Singers who had most unusual voices

[suzie]

Doris has a voice that is hers and hers alone. I was watching the pebble beach golf tournment many years ago and all of a sudden , guess whos voice I heard ? Yep you got it it was our girl. I didnt see her in the gallery but I know that voice anywhere. Not too long after I heard her say something, the golf announcer said that Doris Day lived in camel as well as Clint Eastwood. Ofcourse I already knew that, but He must have seen her and it made him mention her. It was HER for sure. As for her singing voice it is pure gold, where her talking voice can be a little raspy. 2. Rod Stewart has a different voice, not pretty by a long shot, but somehow enjoyable. 3. Louis Armstrong, not pretty either but enjoyable in its own way.

[howard]

Singer Steve Tyrell has an unusual voice, but very enjoyable. There are some people who aren't really considered "singers," but I love listening to them anyway. There are many, but the ones who quickly come to mind are Fred Astaire, Johnny Mercer and Betty Grable.

[TCMMovieFan]

I would say that Alice Faye also had a most unusual sound when she sang. It was very low and mellow - a sort of very relaxed tone. Its too bad that 20 th Century Fox would not permit her to record during her prime - Zanuck was quite strict about that - so her voice quite obviously is not heard much except for her movies and TV appearances.

[TCMMovieFan]

Vaughn Monroe had a most unusual voice - he had his own distinct sound.

[howard]

I also like to listen to Gene Kelly.

[TCMMovieFan]

Fred Astaire also had a most unusual voice and also made some recordings that were highly regarded though he himself did not think himself as much of a singer and considered his recordings to be merely 'novelties'. He was most dismissive of his vocal efforts despite the praises of many people in the business.

[TCMMovieFan]

Ann Sothern -- she had a very unusual and fairly good voice. I frankly did not know that she began as a singer --- she of course became better known for her TV sitcoms and non-musical movie work.
Still in the film LADY BE GOOD she contributed some very fine vocals. Her THE LAST TIME I SAW PARIS was extremely poignant and moving -- I have never heard a more sincere rendition. Another 'star' who should have recorded.

[CalamityLisa]

Judy Garland is another one with an unique voice.
TCM, I love Fred singing "Cheek to Cheek".

[howard]

June Allyson was not really a singer, but I enjoyed the sound of her voice.

[Jas1]

I think all the really great singers are recognizable from the first bar - Doris, Frank, Tony Bennett; Billie, Sarah; Ella, all the greats!

[TCMMovieFan]

Early Sinatra I liked before his voice coarsened. I think his repertory was better in the earlier stages.
Ella maintained an excellent style - I liked the fact that one could hear every single word - her repertory was always tops.
I was never a fan of Billie - she used to vocally slide too much and slur those phrases. Sarah had a good long career that was best heard to advantage in the standards - she did try her hand at more contemporary material - it was OK but one could hear that her heart was really with the older stuff !
Bennett sang better when he started out-----his voice also coarsened. Perhaps he has been going full steam for so long that he has not been able to give those vocal muscles a bit of a rest in order to keep them fresh. Working in smoky venues (back then before the anti-smoking laws came into effect !) does not help the voice at all - makes it raspy and unclear.
Dean Martin to me was more comedian than singer. He usually 'talked' his way through songs. He had a good TV series though for many years.
Rosemary Clooney sang well in her early years----she was a heavy smoker and did some damage to her voice----during her later career----she had to break up the phrases and tended to sound somewhat winded.
We cannot forget MR. C - Perry Como. It was quite a distinctive and wonderful sound --- his phrasing was superb and highly musical --- his approach was the closest to Doris'. Both sang their words clearly and made much use of dynamics so that they were not always loud. Although Perry came to be known more for his novelties----it was his ballads in which one gets a true picture of his musical qualities.

[lovemeorleaveme]

Although I'm not particularly a fan of hers, Eartha Kitt comes to mind when I think of unusual voices. I've always been a little puzzled by her success....but hey, to each his own!!

Doris' voice is unusual, and distinctly hers....and to me it's PERFECT!!

Hope you're all having a lovely "Day"!
God Bless!

[Jas1]

Yes, Ertha Kitt certainly comes into this category as do others that I am not (personally) a big fan of, such as Steisand or Lena Horne.

[TCMMovieFan]

Lena Horne was quite accomplished but to me she rather cold. Somehow she did not really seemed too relaxed or at home - there wasn't much in the way of warmth.
Streisand also has a wall built around herself and the audience.
Eartha Kitt was basically a 'cabaret artist'--------more of a LIVE audience type of entertainer where there has to be movement and good stage communication between the artist and the audience. The singing was only a fraction of the totality.

[Jas1]

If you look up Patti Page on u-tube you will see (a) footage of her singing live - April 2009 - and sounding fabulous and every bit Patti Page; you will also see (b) footage of her visit to Cape Cod - {Old Cape Cod] in Feb this year - at 82 she still looks superb, wonderful to see.

[howard]

Thanks for the Patti Page tipoff, Jas. . Just checked it out ... enjoyed it!

[TCMMovieFan]

Yes Miss Page has her own website - http://www.misspattipage.com ! I emailed her once and she thanked me. I had gone with my family and some friends to an Irish Pub/Restaurant not far from where I live for a New Year's Eve Dinner. There was a pianist at the bar who among the songs actually played the Tennessee Waltz which of course is among Miss Page's Biggest HITS. I was truly amazed because in the area where I reside such music does not surface very often so I emailed Miss Page to tell her all about it---that I had heard the song and thought of her, etc.
Apparently she is among the only one from the DD era of the female vocalists keeping an active performing schedule. Some of the few remaining 'survivors' have mainly put in a rare appearance on those PBS Specials that are produced by T.J. Lubinsky. Whether nor out these performers perform elsewhere - its hard to say. I should do a websearch and check back with the results.
It was good to see Miss Page attend the ceremony at Cape Cod recently where a street was named in her honor. Miss Page is truly amazing and I am so glad that she continues to perform.

[mikeydv]

Okay, I waited till there were a few comments before I added my two cents. NO ONE mentioned the most prolific singer and song stylist in the history of American Popular Music...BING CROSBY
Always smooth, always on target, always prolific, always mellow. Even in his later years (christmas songs with David Bowie), he was still right "on target". In the record research books, where other singers garnered 3 or 4 pages, Crosby has in excess of 20!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One person mentioned PERRY COMO. It saddens me how quickly he, too, has been forgotten even though he was the most popular TV Musical Performer in history. I think Andy Williams comes in second there...both very distinctive voices and styles and very good. Como sounded good even in his later years. Williams should have stopped singing a few years ago. He still performs, I am told, at his theatre in Branson, MO (but his pipes have gone the way of Sinatra). Great performers need to learn a lesson about the guy Sinatra said had the best pipes in the business....VIC DAMONE. He gave his last musical performance in February, 2001.
He retired with class and style performing before his wife, four children, daughter and son-in-laws, grandkids and a packed house of friends and fans. And he sang "AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER" in a voice just as strong as ever. But, as he said in his book, SINGING WAS THE EASY PART, when the timbre starts to get a little off, it is time
to pack it in. He was true to his word..that was his last concert. Other great voices of distinction:
PEGGY LEE SARAH VAUGHAN JACK JONES MATT MUNROE
KITTY KALLEN DINAH WASHINGTON BOBBY DARIN CONNIE FRANCIS

[TCMMovieFan]

Sorry for neglecting to mention BING. I have a friend - Mike Kaptanis - who is a great Bing enthusiast. He owns countless of original Bing Crosby recordings---even those 12 inch Radio Transcript recordings that are rare finds though one can locate those at some of the Antique Phonograph & Record Shows. Mike is also a member of the International Bing Crosby Society which is based in the UK. There used to be a US Bing Society - I am told - but the membership dwindled drastically so the US chapter merged with the larger one in the UK. They publish a newsletter -- Mike contributed an article or two. He has gone to a few events where he actually met Mrs. Crosby-----he is more partial to the early BING----from the 1920's to about 1940--and less enthusiastic about the later Bing years.
Yes Bing was a major talent and his voice held up well---------the voice became a booming bass. I always enjoyed his Christmas Shows and those of Perry Como. Today we have nothing of the sort.
Perry's singing agreed held up well. His specials were always a treat but its a shame that the networks pulled the plug and he was hardly seen on TV after 1986. Then it was very rarely. His Christmas In Ireland show of 1993 on PBS however was sad to watch. Apparently the trip plus the preparations took a lot out of him and he was not in good voice. It was to be his final show.
Williams I have not heard in years. He sang best I think in the 1960's----then by the 70's he started pushing and pushing his voice---similar to what Tony Bennett did ! I tip my hat to Bennett's current musical activity but I do not enjoy hearing his voice at this stage. It is very dry and raspy.