~~~underrated singers~~who would you choose?~~~

[JIVE FIVE Mary G.]

Hello Everyone,

The recent passing of Eydie Gorme got me to thinking about underrated singers. Eydie was one, IMHO. She was perfection as a vocalist. Better than Striesand IMO.

The singers can be famous or popular, but the appreciation for their singing has to be disproportionate to their singing ability/talent.

I'll begin with Eydie, and add more as this thread progresses. I'd like to hear your choices of underrrated singers.

Here's Eydie singing at her best...

~~Mary~~

[thomas96]

Bobby Taylor. I believe he is the greatest singer ever to live.

[Jerry Oz]

Keith John. Who?! He's the son of Little Willie John; the only two songs I heard him sing were from Spike Lee's "School Daze" and "Do the Right Thing" soundtracks. I never understood why he never broke out. This cut is one of my favorite performances.

[JIVE FIVE Mary G.]

Bobby Taylor would be one of my choices, too, Thomas96. He was a much better vocalist than some others at Motown.

Here he is. I get chills whenever I hear him sing...

~~Mary~~

[JIVE FIVE Mary G.]

Keith John is a good choice, Jerry. I confess I didn't even know he sang. I like his voice.

~~Mary~~

[Jerry Oz]

Sometimes, great singers get lost when they are only associated with their groups. This is what happened to the late, very great Bobby Smith with the Spinners and both Walter and Wallace Scott of the Whispers. All three are much better talents than 98% of the solo artists in the last 40 years.

[JIVE FIVE Mary G.]

Right on, Jerry!! I agree with your choices. Some lead singers is groups are the best vocalists out there.

Here are The Whispers...

~~Mary~~

[blueskies]

Morgana King http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2O44ijR6QE

[blueskies]

Ronnie Dyson http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWbo4YT4ZSc

[JIVE FIVE Mary G.]

I have to include my boss Eugene Pitt in this group. Even Terry Stewart, former CEO of The Rock Hall of Fame, called Pitt "the most underrated soul singer in America". Eugene has been my favorite male vocalist since 1961. The man can sing anything and sing it well. He has more than a four octive range and his falsetto notes are part of his normal range. He has a great vibratto, perfect pitch, excellent diction and phrasing. The Jive Five harmonies are often more complicated than other groups from the so-called "doo Wop" era. Besides his expert technique, he makes me FEEL the songs he sings, and that's what it's all about.

Here he is singing "United" at an event in Pittsburgh in 1993.

~~Mary~~

[Jerry Oz]

Has there ever been a smoother falsetto that EJ Johnson of Enchantment? Many times, voices are the accompaniment to the music. This voice was so sweet, the song was going to be wonderful, regardless of what was behind him.

[JIVE FIVE Mary G.]

Here is Eugene Pitt singing his favorite song he ever recorded. It's from the "Way Back" Ambient Sound album in 1982.

~~Mary~~

[JIVE FIVE Mary G.]

Here is Eugene & the group singing one of my early faves by them. Eugene wrote this song in the back of a car on the way to the studio. They needed a follow up to "My True Story" and were recording on the Beltone label at the time.

~~Mary~~

[Kamasu_Jr]

There are so many underated singers: Donell Jones, Joe, Dee Dee Warwick, Vesta, G.C. Cameron, Ronnie Dyson, Eddie Floyd, Howard Tate, Lorraine Ellison, Martha Wash, Tata Vega, Blinky, Luke James, Jazmine Sullivan, Deborah Cox are a few that I can think of off the top of my head.

I agree with Jerry Oz about E.J. Johnson of Enchantment. His vocal on Love Struck was so sweet and soulful.









'

[RossHolloway]

Chante Moore.

[edafan]

50's 60's

Jack Jones

edafan

[Jerry Oz]

I know these boards are filled with George Smith's Manhattans fans, but Gerald Alston sings so many of my favorite songs, I had to bring him into the conversation.

[marv2]

Keith John. Who?! He's the son of Little Willie John; the only two songs I heard him sing were from Spike Lee's "School Daze" and "Do the Right Thing" soundtracks. I never understood why he never broke out. This cut is one of my favorite performances.

I spoke with Keith last year. They are trying to get a film biography of their dad off the ground. He has been a fixture in Stevie Wonder's show for something like 25 years now.

[marv2]

No surprise here.........Mary Wilson!

[Jerry Oz]

I spoke with Keith last year. They are trying to get a film biography of their dad off the ground. He has been a fixture in Stevie Wonder's show for something like 25 years now.

Stevie Wonder wrote and produced another great song for him: "I Can Only Be Me".

[robb_k]

Morris Chestnut, Gloria Lynne, Linda Griner/Lynne Roman, Ray Pollard, C.p. Spencer, Gaynel Hodge, Barbara Green, Carolyn Crawford, Lenny Welch, Maxine Brown, Erma Franklin, Dusty Wilson, Richard Street, Ty Hunter, Edward Hamilton, Emanuel Laskey, Gloria Jones, Mary Love, Van McCoy, Billy Butler, Lee Maye, Arthur Prysock,

[heikki]

Hi Mary!

I really love "Where Do We Go From Here" by Jive Five.

Best regards
Heikki

[jillfoster]

The fact that she had her biggest hits with SAW kind of lumped her in a group of artists that people percieved to be of little talent and dependent on producers, but Hazel Dean is a greatly underrated singer with some pretty amazing chops.

[jillfoster]

And Lulu Roman

[jillfoster]

Someone who DOES get respect she deserves in other parts of the world, but not here. But this is a singer that I think is better than Striesand:

[JIVE FIVE Mary G.]

Hi Mary!

I really love "Where Do We Go From Here" by Jive Five.

Best regards
Heikki

Hi Heikki,

It is a great track and Gene's vocal is perfection on it. It's one of my favorite tunes by them, too.

~~Mary~~

[JIVE FIVE Mary G.]

All of you are coming up with some great choices.

Another I would add to the list is Joan Osborne. Here she is with the late Bob Babbitt & The Funk Brothers..

~~Mary~~

[arrr&bee]

morris chestnut, gloria lynne, linda griner/lynne roman, ray pollard, c.p. Spencer, gaynel hodge, barbara green, carolyn crawford, lenny welch, maxine brown, erma franklin, dusty wilson, richard street, ty hunter, edward hamilton, emanuel laskey, gloria jones, mary love, van mccoy, billy butler, lee maye, arthur prysock,

hey rob,your knowledge is second to none so you know that[lee maye]was also a major league baseball player.

[Soul Sister]

If we are talkin` true 60's Soul era [[many are not), here's my underrated but talented lost soul Top Ten artists list:

Derek Martin
Timothy Wilson
Joe Valentine
Garland Green
Garnett Mimms
Leon Haywood
Big Maybelle
Linda Jones
Laura Lee
Brenda Payton

*Group's listing could go on forever, lol..........

,
S.S.
***

[JIVE FIVE Mary G.]

Hi S.S.,

It can be any genre of music. I began with Eydie Gorme. List away.

~~Mary~~

[Soul Sister]

Yes Mary, but I think there are more underrated "good" soul artists than in any other genre.


S.S.
***

[edafan]

I agree about Joan Osborne
edafan

[JIVE FIVE Mary G.]

I agree about Joan Osborne
edafan

She is soooooooo good, Edafan. The late Bob Babbitt told me the Funks liked her so much they took her on tour with them. That's a testament to her talent IMHO.

~~Mary~~

[Kamasu_Jr]

And Lulu Roman

WHY POST old PICTURES OF LULU fat? Have you seen her lately?

[jillfoster]

WHY POST old PICTURES OF LULU fat? Have you seen her lately?

I wasn't posting a picture to show how fat she was, I was posting a youtube video because the live vocal is AMAZING. We're talking about the singing here, and if you watch the video, you'll hear the voice of an angel.

[Jerry Oz]

WHY POST old PICTURES OF LULU fat? Have you seen her lately?

Oops. Ism just showed up.

[mr_june]

There is a male singer that is featured on a couple of Santana albums that gets my vote. The guy has a very rich voice that can go high and low. He's on the Borboletta and Festival albums. I can never remember his name. He's been singing gospel for a while last I heard.

[REDHOT]

Syreeta,Scherrie Payne,Chante Moore,Vesta,Bobby Taylor,even Mary Wilson,i just love her,THE BEST.Please stay positive

[Roberta75]

Madeline Bell and Joyce Bryant and Kiki Dee and Tony Martin and the late Miss Nell Carter and former Supreme Lynda Lawrence are all runderrated singers imo.

Roberta

[robb_k]

hey rob,your knowledge is second to none so you know that[lee maye]was also a major league baseball player.

Yes, i knew he was a baseball player. After moving to Chicago, i was a big fan of The Milwaukee Braves, because The Cubs had been bad for forever. He was a great fielder and a .300 hitter, and once led The National League in doubles.

i remeber him from as early as 1953 as Arthur Lee May[[e) as lead singer of The Crowns. He was a great singer.

[robb_k]

I forgot to mention Tobi Lark and Gwen Owens, and Betty Everett and Jay Bird Uzzell.

[jsmith]

I'll nominate Diana Ross, nobody rates her.

[jsmith]

J5 MaryG, did you ever sort out just when Richard Fisher [[from Cleveland) joined & quit Jive 5 ?

[Soul Sister]

@Roberta,
Which Joyce Bryant are you thinking of? Is it Joyce Bryant who sang with Lionel Hampton Orchestra or another?

S.S.
***

[JIVE FIVE Mary G.]

J5 MaryG, did you ever sort out just when Richard Fisher [[from Cleveland) joined & quit Jive 5 ?

JSSmith,

I'm afraid I'm not recalling that question asked of me. He would have joined in the early/ mid '60's and was not with them for long. I will make a note to ask Eugene if he remembers the exact years.

~~Mary~~

[glencro]

Keith John. Who?! He's the son of Little Willie John; the only two songs I heard him sing were from Spike Lee's "School Daze" and "Do the Right Thing" soundtracks. I never understood why he never broke out. This cut is one of my favorite performances.

Almost forgot about that song. He was definitely one of my favorites and I always wished that he had released a full album [[or did he?)

[glencro]

One of my favorites from the 90's CHRIS WALKER

[glencro]

Another 90's favorite TINA MOORE

[daviddesper]

Gosh, how did we get up to 47 posts without the astonishing Phyllis Hyman being mentioned? Yes I know she had her fan base and did have significant success, but in my opinion she should have been an epic star. As we have documented on here, it was a case of poor timing with her having to compete with the rise of Whitney and the onset of disco. She could rip your heart out better than anybody before or after her.

As for male singers, I am not into them as much but I always thought Mel Carter had a huge booming voice and should have been a bigger star than the 3 or 4 hits he had.

Honorable mention to Miss Saundra Edwards of the Elgins. Nobody could have done "Heaven Must Have Sent You" any better.

[JIVE FIVE Mary G.]

J5 MaryG, did you ever sort out just when Richard Fisher [[from Cleveland) joined & quit Jive 5 ?

Hi JSSmith,

Eugene Pitt says Richard Fisher was with The Jive Five in '63 and '64. He may have been with them for part of '65. I knew he wasn't a member for long.

~~Mary~~