Greatest R&B Male Vocalists

Yousha · **Posted:** Mon Apr 16, 2012 7:20 pm

ah yes, the other one....

Gregsynthbootlegs · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 1:07 pm **Posts:** 584

Could this guy make it in the top parts of the list?

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 12277

Well Mercury could sing anything on the planet and it would sound fantastic, that's largely why he's the greatest.

But not for this list. :biggrin:

Bruno · **Joined:** Fri Nov 25, 2011 7:00 am **Posts:** 1790

Negative Creep wrote:

Bruno_Antonio wrote:

Jackie Wilson
James Brown
Marvin Gaye
Michael Jackson
Otis Redding
Ray Charles
Sam Cooke
Smokey Robinson
Stevie Wonder

These nine - in no order above - to me, are irreplaceable ... would be the last place among the other ... Vandross/Clyde/Hamilton/Green/Richard ...

All except Brown, he's not top 10.

Brown or Clyde to complete the top 10?

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 12277

Clyde easily, it's not even debatable.

Bruce · **Posted:** Thu Apr 19, 2012 9:11 pm

Negative Creep wrote:

Clyde easily, it's not even debatable.

Diane and I have visited his grave a couple of times, it's in the town I grew up in, Paramus, NJ.

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 12277

Amazing.

Actually I'm not even that big a fan of Clyde's voice really. He's soulful as all hell, but I actually prefer Brown's more explosive style (though he tends to go over the top with it), but McPhatter is just a level above when it comes to pure vocals.

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 12277

I think if Sampson and Bruce (and maybe Bruno) hang around, this thread could be a launch pad for some GREAT discussion and sharing.

My personal favorite male r&b singers would look something like this...

1. Jackie Wilson
2. Ray Charles
3. Sam Cooke
4. Little Richard
5. Tony Williams

Btw, if we're considering L. Richard to be r&b, shouldn't he be a little higher? His originality, influence, and versatility (as Sampson has shown) are off the charts.

Bruno · **Joined:** Fri Nov 25, 2011 7:00 am **Posts:** 1790

Tony Williams is great!

My top 10:

1. Stevie Wonder
2. Sam Cooke
3. Ray Charles
4. Marvin Gaye
5. Jackie Wilson
6. Michael Jackson
7. Otis Redding
8. James Brown
9. Smokey Robinson
10. Luther Vandross

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 12277

All great choices obviously, though I was never a fan of Vandross at all...I just really can't "connect" with that kind of r&b singing.

I think the top 3 I listed each have different strengths that appeal to me so much:
Jackie is the most versatile, Sam is the classiest, and Ray is the most soulful.
All IMO of course.

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 12277

Nick · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 8:21 pm

Still a favourite singer of mine, and what a band/album!
And RIP! That totally passed me by! Glad he was rediscovered and appreciated late in life!!

Nick · **Posted:** Tue May 29, 2012 4:17 pm

Tune.

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 12277

Nick-ola wrote:

Still a favourite singer of mine, and what a band/album!
And RIP! That totally passed me by! Glad he was rediscovered and appreciated late in life!!

Sensational my friend. Keep 'em coming.

Sampson · **Joined:** Thu Oct 14, 2010 2:35 pm **Posts:** 1007

Nick,
Since I know you're a fan of Van Morrison and he wrote this, I wonder what you thought of it. I always thought Freddie Scott was very underrated overall.

Greatest R&B Male Vocalists

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