Carpe diem
Well-Known Member
Incredibly beautiful women with golden voices. A moment in time...Thank you both for posting!
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Other Female Singers
- Thread starter song4u
- Start date
With the recent passing of the last of the McGuire Sisters, I'd like to put in a word for them here. The McGuire Sisters (Phyllis, Dorothy, and Christine) were a trio of daughters of a minister from Ohio and were a big hit on the old 50s show, ARTHUR GODFREY'S TALENT SCOUTS. They were so well-received that he offered them a permanent slot on the show. That led to a recording contract with CORAL Records and a string of big hits, including the number one songs, "Sincerely" and "Sugartime". Their musical talent was totally innate as they never studied any kind of music - they just naturally knew how to sing in perfect harmony.
I was a child in the 50s and was drawn to a bunch of 45s that the McGuire Sisters had released. They were a part of my childhood soundtrack. Apparently they were also an influence on Karen and Richard Carpenter. That sweet sibling harmony must have touched the young Carpenters as it did me.
Many of you Carpenters fans were quite taken with the recent video release of Christmas material, including "Christmas Alphabet" as performed on one of their TV specials. Well, one only has to look at the discography of The McGuire Sisters to spot "Christmas Alphabet" among the songs in their repertoire. Just listen to those harmonies:
Back in the late 80s, they came out of self-imposed retirement to once again perform. Here's an amazing clip from the Regis Philbin show in 1990 where they actually perform a capella without missing a note. It's amazing.
I was a child in the 50s and was drawn to a bunch of 45s that the McGuire Sisters had released. They were a part of my childhood soundtrack. Apparently they were also an influence on Karen and Richard Carpenter. That sweet sibling harmony must have touched the young Carpenters as it did me.
Many of you Carpenters fans were quite taken with the recent video release of Christmas material, including "Christmas Alphabet" as performed on one of their TV specials. Well, one only has to look at the discography of The McGuire Sisters to spot "Christmas Alphabet" among the songs in their repertoire. Just listen to those harmonies:
Back in the late 80s, they came out of self-imposed retirement to once again perform. Here's an amazing clip from the Regis Philbin show in 1990 where they actually perform a capella without missing a note. It's amazing.
JohnFB
Well-Known Member
I watched them many times on TV growing up - they were are part of my "childhood soundtrack" (as you nicely put it) too and I always enjoyed their harmonies...
But then I felt that same way about the Lennon Sisters on the old Lawrence Welk shows - always a delight to look at and listen to...Karen & Richard must have enjoyed them also.
But then I felt that same way about the Lennon Sisters on the old Lawrence Welk shows - always a delight to look at and listen to...Karen & Richard must have enjoyed them also.
Kaisu
Member
While you guys were talking of McGuire sisters, I was just thinking about posting this. Now that you mentioned the Lennon Sisters, I certainly will... Happy new year everyone.
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned Yvonne Elliman, who is one of my other favourite female singers. She had a #1 in the US with If I Can’t Have You and a couple of other sizeable hits which also charted in other countries, but I always felt she never realised her full potential as an international artist. I think she’s hugely underestimated as a vocalist and has an amazing, sensuous quality to her voice.
For those of you who study Carpenters album credits, you will recognise the names of some of the studio personnel used in the production of her four RSO albums in the seventies, including David Pomeranz (composer), Chuck Findlay (horns), Paulinho da Costa (percussion) and Maxine Willard Waters (background vocals), who was one of the “Carpettes” used on Made In America.
Some of her album tracks are beautiful, I thought I’d share this one from her 1979 album “Yvonne”. I’ve always felt this particular track could have sat nicely on Karen’s solo album.
For those of you who study Carpenters album credits, you will recognise the names of some of the studio personnel used in the production of her four RSO albums in the seventies, including David Pomeranz (composer), Chuck Findlay (horns), Paulinho da Costa (percussion) and Maxine Willard Waters (background vocals), who was one of the “Carpettes” used on Made In America.
Some of her album tracks are beautiful, I thought I’d share this one from her 1979 album “Yvonne”. I’ve always felt this particular track could have sat nicely on Karen’s solo album.
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GDB2LV
Well-Known Member
I agree. I thought her remake of Baby I’m Yours was awesome. She had a couple more hits and then just kind of faded. Maybe it was the Saturday Night Fever, disco backlash, she suffered here in the states. I’m glad the format never died in Europe, especially England. Still going strong! It’s just not called disco anymore. Most of those pop acts in the 80’s and 90’s adopted the synthesizer dance beats, and sold millions of recordings with them.
Another Son
Well-Known Member
I love Ella's Christmas CD! It's great fun! James Brown also has some great Christmas CDs - also great fun, with the occasional serious song, and I like Ray Charles' 'Spirit of Christmas'. These are three of the Christmas CDs that I try to play each year, along with the Carpenters Christmas albums and lots of King's College Choir, Cambridge. King's College Choir, Cambridge, is the Number One in Christmas music, for me.Never heard this song until it was brought up in this forum. Of course, love the Carps version and Karen's lead. Covered by so many, this version by Ella Fitzgerald stands out. So glad the two legendary divas were coupled on that Music, Music, Music Special (even though Karen's parts were lip-synced) ;
Beautiful performance;
rockdoctor
Well-Known Member
Yvonne got a lot of airplay for her two songs from Jesus Christ Superstar, in which she also starred, and then with the song Love Me, my personal favorite of hers. The latter was followed by Hello Stranger and then If I Can't Have You from Saturday Night Fever. This was a Number 1 single. A few more singles followed but did not get much airplay in this market.
Listening to Carly Simon's 1979 "Spy". The last track "Memorial Day" has sax man David Sanborn & drummer Steve Gadd at the end of the song!! I saw the 2 music videos on "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert" in the Autumn of 1979 & one of the songs is "Vengeance" & I think the other was the title track.
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
You had me digging through her back catalogue initially looking for a single I’d never hear of, until I worked out you meant Hello Stranger
JohnFB
Well-Known Member
Crystal can be a joy to listen to with the right songs - very unique and sweet voice - one of my favorite albums is her "Ain't Gonna Worry" album with some really good songs from beginning to end...
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
That would be me!I adore Judith Durham for many of the same reasons I love Karen: because she possesses one of the purest voices in pop music. I saw The Seekers witnessed one of The Seekers' concerts in 2014 and was blown away by how intact her voice still was when stepped on stage and in front of the microphone.
Other Female Singers
Yep, Linda Ronstadt can't sing anymore though. Linda's last CD was 2007 'Adieu False Heart". Matt Clark Sanford, MI
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Actually, she was mentioned at least seven times in this thread before now, as this thread goes back to 2012, and Judith Durham did one album for A&M - A GIFT OF SONG.
JohnFB
Well-Known Member
I just listened to several of the tracks on THE GIFT OF SONG album and I'm thinking that her voice is generally pitched higher than Karen's, but has the same soft, haunting quality to it, and while not as resonant as Karen, she does have the same excellent phrasing and breath control - I'm wondering what some harmonized duets between the two would have sounded like...I think pretty damn nice and listenable!
Another Son
Well-Known Member
By the way, ‘Spy’ was a single in Japan but I’m not sure if it was released as such in other markets.
Carly had a slinky video for ‘Vengeance’ from the same album but, although it was played on TV, the song didn’t become a big hit. She only had to wait for the next year, though, when the clip for ‘Jesse’ was shown a lot and that song reached the Top 10 in some countries, or just nudged the Top 10, (as it did in the USA, peaking at Number 11). In Australia, it peaked at Number 4.
I have a DVD from ‘Saturday Night Live’, I think it is, on which Carly performs another single which was not very well known, (‘Half a Chance’), plus ‘You’re So Vain’.
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