Susaye

[mr soul]

vcq...I've lost count of the times I've got Jamiroquai right in a music quiz without knowing the song being played, all because I thought it sounds like Stevie Wonder but it isn't.

Eddie Holland & Jackie Wilson

[oldiesmusicfan]

Bob Brady [[of Bob Brady & The Con Chords) - Smokey Robinson

Listen to this Smokey Robinson & The Miracles tune done by them here on Youtube -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFmqqr_9ro4

This was a huge record on the east coast back in the summer of 1967, the version I was familiar with back then. When I finally heard the Miracles' original [[an album cut), it sounded a little "off" to me, a slower pace.

I don't think anyone else mentioned Syl Johnson - Al Green.

Oldies

[texassoul]

Syl Johnson - Al Green.....YES, just listen to Syl's "Take Me To The River"!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCBLx16MDrM

[oldiesmusicfan]

Ral Donner - Elvis Presley

[[Oops, looks like this is a new post instead of an edit. I'll click submit and see what happens!)

[copley]

I don't think that Polly Brown & Jean Terrell sound similar at all!


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


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v1S-ypz5a4

[marv2]

I don't think that Polly Brown & Jean Terrell sound similar at all!


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


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v1S-ypz5a4



They do if you listen to Polly Brown singing "Up In A Puff of Smoke". We thought that it was Jean when we heard it in early 1975.

[mark speck]

Al Green and Sidney Joe Qualls

Best,

Mark

[mr soul]

Felice Taylor & Diana Ross
Corey Glover - Al Green

[copley]

They do if you listen to Polly Brown singing "Up In A Puff of Smoke". We thought that it was Jean when we heard it in early 1975.

We'll have to agree to differ on that one :)

[mr soul]

Esquires - Impressions

[gary_james]

Leslie Gore [[later) and Wayne Newton

[jillfoster]

We'll have to agree to differ on that one :)

She doesn't sound like Jean on that particular song... it just depends on the song, most of her hits with pickettywitch are where she sounds the most like Jean. Now... I got to say, Polly's version of the theme from Mahogany is SO much better than Diana's! i'm thrilled to hear it! But back to the similarity... here is where Polly sounds like Jean:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZM97zHT9MY

And here as well... this is what I imagine Jean sounding like if she had done disco:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cP-2Sh16I9c&feature=related

[paul1970]

Glenn Lewis - Stevie Wonder

Glenn Lewis - Don't You Forget It[[2001)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc4mRi7W2Ls

[1382hitsville]

Petula Clark and Dusty Springfield.

[mr_postman]

Sonny Fulton and Jackie Wilson.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA516PjBPK0

[mr soul]

Little Carl Carlton - Little Stevie Wonder

[nosey]

Oldies, thanks for that! Being that we're from the same area Jerry Blavat played that all the time and I initially thought that was Smokey. Great song!

[oldiesmusicfan]

You're welcome Nosey! I did some checking on chart position -

The song never made the R&B chart at all.

Only made it to #104 on the Pop Chart nationally.

However, look where it was in certain cities on this ARSA site -

http://www.las-solanas.com/arsa//charts_item.php?hsid=15988

Notice all the Philly charts. Really big in Canton Ohio. Lots of Lancaster PA charts also. Too bad there aren't any Baltimore charts for this song since that's where they were from. Paging Destruction, fill us in.

Now I can't stop hitting the replay button!

Oldies

[robb_k]

2901
Jackie Wilson and Eddie Holland.

Brian Holland and Eddie Holland

We should do a thread on people with unique voices-who have a voice so distinct, one could NEVER mistake anyone for them:

Leon Peels, Ray Pollard, Emanuel Lasky, Lee Andrews, Sollie McElroy, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf

[nosey]

When I first heard "What a Fool Believes" by Michael McDonald on the radio, I thought it was C.P. Spencer of the Originals initially.

[arrr&bee]

Ok let's see...chuck jackson-paul williams...jerry butler-joe simon...!

[mr soul]

Lee Garrett - Stevie Wonder

[theboyfromxtown]

When I first heard "What a Fool Believes" by Michael McDonald on the radio, I thought it was C.P. Spencer of the Originals initially.

Nosey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dcHGP8_9p0&feature=related

No no no no noooooooooooo

It's CP for me every time!

*smile*

You can hear CP Spencer backing on many Motown songs. Listen to this one and try to pick out his distinctive voice.....listen at 2:39 for his solo performance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOXS96PfLPY

[mikey]

Ted Taylor and Russell Thompkins,Jr.

[candykool1951]

Bert Robinson and Teddy Pendergrass
DeNitra Champ and Aretha Franklin, especially on the Jesus Whoop song.

[lorraineC]

Sandra Feva [[Richardson) - Gladys Knight

Sandra did a lot of demos for Gladys when Gladys was on the road to help her learn new material, etc.

Lorraine

[marv2]

Ok let's see...chuck jackson-paul williams...jerry butler-joe simon...!

add Louis Price to the Jerry Butler-Joe Simon comparison!

[marv2]

Sandra Feva [[Richardson) - Gladys Knight

Sandra did a lot of demos for Gladys when Gladys was on the road to help her learn new material, etc.

Lorraine

Didn't she also back up Aretha for a while?

[platters81]

Sharon McMann and Gracie Darnell..........

[uptight]

A few years ago, my nephew thought Yarbrough & Peoples' "Don't Stop The Music" was Stevie Wonder. And I could hear the similarity.

Similarly, I thought Belita Woods from Brainstorm could sound like Stevie.

I knew someone who thought Wild Cherry's "Play That Funky Music" was The Commodores [[sounding like Walter Orange).

[texassoul]

Sidney Joe Qualls sounds very much like Al Green. Have a listen to his "How Can You Say Goodbye"!! Amazing.

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

[texassoul]

Any others?

[bigrod62563]

hey all,thought i would chime in. while this is not an almost exactly' i have felt for many years that there is a strong similarity between mick hucknall of simply red and carly simon. does anyone here hear that as well and agree? also a young todd rundgren/young daryl hall and a young david gates had strong similarities at times to me,esprcially between daryl and todd. maybe it~s because both are philly boys and good friends.lol. the magic lanterns on the chorus of shame,shame sound like the beach boys. how about first class`s beach baby sounding like the beach boys? the newbeats; i think the song was called run back into my arms or something similar to that; the male singer to me sounds like gary lewis of the playboys. i can think of a zillion of these i guess..lol for another post....greg

[sunshineonacloudyday]

Tommie Young/Aretha Franklin

[kenneth]

2901
Jackie Wilson and Eddie Holland.

Brian Holland and Eddie Holland

We should do a thread on people with unique voices-who have a voice so distinct, one could NEVER mistake anyone for them:

Leon Peels, Ray Pollard, Emanuel Lasky, Lee Andrews, Sollie McElroy, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf

Pearl Bailey!

When she did musicals like "Carmen Jones" she was the only one whose singing voice wasn't dubbed! Even those who were singers like Harry Belafonte and Diahann Carroll got dubbed in "Carmen Jones." They probably figured everyone would know it wasn't Pearl if they used someone else.

[uptight]

Carl Hall and Vermettya Royster

[bigrod62563]

how about andy kim sounding like[[and looks too) neil diamond on rock me gently and the stompers from boston[[my hometown btw) with a neil sound on one broken heart for sale in 82 or 83. bobby vee imitating buddy holly in some songs. tommy roe`s sheila of course deliberately buddy-ish. [[lol..i must be the only person here who ever said buddy-ish.lol). here`s a bizarre recent example..that bowling for soup song from about 5-6 years ago that goes"springsteen,madonna"..kind of an 80s tribute song. i remember hearing that and thinking for sure[[and it still sounds that way to me now)that it was weird al yankovich! fits with what he would record too. ..here`s some more related thread ideas...intros,outros,instrumental sections,and just snippets of music[[no sampling of course considered or rerecords of original music with a new singer,etc.)that uncannily remind you of things from other songs. and here`s an ingenious thread if i say so myself. singers who had a knack/penchant/ability of sounding different[[in some cases extremely different)from song to song. one who could adjust a voice to fit a different genre of music. in other words singers who were vocal chameleons/singers with chops that were skitso.lol . also a great thread idea..things said by music people that were irreconcilable,,didn`t make any sense or perhaps unjustifiably mean-spirited perhaps? i`m going to start those threads soon. hope you enjoy them as much as i do.

[lorraineC]

Didn't she also back up Aretha for a while?

She did Marv2 and Sandra's daughter did too.

Lorraine