Best Male Singers of the 20th Century


There is an interesting current discussion about the best female vocalists on CD. I have my own ideas about the best male singers (any category) of the 20th Century, but would like to hear other opinions.
sdcampbell
Uhh Craig... Haven't we been down this road before? I certainly didn't criticize EVERY pick. I know who John Fogarty is also as I was alive during that era. I didn't even mention a jazz singer! And I do like music other than jazz. When the title of the thread is Best Male Singers of the 20th Century, that's an awfully high standard to reach, and when some of us pick certain artists for their popularity rather than because we LIKE them, I wonder what kind of standard we are applying. I don't hate John Fogarty. I don't know all the Creedence Clearwater Revival music but actually, I kind of liked "Proud Mary" but IMHO he is a long way from the best of the twentieth century". But hey, that's just my opinion! Anyway, my posts on this thread were not meant to be terribly serious. I seem to have a penchant for continually offending you. For that, I am sorry because the other times I have run across you on Audiogon, you seem to be an interesting, engaging cheerful kind of guy.
Yeah... Hi again Rayhall; If there was an "un-submit" button in the AudiogoN program, I might have used it re: my last post--. I guess your implied criticism of CCR struck a nerve, and I need to "rein in" my sensitivity. I find your posts articulate and interesting, and I do appreciate your apology. In some ill-defined context, I really do think CCR (not so much John Fogarty) was an important musical influence in their time-- maybe I got caught up in a flashback? Thanks, and no hard feelings. Craig
Bobby Darin, Harry Connick Jr., Nat King Cole. Also, Freddy Murcury, great voice, probably could have sung just about any style of music.
Harry Connick Jr. is an example of somebody who I think REALLY shouldn't be discussed on this post. Talk about somebody who is completely derivative. A pale -- and obnoxious, in my view -- imitation of Sinatra. I also would take issue with saying that the members of Credence Clearwater Revival were all "mediocre" individually. That's probably true for the three other than John Fogerty, but Fogerty was everything in CCR and is clearly among the best of the bunch of singers/guitarists/songwriters of his generation.
I was speaking of male singing voice, not material, or attitude of those individuals. I still think Connick Jr. has a great voice. If we want to speak of total package; attitude, material, and voice, then I will have to re-submit my list.