Which are your favorite male and female popular singers of yesteryear?

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meltzerboy

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Strictly in terms of pop singers, I would have to say my favorite male singer is Frank Sinatra. Need I say why? His phrasing, clear diction, beautiful tone, solid technique, and great interpretation of songs are all incomparable. For female singers it is a bit more difficult to choose only one, but I would choose Peggy Lee. Her tone, phrasing, and interpretation are all superb.

Which are your favorites? Also, are there any particular songs they perform which you admire? I cannot choose only one for Sinatra: I admire all of them. For Peggy Lee, there are two classic renditions I admire: “Fever” and “Is That All There Is?”

Note: No mention of modern singers is permitted under penalty of law. Only old-timers, please.
 
When you say yesteryear just how far back do we have to go?

Frank Sinatra is a favorite of mine and I also like Peggy Lee.
Perry Como, Tennessee Ernie Ford and Andy Williams were good.

I am tired tonight and I can’t think of other female artists.

Oh I almost forgot Nat King Cole!
 
Ella Fitzgerald, head and shoulders above the rest.

Runners-up: Anita O’Day, Billie Holliday, Sarah Vaughan, Peggy Lee, Lotte Lenya, Dinah Washington …
 
7_Sorrows said:
When you say yesteryear just how far back do we have to go?

Frank Sinatra is a favorite of mine and I also like Peggy Lee.
Perry Como, Tennessee Ernie Ford and Andy Williams were good.

I am tired tonight and I can’t think of other female artists.

Oh I almost forgot Nat King Cole!
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Slim Whitman and Doris Day. Also Dean Martin and John Denver
 
Bob Dylan, strictly a one off, never see his like again…and of Jewish origin. Meltzerboy, did you ever see Fr Robert Barron’s little Youtube vids about Dylan, wonderful stuff.
 
I take it you mean singers of the great American Songbook?

Billie Holiday
Dinah Washington
Ella Fitzgerald

Frank Sinatra
Nat King Cole
Perry Como

I like Peggy Lee also but early when she was with Benny Goodman. Her version of Where or When with the Goodman trio is fantastic.
 
Frank Sinatra is an obvious choice. Also, enjoy Nat King Cole’s soft, smooth vocals very much, almost even a tad more than Frank’s. 🙂

In regard to female singers, Ella Fitzgerald is hands down the best - her clarity and smoothness was unparalleled. 🙂
 
Richard_White said:
Frank Sinatra is an obvious choice. Also, enjoy Nat King Cole’s soft, smooth vocals very much, almost even a tad more than Frank’s. 🙂

In regard to female singers, Ella Fitzgerald is hands down the best - her clarity and smoothness was unparalleled. 🙂
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Kate Smith had a very rare voice,
 
meltzerboy said:
Strictly in terms of pop singers, I would have to say my favorite male singer is Frank Sinatra. Need I say why? His phrasing, clear diction, beautiful tone, solid technique, and great interpretation of songs are all incomparable. For female singers it is a bit more difficult to choose only one, but I would choose Peggy Lee. Her tone, phrasing, and interpretation are all superb.

Which are your favorites? Also, are there any particular songs they perform which you admire? I cannot choose only one for Sinatra: I admire all of them. For Peggy Lee, there are two classic renditions I admire: “Fever” and “Is That All There Is?”

Note: No mention of modern singers is permitted under penalty of law. Only old-timers, please.
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Dino!! And Jerry Vale. Loved Judy Garland too.

A funny/weird story about the song “is that all there is?”
That song was out when my Grandmother died and the priest spoke of it during her funeral mass. I knew the song and found it very odd to speak of in church.
 
Lotta love for Frank here! Liked his voice, but not many of his musical choices.
MY yesteryear favorite male singers would be Harry Chapin and Al Stewart, b/c of their interesting music and lyrics, not b/c of their voices, Loved the magical voices of Lennon and McCartney.
For females, Crystal Gayle, though I admit my view is tainted by that magnificent mane of hers. 😉
 
johnnyc176 said:
I take it you mean singers of the great American Songbook?

Billie Holiday
Dinah Washington
Ella Fitzgerald

Frank Sinatra
Nat King Cole
Perry Como

I like Peggy Lee also but early when she was with Benny Goodman. Her version of Where or When with the Goodman trio is fantastic.
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Billie Holiday is unique, for sure. I would also add Bessie Smith.

Perry Como was the favorite of my Italian uncle. Such a smooth singer.
 
Irishmom2 said:
Dino!! And Jerry Vale. Loved Judy Garland too.

A funny/weird story about the song “is that all there is?”
That song was out when my Grandmother died and the priest spoke of it during her funeral mass. I knew the song and found it very odd to speak of in church.
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That IS funny the priest should speak of that particular Peggy Lee song in church, considering its content, unless his purpose was to contradict its message.
 
meltzerboy said:
That IS funny the priest should speak of that particular Peggy Lee song in church, considering its content, unless his purpose was to contradict its message.
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I think that was his intent, but the rest of his message was lost among the questionable use of the song to begin with. Although it is interesting that I still remember him using it all these years later. 😉
 
meltzerboy said:
Yes, of course Ella Fitzgerald! She is also the favorite of Barbra Streisand’s.
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I didn’t list any male singers the first time around, so here are three:

Frank Sinatra, Chet Baker, Ray Charles.

(Though I would rate Chet Baker even more highly as a trumpet player than as a singer.)
 
7_Sorrows said:
When you say yesteryear just how far back do we have to go?

Frank Sinatra is a favorite of mine and I also like Peggy Lee.
Perry Como, Tennessee Ernie Ford and Andy Williams were good.

I am tired tonight and I can’t think of other female artists.

Oh I almost forgot Nat King Cole!
Click to expand...
Together with Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams was my mother’s favorite. Nat Cole had a rare and beautiful voice, so smooth and expressive; likewise, Johnny Mathis.
 
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