Who are your three favorite female singers?

Female vocalists are my favorite "niche" of music types. This is gonna be hard, but here goes in no particular order:

1. Linda Ronstadt
2. Stevie Nicks
3. Karla Bonoff
4. Nina Simone
5. Wendy Waldman

Sorry, I couldn’t do just (3)...and there are many, many more.

ella fitzgerald
eva cassidy
aretha franklin

Natalie Merchant
Sandy Denny
Joni Mitchell
Billie Holiday
Harriet Wheeler
Janis Joplin
Sade

......I could go on, but those came out first. Only three is really tough.

My favorite singers are primarily female. They mainly reside in the Jazz genre. Most of them are affectionately dark skinned / black. That's just how it is, and there are TOO many to begin a list.

Belle du Berry
Stacy Kent
Azam Ali
Marianne Crebassa

Not the usual suspects.

All the best,
Nonoise

Aimee Mann
Hailey Williams
Tori Amos

voice
Cassandra Wilson
Eva Cassidy
Nina Simone

singer/songwriter
Kate Wolf
Nancy Griffin
Ani DiFranco

Natalie Merchant
Joni Mitchell
k.d. lang

I also like Janis Ian. Her albums "Breaking Silence" and "Revenge" are both great.

haha

i think the challenge is the notion of 'three'

we could all spew out endless names without the need to think through who are the real favorites

3 is difficult. Easier to chose 5

Judy Garland - emotion overload
Doris Day - could sing the phone book
Petula Clark - a fine human being
Chrissie Hynde - real understanding
Patti Scialfa - a believable voice

Picking 3 is tough so I am going to stretch a bit with four.
Melody Gardot
KD Lang
Lissie
Eva Cassidy

1.Karen Carpenter

2.Eva Cassidy

3. Maria Carey

Too bad that 1 and 2 had passed away in their 30's age.

I had enjoyed MC voice since 1990.


Thomas

1. Bjork
2. Chan Marshall
3. Lætitia Sadier 
4. Kim Gordon
5. PJ Harvey

Dagmar Krause, Kate Bush, Joanna Newsom.

Joni Mitchell
Sandy Denny
Jacqui McShee
Bonnie Koloc  
        &
Julie London
Nina Simone
Billie Holiday
Anita O'Day
       

Natalie Merchant
Jane Birkin
Nico

Off the top of my head.

Also, Noelle Scaggs was amazing on Daryl's House (Daryl Hall's show) performing "Sara Smile".

DeKay

@dekay

I’ve never seen that performance of Fitz And The Tantrums (Noelle Scaggs) on Live From Daryl’s House. Thanks for the mention!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yjt7SRyBk0I

Rumer, (aka Sarah Joyce) also did "Sara’s Smile" on that show and was very good too. She should be added to our list...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEfef7X2DX4

I LOVE that show!

mofi:

That was good...

Nice to see Daryl play keyboards, which he’s good at.

I’ve seen Noelle numerous times around here over the years when out walking or shopping, but didn’t know who she was until I saw her on the show this past year.

Hope I run into her again so I can say hey, though I don’t get out much these days.

DeKay

1,2 and3   YOKO ONO !!!!!!

Thanks for your posts.  I am happy to say I have music from nearly all posted.  I have enjoyed Stacy Kent on some NPR shows over the last few years.

I, and nobody, knows how things will play out over the next few years.  So many small businesses that are vital to the arts, including music performance are....and I am so sorry to use this word,...dying. 

Had to go back and double check. Still can hardly believe it. Well this site is what it is I guess.

Hello, people: Jennifer Warnes.

I'm not even gonna bother with the other two.

Rickie Lee Jones
Mary Fahl
Dale Evans

In no particular order...

Kate Bush
Tori Amos
Nina Simone

Had to go back and double check. Still can hardly believe it. Well this site is what it is I guess.

Only MC is capable of criticizing people's subjective taste in musical preferences.  

Dolores O’Riordan
Billie Holiday
Alison Krauss

Famous Blue Raincoat is, perhaps, my most played album and CD since its release.  The songs of Leonard Cohen.  

I have been lucky enough to have friends and relatives that bought the album/cd and now it is one of their favorites. 

Well recorded enough to be a good "test" piece for evaluating components.....but simply well written songs done in superb fashion. 

Heather Masse
Alison Krauss
Rhiannon Giddens
Margo T
Eva
Linda R
Patti Griffin
Sandy Denny
Tata
Astrud of course
......
this list is endless, as it should be

Conformity is the jailer of freedom - JFK

and because
....
Foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.. Emerson

three easy has it correct....

Janis Joplin
Norah Jones
Billie Holiday

Off the top of my head...
Janis Joplin
Elly Ameling
Ella Fitzgerald
Edited to deal with this website's damnably clumsy posting regimen.

Loreena McKennitt

Ann Wilson

I'll leave it right there.

I had the pleasure of seeing Heart live and the Wilson sisters were in their prime and just nailed the performance.  It was in an acoustically great performing arts center at a Big Ten school...quite a night.  It was some time back, as their warm up/lead in act was The Little River Band. One of the best live events I have seen. 
Perhaps my favorite live events were the three times I saw Jackson Browne. 

@tomic601

Margo T

Oh man, how could I have ever forgotten Margo....

Anita Baker
Maysa Leak
Martha Davis

@three_easy_payments

Only MC is capable of criticizing people’s subjective taste in musical preferences.

well let’s look on the bright side... i guess this means he is feeling better

or maybe it is the post covid steriods talking... or maybe not...

************************************************************************************************

op, good thread by the way

some new names for me to check out, and learn about their music and their vocals... so cool to have good streaming... can just dial em up and listen -- sweet!!!

Perhaps not in the order

Diana Krall
Barbra Streisand
Loreena Mckennitt

runner up(s)
Ella Fitzgerald
Reba - no last name required!

Mini Moore

Emmylou Harris
Linda Ronstadt
Lisa Gerrard

Lani Hall
Karen Carpenter
Rumer

Billie Holiday
Patsy Cline
Aretha Franklin

Mollie O’Brien
Claire Lynch
Allison Krauss

can’t stop there...
Lydia Pence
Eva Cassidy
Sylvia McNair
Hollie Cole

Purest  voice -Eva Cassidy
Most vocally creative - Patricia Barber
Most vocally original (with a great backstory) - Melody Gardot

Honorable mention - Alison Krauss
Best new talent - Candace Springs (she's the real deal)

The OP asked for only three so I will respect his or her wishes...

Chrissie Hynde
Sandy Denny
Joni Mitchell

Rickie Lee JonesNorah JonesSarah McLachlan

Lady Gaga

The OP asked for three.  That makes it difficult.  One is much easier.  And then there is absolutely no doubt in my head.

Morgan James

My three favorites are already on the lists posted by others. Hats off to MC for mentioning Warnes and to shyscraper for mentioning Patsy Cline. I thought those two would get more votes. Not one of my top three but I'm surprised that Sarah McLachlan was on no list?

Karen Carpenter- amazing voice

Pet Clark- true pop voice, incredible for its time

Olivia - well I am just now in my fifties and love her looks and that voice