Best rock singer

DS

Fenderbender
Scratch got me thinking with the guitar player thread.Who do you think is/was the best rock singer?
My fav's are,Ian Gillan(deep purple)Lou Gramm(foreigner)Don Henley(eagles)
 

moreluck

golden ticket member
I don't know about "rock", but my favorite all time best ever is BOBBY DARIN !!

His CD of best hits plays in my car all the time. I never take it out.

I "Splish Splash" to the grocery store. He takes me "Beyond the Sea" and made me once again appreciate "Artificial Flowers".

My math has improved because of "Multiplication" and he always cheers up my "Blue Monday".

If my name was "Clementine he'd take me "Up the Lazy River" and then I'd have "Somebody To Love" after being with that jerk, "Mack The Knife".

I feel like the "Queen of the Hop" and "You're The Reason I'm Living".
 

Big Babooba

Well-Known Member
We can go round and round on this one. I don't think that you can rate one as best - only as a favorite. It's mostly a generational thing, the stuff we listened to during our youth. Right now I'm listening to Todd Rundgren. I like the Stones,the Doors & the Beatles. I like some of Iggy Pop's stuff as well as Bowie. I love Roy Orbison's vocal range. Now I just put on Country Joe & the Fish's Fixin' to Die Rag. I could keep going and going......
 

DS

Fenderbender
Narrow down a definition of "rock singer" for me.
Way too wide of a brush stroke in terminology.
PAX
OK I'll try...NOT Bobby Darin(sorry moreluck)
Not 50 cent,not Frank Sinatra,not those monks
that sing,not Pavorotti,if you get my drift.Elvis started it,the beatles,
experimented with it,and the rock singer was born.
my dictionary definition...
A rock singer is the vocalist in a small band of
musicians that use the basic guitar,bass drums,and
keyboards to play music.Example"they're all wasted"
Roger Daltry was a rock singer,Dwight Yokum,on the
other hand, is a country singer,and does not qualify.
Is that a fat enough brushstroke for ya sd?
 

satellitedriver

Moderator
OK I'll try...NOT Bobby Darin(sorry moreluck)
Not 50 cent,not Frank Sinatra,not those monks
that sing,not Pavorotti,if you get my drift.Elvis started it,the beatles,
experimented with it,and the rock singer was born.
my dictionary definition...
A rock singer is the vocalist in a small band of
musicians that use the basic guitar,bass drums,and
keyboards to play music.Example"they're all wasted"
Roger Daltry was a rock singer,Dwight Yokum,on the
other hand, is a country singer,and does not qualify.
Is that a fat enough brushstroke for ya sd?
Let me do some thinking. It's peak and my mental reactions are a little slow.
Don't discount country music.
Elvis borrowed alot from the rockabilly(sp) sound.
Ok, I thought about it.
Buddy Holly.
His influence and style, inspired all that came after him.
If he would have lived he would have surpassed Elvis.
He didn't have the looks, but he had a rare gift of talent.
PAX
 

FAVREFAN

Well-Known Member
Man, anyone going to actually bass this off actual range,skill or vocal ability or are we just back to tone or who we like? Sure all these names have a certain unique tone or like/dislike value but I haven't seen anyone mention someone with high end range or vibrato or anything that musicians rate as "talent". This started as "best rocker singer" right? I mean, s _hit, I love David Gilmors voice to death but wouldn't include him anyday in a "best" category. Anyways, hope everyone has a safe Christmas, later.
 

moreluck

golden ticket member
Z All....the reason you think KISS was the greatest is because Gene Simmons keeps telling us so.

"I want to rock & roll all night and party every day......":wink2:
 

wkmac

Well-Known Member
Trying to pick a specific "best rock singer" is like trying to pick the best guitarist. IMO, it's impossible because of the diverse styles. Drummers are the same as today I'd say Neil Peart of Rush or Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater but then I'm ignoring a Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead or Carl Palmer of ELP. It's just a daunting task. Speaking of drummers who also sing, I saw Phil Collins live twice before he stepped out from behind the kit to take the mike left open when Peter left Genesis and the guy had an awesome set of chops! He had hair then too!
:happy-very:

But that said, 2 of my all time favorites are Peter Gabriel of the Genesis era (most likely my all time fav. band of that era)and on the female side, this one is a real no brainer for me is Anne Haslam of Renaissance. Jon Camp, the bass player for Renaissance was also a fav along with Chris Squire of Yes as they could play the bass as a lead. Bass God however is still the late great Jaco Pastorius.
 

scratch

Least Best Moderator
Staff member
I think who we think of as a Best Rock Singer just pretty much goes along with who you think plays the greatest guitar or other instrument.
It all depends on your personal taste, age, or idea about what makes a great singer. Most bands just seem to have a vocalist with not much talent screaming into a microphone and relying on the music the other band members are making.

As far as quality in voice, I think that Elvis and Jim Morrison are up there on top of my list. Other favorites of mine would be Don Henley, James Taylor, Roger Daltry, Dan Fogelburg, Jackson Browne, and Paul McCartney. But then again I also like Bob Dylan and Van Morrison, who don't sing all that well. Of the women singers, I like Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, Natalie Merchant, Karen Carpenter, and Carole King. By the people I am naming, I am dating myself to the people I grew up listening to, there are plenty of younger ones I like too.
 

satellitedriver

Moderator
I think who we think of as a Best Rock Singer just pretty much goes along with who you think plays the greatest guitar or other instrument.
It all depends on your personal taste, age, or idea about what makes a great singer. Most bands just seem to have a vocalist with not much talent screaming into a microphone and relying on the music the other band members are making.

As far as quality in voice, I think that Elvis and Jim Morrison are up there on top of my list. Other favorites of mine would be Don Henley, James Taylor, Roger Daltry, Dan Fogelburg, Jackson Browne, and Paul McCartney. But then again I also like Bob Dylan and Van Morrison, who don't sing all that well. Of the women singers, I like Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, Natalie Merchant, Karen Carpenter, and Carole King. By the people I am naming, I am dating myself to the people I grew up listening to, there are plenty of younger ones I like too.
Stevie Nicks, oh yeah,
on many levels.
 

diesel96

Well-Known Member
When it comes to putting blood,sweat, tears and emotion in a song another one of my votes goes to Joe Cocker.....!

joe cocker feeling allright
 

moreluck

golden ticket member
Makes me sad when I think about all that talent in Belushi .....gone because of drugs.

Between Jim & John, John was the REAL talent in that family.
 
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