Who's your favorite female A&M artist?

[DAN BOLTON]

Since this has been a bummer day, with snowstorms and Tribute cancellation news...I thought I'd start a new poll. I'd like to know who your favorite female A&M recording artist is, and why she's special to you...I'd list the names, but I'm sure I'd miss one or twelve,so here's a few of mine, in no particular order...

Lani Hall- Mrs. Herb Alpert; a beautiful lady and a great talent...she's also an excellent businesswoman, working hard for the Herb Alpert Foundation.

Sheryl Crow- an inspiration for us over 40ers, and a great set of pipes...

Lucille Starr- a versatile performer with a unique voice.


There must be others, and surely you can elaborate on my comments. So, how about it? Who are your favorites?

Dan

 

[LPJim]

What a great idea, and where to begin? I'm sure there are many more, but here's a few comments on some female vocalists who added a spark to the early years:

Claudine Longet -- her strength was the soft, exotic approach; excellent choice of material, fine arrangements and outstanding cover photos;

Liza Minnelli -- inherited her Mom's talent and expanded upon it beautifully with boundless enthusiasm and energy. I knew my favorite independent label had moved up in the world when she left the much larger Capitol label to sign with A&M in '67;

Beverly Bivens of We Five -- a five-octave range; not something you find every day;

Evie Sands -- a book should be written about her near hits and misses over the years. Her voice is clear and soulful simultaneously;

Judith Durham --- the voice of the Seekers who, thanks to A&M, turned in fine solo performances.

That's a start. As Procol Harum said "Still They'll Be More" ....
JB

 

[Murray]

My favourites:

Karen Carpenter -- the most incredible female voice I've ever heard - deep, soulful, expressive.. Herb Alpert described it as "liquid honey". Her singing never fails to give me chills.

Rita Coolidge -- crystal clear, smooth voice. "(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher" is one of my all-time favourite recordings.

Toni Tennille -- she not only has a great, powerful voice, but is also a talented songwriter.

Murray

 

[Harry]

Oooh - tough one!

Gut reaction, when the topic first presented itself, I'd go with Karen Carpenter. No doubt about it, her voice was a remarkable instrument, and I've spent many years in the appreciation of it. As Murray said, it's still capable of producing goosebumps after all these years.

Second choice would have to be Lani Hall. Her work with Sergio is amazing and, though others might disagree, her solo work had its moments too, particularly once she got to her Latin phase. The body of work that is her three Spanish albums can also still produce goosebumps, and I have a great time listening to them, though I don't know any Spanish to any great degree. She and Sergio proved years ago that I could enjoy a song and not care what the words were saying!

Harry
...picking favorites, online...

 

[Rudy]

Lani and KC are about neck and neck in my book. Typically I don't like female singers at all...there are very few I can sit down and listen to. But the few I do like, I listen to quite a bit.

No vocals this morning, though...with the cold snowy weather outside, it's definitely a "Blue Train" morning. (Coltrane. )

 

[stefandaystrom]

What's the story on the Ode label? In the early 70s, when it was best known for one for my all-time favorite female singer/songwriters, the records always said "distributed by A&M". But in revisionist history, it's all thought of as Columbia (now Sony).

I presume this was a looser relationship than CTI? And is it a coincidence that both veered toward Columbia? (Columbia was also the one that pressed A&M vinyl at some point. Another coinciidence?)

 

[Jeff]

Karen Carpenter...not only was she gifted with a magnificent instrument...her record sales propelled the early to mid 70's A&M from a small label to a powerhouse...thereby assuring a place for 'later acts' to call home. Karen Carpenter WAS A&M!

 

[DAN BOLTON]

How would you classify the type of voices of the artrists we seem to be talking the most about here? What strikes me is that Lani, Karen, Rita Coolidge and Lucille Starr all seem to be altos, or maybe even contraltos...I'd classify Liza as an alto, also...maybe even Carole King, even though she recorded for Ode[an A&M spinoff]. Am I right? Each has a rich, full voice, no doubt about it...Carole might not always be on pitch, but there's something about her voice that is full and vibrant enough that I really don't mind all that much...


Dan

 

[cakeicer]

Difficult to choose. Not all my favorite female singers are/were A&M artists.

1. Lani Hall

2. Beverly Bivens

3. Karen Philips

4. Carole King

5. Claudine Longet

 

[Tim Neely]

What's the story on the Ode label? In the early 70s, when it was best known for one for my all-time favorite female singer/songwriters, the records always said "distributed by A&M". But in revisionist history, it's all thought of as Columbia (now Sony).

I presume this was a looser relationship than CTI? And is it a coincidence that both veered toward Columbia? (Columbia was also the one that pressed A&M vinyl at some point. Another coinciidence?)

Ode was originally a Columbia-distributed label, back when it had its first hit single, Scott McKenzie's "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)" in 1967, and when Spirit was on the label. In 1970, Ode switched to A&M distribution with the new silver "Ode 70" logo (the "70" was later dropped); most of Ode's biggest hits, from Carole King to Cheech & Chong, came under A&M distribution. Marshall Blonstein (later of DCC and now the new Audio Fidelity) was president of the label in those days. Sometime around 1976-77, Ode left the A&M stable and ended up under Epic; around this time, Carole King switched labels to Capitol, and Cheech & Chong had only about one more almost-hit left, "Bloat On"; that was the only Ode/Epic charted single, I think. (The single had an Epic catalog number.)

 

[Tim Neely]

To answer the thread question, I'm going to break it down by decade:

1960s -- Lani Hall, especially on those Sergio Mendes/Brasil 66 hits
1970s -- Karen Carpenter, especially on the less cheery songs such as "Hurting Each Other" and "Goodbye to Love"
1980s -- Amy Grant, especially on "Stay for Awhile," which I think was the first secular song she ever recorded, and what a fun, bouncy, even sexy in an innocent kind of way, record.
1990s -- Sheryl Crow, with world-weary lyrics (I could relate to the line about standing in the middle of the desert waiting for my ship to come in) plus killer licks and killer looks

 

[bob knack]

Lani Hall-and not just because she's a fellow Chicagoan...another reason I should have gone to Roosevelt instead of Lane.

Claudine Longet-but to call her a singer is a stretch. Certainly not in Lani's league...But, I've got all the LP's and she is an interesting artist.

Rita Coolidge-If only for "There's a Song I'd Like to Sing"

By the way, Sheryl Crow wanted to invite her friend Michael Jackson to the NHL all-star game this year to drop the first puck...but the last thing he needed was another face-off!

 

[Murray]

1980s -- Amy Grant, especially on "Stay for Awhile," which I think was the first secular song she ever recorded, and what a fun, bouncy, even sexy in an innocent kind of way, record.

The first secular song that Amy recorded was "Next Time I Fall In Love", a duet with Peter Cetera that was on his "Solitude, Solitaire" album (Warner Bros., 1986). I remember this because there was a huge fuss made over it at the time, especially among her fans, many of whom felt that she had "sold out" or even abandoned her faith. The controversy generated quite a lot of media attention. "Stay for Awhile" was her first secular SOLO single, released on A&M later in 1986.

Murray

 

[Tim Neely]

1980s -- Amy Grant, especially on "Stay for Awhile," which I think was the first secular song she ever recorded, and what a fun, bouncy, even sexy in an innocent kind of way, record.

The first secular song that Amy recorded was "Next Time I Fall In Love", a duet with Peter Cetera that was on his "Solitude, Solitaire" album (Warner Bros., 1986). I remember this because there was a huge fuss made over it at the time, especially among her fans, many of whom felt that she had "sold out" or even abandoned her faith. The controversy generated quite a lot of media attention. "Stay for Awhile" was her first secular SOLO single, released on A&M later in 1986.

Murray

Valid point. Forgot about that Cetera duet.

 

[Mark-T]

Karen Carpenter- by a long shot. She could sing anything and make it her own- and have it seem like it was sung just for you... oh, how I miss her voice and all the great standards she should have sung! ("Our Love is Here to Stay" would have been terrific!)

Amy Grant- she grew up during her A&M years. A good, pleasant voice with alot of energy- and guts to do things she wanted to do. "House of Love" (the song) is a masterpiece blending all the elements of great recording into one. (Has anyone ever heard of the faster, upbeat mix by Michael Omartian producing her?)

Toni Tennille- Underrated as a vocalist because she did too many "cute" and playful songs. "Come in From the Rain" always gets to me, though. Had real power in her voice in live performing. A white Aretha.

Mark

 

[Ed Bishop]

As Tim pointed out, Ode was distributed by several companies(and on its own), so Carole King is, very reluctantly, out. Peggy Lipton? Well, I can live without that omission....

The top 5, Ed's choice:

1. Sandy Denny (of Fairport Convention; I know, a lease deal, but still...)

2. Sheryl Crow

3. Karen Carpenter

4. Beverly Bivens(without her, We Five never makes the charts, IMO)

5. Lani Hall

ED

 

[Captain Bacardi]

My faves would include:

Lani Hall

Letta Mbulu

Esther Satterfield

Rita Coolidge

Joan Armatrading

I want to add Joan Baez and Kim Carnes, but sometimes their voices get on my nerves. Joan tends to have too much vibrato for my taste, and Kim got too raspy at times. But they both did tunes that I like.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I'd have to join the Lani/Karen club, as many have.

Lani, from the Brasil '66 era, that is. I like some of her work since then, as well, and like the SUN DOWN LADY album in particular, but the B'66 material is my favorite.

As for Karen, my favorites are up thru the NOW AND THEN album, with occasional brilliant moments after.

I probably find myself in the mood for Lani-era Sergio more often than I do for Carpenters, so I'd have to go with Lani Hall as my #1 favorite.

(Wouldn't be great if she could see this thread!)

 

[Chris May]

Karen Carpenter all the way! -Chris

 

[Rick]

1. Karen Carpenter - way out in front. She was amazing.
2. Carole King
3. Sheryl Crow

 

[Jilanha]

Well It is Tough to chose just one.My faves include Lani Hall, Gracinha Leporace, Karen Carpenter, Carole King, Amy Grant, Toni Tenille, Janet Jackson, & Sheryl Crow. Lani was better with Brasil 66 than she is as as solo artist.

 

[Brasil_Nut]

My faves include Lani Hall, Gracinha Leporace, Karen Carpenter, Carole King... Lani was better with Brasil 66 than she is as as solo artist.

My favorites?

Lani Hall, Karen Philipp, Janis Hansen, Gracinha Leporace, Karen Carpenter, Rita Coolidge, Claudine and Carole King.

Lani was incredbile with Brasil '66, yes. However, I very much liked her solo material. There is something very personal about these albums -- something that shines through -- a piece of what Lani Hall is about as an artist, a musician and vocalist. On listening to her albums, I always felt as if Lani was sharing a part of these wonderful attributes with me (or whoever the listener may be). No, her solo material did not reach the pop market as Brasil '66 had, but it offered a glimpse into the class, elegance and sophistication that is Lani Hall.

Jon...the "Brasil Nut"

 

[Jilanha]

Lani Hall's solo material doesn't have that same MAGICAL effect as her work with B66. I have 5 Lani Hall albums, and there is not one album that I can listen to the whole way thru. My favorite Lani CD is CLASSICS. I can listen to 11 songs out of the 16 songs on the CD. Everytime I listen to So Long, I end up crying. BRASIL NATIVO is okay. My favorite song is Zanzibar. I CAN"T listen to Lani's Mas Que Nada because it's really BIZARRE! Another song that makes cry is No Place To Hide. I like some of Lani's songs, but not all of them. I'm sorry guys, but in my opinion, Lani's lost her magic.

 

[Rich]

A&M best female singer has to be Karen Carpenter. 100 million records do tell the story. I think she was and is the best in pop music. That voice, She can sing right into your soul. Also she has not been replaced by anyone close. Richard needs to get more lost tracks out there. Cds or DVDs, we need them.

 

[DAN BOLTON]

Lani Hall's solo material doesn't have that same MAGICAL effect as her work with B66. I have 5 Lani Hall albums, and there is not one album that I can listen to the whole way thru. My favorite Lani CD is CLASSICS. I can listen to 11 songs out of the 16 songs on the CD. Everytime I listen to So Long, I end up crying. BRASIL NATIVO is okay. My favorite song is Zanzibar. I CAN"T listen to Lani's Mas Que Nada because it's really BIZARRE! Another song that makes cry is No Place To Hide. I like some of Lani's songs, but not all of them. I'm sorry guys, but in my opinion, Lani's lost her magic.

I dunno...I still think her best effort was NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN...and it's one of my favorite female vocals. It's easily the equal of Rita Coolidge's ALL TIME HIGH...it may not be quite the equal of Shirley Bassey's GOLDFINGER, but it's close, and it really sets the mood for the movie.


Dan