Other Female Singers

We know that Karen loved Donna Summer's sound, and I think it showed in her choice of "My Body Keeps Changing My Mind" on her solo album.
 
So cool when you find something you never heard before. I never knew Olivia sang this Carpenters track. 2 great icons in pop music.
Wow - I don't think I'd ever seen that. And a Bacharach/David song to boot. Thanks for posting it Chris. :)

There are only a few songs where I think Olivia really shines. I had a couple of her albums and one of Helen Reddy back in the day. Aren't they both originally from Australia?
 
My favorite is her take on Roger Nichols' "Talk It Over In The Morning".



Harry

Wow, I like this one, Harry. She really does have a great voice.

I was kind of anti-Anne Murray during Karen's heyday, but I've since gotten over that. I thought she was trying to steal Karen's thunder when I was a kid. :wink: Her hit version of "I Just Fall In Love Again" put me over the edge....and not in a good way. I was pissed!

I also like her cover of "I'm Happy Just to Dance With You". The Beatles themselves didn't think too much of that tune. Neither did George Martin. I, for one, like practically everything the Beatles did (save for a few tunes, especially "Mr. Moonlight"), but I do like "Dance" a lot. Her cover is great, as is her interpretation of "You Won't See Me".
 
We know that Karen loved Donna Summer's sound, and I think it showed in her choice of "My Body Keeps Changing My Mind" on her solo album.

Yes, indeed. Would have been great just to see where that single would have gone... If it had gone to the top of the charts or not.... and remember RC told Karen "just do don't do disco."
 
Wow, I like this one, Harry. She really does have a great voice.

It should sound even better than that YouTube video which has some really wonky equalization applied. My LP cut sounds nice and warm.

Harry
 
RC told Karen "just do don't do disco."
Yes, but when she did, she did a phenomenal job. I never really cared for disco either, but there's something about the Bee Gees and Donna Summer that made you listen and want to dance. I'm sure if Karen had done more along those lines she would have done it well. I would rather have heard her go more along the lines of jazz/blues, but disco was the top 40 sound of the time.

Where I grew up there was one AM station that played jazz on Sundays, and they trotted out the same tired Jeff Lorber Fusion album and a few others every week. It wasn't until I moved to the 'big city' in the 80's that I realized just how vast and varied the genre was. (And we walked to school in the snow, uphill both ways! :wink:
 
Hooray, another Sarah Slean fan! My favorite album of hers is Day One, with the lovely "Mary" and "California" being my favourite songs. Hubby and I heard her perform live in Ottawa several years ago, and chills ran down my spine with her performance of "California" ... just her and her piano.
"California" is lovely, but the song I think I was actually thinking of was "Your Wish Is My Wish":

 
I was listening to this Matt Bianco + Basia song today and thinking what a beautiful version Karen could have sung.

 
Speaking of Basia, I've always thought that Basia's Time & Tide would've been a perfect vehicle for Karen. It's not hard for me to visualize KC's recording. The two artists share a similar range and had Karen lived I believe a Basia-esque feeling album would've served Karen well. Also, the only Gloria Estefan song I like is from around '86. Words Get in the Way was tailor made for Karen solo or otherwise. Much the same way Streisand continues to sell to a strong fan base w/o the hit single on every outing, Karen's output may have done same. Focusing or was it obsessing on the #1 chart position seems an unreasonable expectation. Imagine the pressure to meet and beat past sales.
 
Is it even permitted any more for a straight guy to admit liking Cher? Love or hate her, she's always been gifted with a rare commodity; a voice that is instantly recognizable (some other examples might include Neil Diamond and Roy Orbison,) and the minute you hear one note you know exactly who you're hearing. As far as being influenced by Karen C., Gloria Estefan has always mentioned her as a great influence on her style; especially on ballads she often sounds like Karen with a vague Spanish accent. (Gloria always slightly rolls her "r's" in words like "through.") Streisand generally leaves me cold, though I like many of the other performers mentioned here; I should also add the late Laura Branigan to this honor roll. Not sure if anyone has brought up Gladys Knight yet either, but she has always been a solid performer as well.
 
Jeff, you mention some great singers here! And even though I may not follow them as I do/did the Carpenters, they have each made memorable music. Of your list, Gloria's my favorite. But I have to admit, when Cher goes up and down the scale on "The Shoop Shoop Song", I love it.
 
Is it even permitted any more for a straight guy to admit liking Cher? Love or hate her, she's always been gifted with a rare commodity; a voice that is instantly recognizable (some other examples might include Neil Diamond and Roy Orbison,) and the minute you hear one note you know exactly who you're hearing. As far as being influenced by Karen C., Gloria Estefan has always mentioned her as a great influence on her style; especially on ballads she often sounds like Karen with a vague Spanish accent. (Gloria always slightly rolls her "r's" in words like "through.") Streisand generally leaves me cold, though I like many of the other performers mentioned here; I should also add the late Laura Branigan to this honor roll. Not sure if anyone has brought up Gladys Knight yet either, but she has always been a solid performer as well.

I'm straight, and though I don't care for Cher's music I like her as an actress where she has an interesting presence. But Karen (as we know) also had that special gift of a distinctive voice. I said it before on this post (months ago now) that among recent female singers, Amy Winehouse had a gift and was the best female singer the world had seen since Karen. I know her voice and style doesn't have the widespread appeal of Karen, but like Karen, she sang from a soul that was wounded and left us to early. Amy's songs and lyrics may be from the perspective of a woman to her man, but there is still something emotionally identifiable and powerful about them that captures my soul. Only Karen and Amy have done that for me; and it's interesting that Amy was born the year Karen died, and now their both sadly gone.
 
Have loved reading about the music and the artists that everyone here is interested in and thought I would provide a summary of the ones that have been mentioned so far:


Adele

Agnetha & Frida (ABBA)

Alison Krauss

Amy Grant

Amy Winehouse

Andrea Corr and Sharon Corr (The Corrs)

Anita Baker

Anne Murray

Bananarama

Barbra Streisand

Basia

Bebel Gilberto

Bette Midler

Brenda Russell

Carly Rae Jespen

Carly Simon

Carole King

Celine Dion

Cher

Christine McVie

Corinne Bailey Rae

Corinne Drewery of Swing Out Sister

Crystal Lewis

Dawn Langstroth

Diana Krall

Diana Ross

Dido

Dionne Warwick

Dolly Parton

Donna Summer

Doris Day

Dusty Springfield

Ella Fitzgerald

Emmylou Harris

Eva Cassidy

Evie Sands

Eydie Gorme

Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie

Gladys Knight

Gloria Estefan

Heart's Nancy Wilson

Helen Reddy

Janet Siedel

Jann Arden

Joni Mitchell

Judy Collins

Julie London

Katy Perry aka Katy Hudson

Kd Lang

Kristy McNichol

Kylie Minogue

Lady GaGa

Laura Branigan

Laura Nyro

Lesley Gore

Linda Ronstadt

Manhattan Transfer

Mariah Carey

Marilyn McCoo-Davis & Florence LaRue Gordon of The 5th Dimension

Mary Ford

Melissa Manchester

Michele Pillar

Nancy Sinatra

Natalie Cole

Olivia Newton-John

Patsy Cline

Patti Page

Petula Clark

Pink

Rita Coolidge

Roberta Flack

Rosemary Clooney

Rosie Vela

Rumer

Sade

Sandi Patty

Sara Vaughan

Sarah Slean

Sheena Easton

Susan Jacks of The Poppy Family

Taylor Swift

Teresa Brewer

The Bangles

The Bugaloos with Caroline "Joy" Ellis on lead vocal

The McGuire Sisters

Toni Tennille (The Captain & Tennille)

Tori Amos

Twlia Paris

Vanessa Williams

Whitney Houston

Xtina
 
As for my own favourites. Here goes,

I am a huge Barbra Streisand fan and have every album she has ever made with the exception of I think three soundtracks that became rare/difficult to find - My favourite songs performed by Barbra would be Where Do You Start, What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life, Til I Loved You (With Don Johnson), How Lucky Can You Get and With One More Look At You.

I have been lucky enough to get tickets to see Barbra in (UK) London's o2 Arena on 1 June 2013 and cannot wait for the day to arrive. Anyway, I digress. Aside from The Carpenters and Barbra Streisand, I have been a huge fan of 'Janis Ian' for years and have all of her albums too. Janis won a Grammy this year for 'Best Audio Book' My Autobiography and her story is fascinating.

For those who are not familiar with Janis Ian, some of her best performances include At Seventeen, You Don't Know My Heart, Stars, Silly Habits, Getting Over You, All Those Promises, Paris In Your Eyes, The Other Side of The Sun, Breaking Silence, Love Is Blind, Memphis, No one Else Like You, Why Can't You & I, Restless Eyes and Slow Dance Romance.

Other artists that I enjoy, some of which have been mentioned already include:


Alanis Morissette

Alisha's Attic

Amber Claire

Anne Murray, particularly her renditions of "Both Ways Now", "Old Cape Cod" "Rain" and "Talk It Over In The Morning"

B*Witched ("Blame It On The Weatherman" has to be their best song) They were great on 'The Big Reunion'

Bananarama ----See MURRAY, you are not alone

Belinda Carlisle

Bette Midler

Beverley Craven (BIG FAN)

Billie and her 'Honey To The B' Album

Bonnie Langford's "Til He Phones"

Bucks Fizz

Carly Rae Jepson (fave is "Call Me Maybe" "Good Time" with Owl City and "Beautiful" with Justin Beiber

carly Simon

Carole King

Catherine Zeta Jones - I love her duet with David Essex "True Love Ways" and her track "He's Gone"

Cathy Dennis - love the song "Moments of Love"

Celine Dion- love almost everything this amazing artist has ever done but particularly when she sang to Frank Sinatra on screen

Charlene

Cher - fave would be "One By One"

Crystal Gayle

Cyndi Lauper

Diana Ross ( and the work she did with 'Brandy')

Dina Carroll

Dolly Parton

Donna Lewis

Donna Summer

Elaine Paige (really like "the Queen Album")

Eternal and Louise

Eva Cassidy

Everything But The Girl

Gabrielle

Girls Aloud and some Cheryl Cole

Gloria Estefan

Helen Reddy

Honeyz -- They were great on 'The Big Reunion' too

Idina Menzel

Janis Seigel (Her track "Trouble Man" is great)

Jewel (best track is "You Were Meant For Me")

Joan Armatrading

Joan Baez (favourite is probably "Famous Blue Raincoat")

Julie Budd (obsessed with her song 'Roses and Rainbows')

Kate Robbins (Formerly of 'Beyond') - particularly "More Than In Love"

Katie Melua (loved it when Katie sang to Eva Cassidy on screen singing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow")

Katy Perry aka Katy Hudson (BIG BIG FAN and love her live performances in the recent DVD release)

Kim Bassinger (She sings on the soundtrack to "Too Hot To handle")

Kim Wilde (favourite track is "Four Letter Word")

Kylie Minogue - particularly fond of her Abbey Road Sessions at the moment

Lady Antebellum (love love love their music and all their albums so far)

Lady Gaga

Lea Michele

Leann Rimes

Leona Lewis

Lilly Allen

Linda Hamilton

Linda Martin

Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories

Madonna

Mariah Carey - particularly "Music Box"

Marie Osmond (Two Albums in particular which include "There's No Stopping Your Heart" and "All In Love")

Martine McCutcheon

Mary Beth Maziarz (What a beautiful voice !!!!)

Mary Chapin Carpenter

McGuire Sisters [if you have not listened to ACHOO-CHA CHA (gesundheit)], you really need to]

Meredith Brooks

Michelle Pfeiffer (She Sings on the Soundtrack to "Fabulous Baker Boys")

Minnie Ripperton

Natalie Imbruglia

Niamh Kavanagh

Norah Jones

Olivia-Newton-John - my favourite album is 'Totally Hot'

Patsy Cline - favourite is "Three Cigarettes In An Ashtray" and "Sweet Dreams" has a tremendous chill factor

Patsy Gallant

Rumer (Best Tracks are "Slow"and "Aretha")

Shania Twain

Sheena Easton - especially "Morning Train (Nine to Five)"

Sonia (especially fond of the 'Everybody Knows Sonia' album)

Spice Girls & Melanie C (I know !!!!!!!! but hey some of the songs are great like "Too Much")

Steps (hmmmm, again, I know !!!)

Tasmin Archer

Texas

The Beautiful South (Jacqueline Abbott & Briana Corrigan)

The Captain & Tennille

The Corrs

The Nolans

The Pretenders and Chrissie Hynde

The Three Degrees

Tina Arena (who doesn't love her rendition of "Chains")

Tina Turner

Toni Braxton

Tori Amos

Tracey Chapman (favourite track is "The Promise")

Vonda Shepard

Whitney Houston

Yazz (ROFL now!!!!)
 
Speaking of Basia, I've always thought that Basia's Time & Tide would've been a perfect vehicle for Karen. It's not hard for me to visualize KC's recording. The two artists share a similar range and had Karen lived I believe a Basia-esque feeling album would've served Karen well. Also, the only Gloria Estefan song I like is from around '86. Words Get in the Way was tailor made for Karen solo or otherwise. Much the same way Streisand continues to sell to a strong fan base w/o the hit single on every outing, Karen's output may have done same. Focusing or was it obsessing on the #1 chart position seems an unreasonable expectation. Imagine the pressure to meet and beat past sales.
I think you could be right.

Harry might even like this song (Say the Words). Maybe 'like' is a bit strong. He might give it more than a 'meh'.
 
Anyone here a Gordon Lightfoot fan? He's my next favorite behind Carpenters. Complete opposites.

I've never heard any of his full albums, but I really like many of his singles like "The Circle Is Small," "Sundown," "Carefree Highway" and "Rainy Day People." And the aforementioned "Edmund Fitzgerald" is an all-time favorite. That's an amazing record. The lyrics and melody alone are chill-inducing, but then you add in the arrangement and it takes it to a whole other level of spine-tingling eeriness.
 
I like many of the singers that others have mentioned. Of course, Karen is my all-time favorite voice.
Two singers that I also enjoy sing in the gospel/contemporary Christian style, so not everyone may enjoy...

Babbie Mason - starting at 52 secs.


Cynthia Clawson
 
Replying to bste2003 without having to quote the whole thread, just to ask a question. Linda Hamilton? You mean from Terminator? I didn't even know she could sing! (On the other hand...who's gonna tell her she can't?)
 
Terminator !! ahh, afraid not that Linda Hamilton.



:)

Thanks for clearing this up! Actually, a "Beauty and the Beast" maven I know informed me that "that Linda Hamilton" did in fact sing on one episode of that series; a lullabye to be exact. Went looking for a You Tube clip but couldn't find anything. So many actors have tried singing on records, I certainly thought she wouldn't be out of the question. (I collect bad personality records too; anybody got a good copy of the LP "And Me? I'm Ed McMahon" please let me know!)
 
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