Who are some of the most underrated/underappreciated singers?

[tsull1]

Some guys who perhaps deserve more credit:

Paul Williams -- Tempts die-hard fans know he's great; the average Joe thinks it's all Ruffin-Kendricks.

Bobbie Smith -- I've read critics [[including Dave Marsh) who think Phillippe Wynne sang all Spinners leads. People have tin ears, I guess. Led "Could It Be ..." and "I'll Be Around" among many. Read YouTube comments [[OK, don't, your brain might go numb), everyone thinks Wynne is leading Smith-led songs.

Walter Williams -- Again, we here on this board know he's great. Again, I've read critics [[Marsh again) who has miscredited his leads to Eddie Levert. A magical, legendary talent ... average Schmo seems to think Levert leads all songs.

Edmund Sylvers -- Just kind of re-connecting with this group of late, the guy was a tremendous singer and talent. Certainly didn't get his due when he was alive.

Add yours. While the above are certainly well-known on this board, they are misrepresented. Perhaps the title of this should be, "No, he didn't sing that tune, this guy did!" Nevertheless, just having fun ... certainly a lot of underrated women should be listed in this thread, too.

[mark speck]

If we're talking underrated women, Florence Ballard is at the top of the list!!

Best,

Mark

[blueskies]

Ronnie Dyson
Merry Clayton
Ruby Andrews
Dorothy Moore

[texassoul]

Leon Ware
Dee Dee Warwick

[Zantellor]

Saundra Edwards

[MIKEW-UK]

Lamont Dozier

[splanky]

I get your point, tsull, and I think this is a great thread idea, only problem I have with your initial post is that I agree
Bobbie Smith was a fine singer in his own right, on Could It Be I'm Falling in Love after he sets up the playing field very
nicely it is indeed Phil who knocks the ball out of the park. Still, you have stated an often overlooked fact; that many times a group contains a singer other than the most well known lead who can deliver the goods and Walter Williams was
a perfect example. He killed me on It's Time To Get Down...
I'd say Alice Clark was severely underated as was The Cookies Margaret Ross and Sharon Paige who sang with The Bluenotes...

[marv2]

Louis Price

[Kamasu_Jr]

Ronnie Dyson
Merry Clayton
Ruby Andrews
Dorothy Moore

I agree with Blueskies' first 2 choices, and would add Darlene Love, JJ Barnes, Patti Drew & Carla Thomas.

[drewschultz88]

Obviously I'm biased, but I'm gonna go with Lawrence Payton



He had a great mix of that rough and smooth singing, and had great phrasing.

And if we're talking about singers that I'm sure everyone on the forum knows of, but not the average listener, I'd also go with General Johnson, Danny Woods, Steve Mancha, Hank Dixon, Darrell Banks ... there are so many!

[jboy88]

Jessica Cleaves
Blinky
Christina Vidal
Sweet James Epps
Sharon Paige

[woodward]

Gregory Abbott.
Marv Johnson.

[luke]

Gregory Abbott, Lorraine Ellison, Thelma Houston, Mel Carter, Cheryl Lynn, Lulu, Sam Harris.

[uptight]

As another thread reminded me, I would have to include The Pips.

[copley]

So many but here's a few off the top of my head.

Blinky
Brenda Holloway
Kim Weston
Hattie Littles
Shorty Long
Chris Clark
James Carr
Carla Thomas
Mitty Collier
Doris Duke
PP Arnold
Madeline Bell
Big Maybelle
Gloria Jones
Yvonne Fair
Nona Hendryx
Marsha Hunt
Cissy Houstn
Dee Dee Warwick
Tammi Terrell
Jimmy Ruffin
Valerie Simpson
Syreeta
Edwin Starr
Etta James
Sharon Jones
Ann Peebles
Esther Phillips
Jean Plum
Kim Tolliver [[aka Kimberly Briggs)

[tallone]

George "Smitty" Smith.....original lead singer of The Manhattans.

[marv2]

Obviously I'm biased, but I'm gonna go with Lawrence Payton



He had a great mix of that rough and smooth singing, and had great phrasing.

And if we're talking about singers that I'm sure everyone on the forum knows of, but not the average listener, I'd also go with General Johnson, Danny Woods, Steve Mancha, Hank Dixon, Darrell Banks ... there are so many!

I would definitely agree here. Lawrence was a great singer. I also want to add Melisa Morgan to my list of most underrated.

[Sugarchilehoneybaby]

Randy Crawford
Syreeta
Jermaine Jackson
Fonzi Thornton
Chuckii Booker
Loreena "Lungs" [[Klymaxx)
Laura Lee
Jackie DeShannon [[not necessarily soul, but her early records in the late 50s were really rocking, especially for someone so young!)
Wilma Burgess [[Country, voice of an angel but never hit it big)

[sunshineonacloudyday]

Underrated/under appreciated and unknown to most folks today:

Pat Tandy [[of The Pretenders)
Theola Kilgore
Jennell Hawkins
Freddie Hughes

[ollie]

Carl Hall
Ray Pollard
Louis Jones
Eddie Holman
Gino Parks
Timmy Shaw
Erwin Rucker
Al Williams
Glen Goins
Willie Hutch
Pat Lewis
Ty Karim
Dee Clarke
Little Ann
Donny Elbert
L.V. Johnson

[splanky]

Little Ann, Willie Hutch and Glen Goins I will second, Ollie...Glen is criminally underated by many...

Now that I've thought about this thread some more I have to say in my opinion virtually ALL of the non American and
non-European female vocalists of the world are underated by practically everyone in this country, no matter where they're from...

Ethiopia's Aster Aweke has one of the most powerful and expressive voices I've ever heard in my lifetime and the late
Miriam Makeba could outsing 99 percent of this country's so called divas of the last 50 years but because many of them
don't sing in English folks can't hear them...

[chidrummer]

Kevin Mahogany
Rachelle Ferrell
Lalah Hathaway
Patti Austin
Kurt Elling

[arrr&bee]

Hmmm,not let's see...ruby nash[what a voice]..chuck jackson...peaches and herb...the emotions[maybe the best female group ever]...the moments[aka-ray,goodman,brown]...the five stairsteps...the five royales[while many younger fans don't know them,what a great goup]...walter jackson[talk about great singers-sir walter]...the original drifters[remember the first set with clyde?]...major lance[who can listen to the major and not wanna dance?]...patrice rushen...the originals[shoulda been much bigger]...love unlimited[barry white should have wrote more for them]...!!

[paladin]

Great lists ....Walter Jackson, Willie Hutch, James Epps and George "Smitty" Smith for sure ...and I'd add Harold Melvin to this group as well.

Good point Splanky, but let me also point out that I try not to confuse "hit" records with the term underrated. Walter Jackson for instance could out-sing dam near anyone, but his hit list is short. Summarily so was David Peaston's. Eugene Record's voice wasn't that strong, he is rarely talked about for his vocal prowess, but everyone talks about his songwriting and the Chilites have plenty of hits....lol......

Let me add Betty Lavette & Ledisi........

[arrr&bee]

Let me add to the list...the unifics..mitty collier[great singer too short career]..steve mancha..archie bell and the drells..!!

[marv2]

Let me add to the list...the unifics..mitty collier[great singer too short career]..steve mancha..archie bell and the drells..!!

Yes, Yes, the Unifics. Check this out!

[Hotspurman]

Randy Brown - his albums on Casablanca/Chocolate City are well worth getting.
Leon Ware - Musical Massage has long been a favourite of mine, and his later Elektra stuff is also great.

[JimBagley]

Jackie Moore
Margie Joseph
Barbara Roy
Al Wilson
Ronnie Dyson
Earl Moss [[The Festivals)