I've watched the chain expand, hoping I might get a new voice to hear. One or two there. Yet, I can't believe how many great female vocalists have been thus far neglected. Great recordings of great performances with predominating female voices are my passion and take up a large percentage of my software collection (about 5,000 LP's and 1400 CD's). Here are some women who have added markedly to their various genre: Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Ricki Lee Jones, Eva Cassidy, Bonnie Raitt, Iris Dement, Janis Joplin, Grace Slick, Ani DiFranco, Shawn Colvin, Suzanne Vega, Tina Turner, Lucinda Williams, Tracy Chapman, Madeleine Peyroux, and Ella, Ella, Ella. (Haven't included opera or other classical forms, since that's worth a book of its own.) There are many more, just listen and don't depend on the "audiophile top 40." I have virtually every Reference Recording, XRCD's of ever stripe, Classic re-releases, hundreds of MoFi's, etc., etc., but almost always return for play after play of stuff that's never been cursed with an "audiophile version" (exceptions include: Riki Lee and Linda Ronstatt on MoFi; Trinity Sessions on Classics Gold-RTHCD8568; and, Jacintha on XRCD2.) My nomination for the greatest recent recording by a female vocalist that few outside the Beltway have ever heard: Eva Cassidy, "Songbird" (Blix Street Records GS-10045). If this stuff doesn't get your vital juices flowing, try an anonymous dose of Viagra.
