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Best Lead Singer?


Dayo

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Do you have a favourite lead singer from a vocal group?

Kick you off with two, if I may:

How about Philippe Wynne or G.C. Cameron from the Spinners?

Motown's most under-rated group with GC, and then the ultimate expression of Philly with Philippe.

Any thoughts? I'm guessing David Ruffin is going to come up real soon!

Colin

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Do you have a favourite lead singer from a vocal group?

Kick you off with two, if I may:

How about Philippe Wynne or G.C. Cameron from the Spinners?

Motown's most under-rated group with GC, and then the ultimate expression of Philly with Philippe.

Any thoughts? I'm guessing David Ruffin is going to come up real soon!

Colin

Agree about Wynne i've got all his Spinners albums and his voice is just the business, keep telling people on here that his solo outing on Sugarhill called You Aint Goin Anywhere But Gone is one of the most underrated records on the scene, and all for a fiver :lol:

Lenny

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Can you go past Levi Stubbs and Marvin Junior as joint for this one, we sometimes miss the obvious because of looking for the obscure but not in their case (mostly!!)

Cheers

Jock

Don't think you can bypass these greats Jock, there's so many and I could spend the whole day writing them out, it's a thread that could go on forever!,

Lenny :lol:

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Guest Richard Bergman

I'm gonna go for Curtis Mayfield

Perhap he didn't cross over to the pop audience as heavily as Motown's stars but I would herald Curtis as a true legend and a true innovator.

His vocal style was one of sophistication, although punchy and forthright..

"the iron fist in a velvet glove"

Edited by Richard Bergman
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I'm gonna go for Curtis Mayfield

Perhap he didn't cross over to the pop audience as heavily as Motown's stars but I would herald Curtis as a true legend and a true innovator.

His vocal style was one of sophistication, although punchy and forthright..

"the iron fist in a velvet glove"

:lol: Great choice!

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Many truly great singers mentioned so far: I'm in agreement with Binsy in suggesting that, great as The Spinners' GC Cameron and Phillipe Wynne were, few in the history of soul music could hold a candle to John Edwards in terms of pure vocal talent. One who arguably could would be Rance Allen, whose singing is seldom less than amazing.

I'm also going to nominate someone who probably won't get too many mentions, as he didn't make too many records and probably didn't even sing lead on all his group's records: Reggie Saddler of the Reggie Saddler Review, Janice & The Jammers and so on. He had a truly electrifying presence on the tracks he did commit to vinyl, with top marks going to his contribution to Janice's Fantasy side "Goody Two Shoes", a wonderful example of sincerity and sheer emotion outweighing the triteness of the lyric. Reggie's singing on this is simply mind-blowing.

Edited by garethx
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I think it has got to go to David Ruffin ! I would go as far as to say that the vocal performance on "Walk Away From Love" is the finest i have ever heard & i don't belive i will ever hear any better. I can just listen over & over again to the "Breaks My Heart whoooooo" bit. What a Range !!

Another favourite of mine, that probably won't get any mentions from others, is Little Milton !

He mostly did bluesy stuff but i would have love to have heard him do a sweet Northern track as there is such a richness in his voice between the hard gritty bits. Listen to "So Blue" or "Sometimy" !

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Guest janey

Far too much choice.....

But if I had to choose......without a doubt....

Levi Stubbs closely followed by......David Ruffin whistling.gif

Regards......Janey

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All very worthy nominations ABOVE.

I have thought long and hard about this over the years. Many mainstream music journals (eg Mojo) have, over time, usually nominated Marvin Gaye as the greatest vocalist in not only soul music but every pop genre. Marvin was truly a legend but he usually gets chosen for his influence and song writing etc as well aS his wonderful voice...

But I have heard all the major works by all the great soul vocalists (whether they be Northern Soul legends, RnB , Deep Soul or Southern Soulsters etc) and have come to the clear conclusion that absolutely the greatest vocalist ever in SOUL MUSIC , judged purely on vocal ability is/was without a doubt...

DAVID RUFFIN :unsure:

Edited by sunnysoul
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Guest in town Mikey

Mertha Reeves (Vandellas)

Eddie Reader (Fairground Attraction)

Julianne Reagan (All About Eve)

OK only one soul but all three could sing me the weather forecast and I would be in raptures.

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Guest Richard Bergman

Mertha Reeves (Vandellas)

Eddie Reader (Fairground Attraction)

Julianne Reagan (All About Eve)

OK only one soul but all three could sing me the weather forecast and I would be in raptures.

Eddie Reader oozed Oxfam chic... :thumbsup:

Love F.A. ...Great production and intelligent lyrics and wordplay Mark Nevin is a genuis

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Mertha Reeves (Vandellas)

That chick who fronted the Supremes ... Flo, no erm Dianne someone. Incidentally old Mirtha has lost the plot a bit these days (bless her) hear some of her attemps for tubby levine, feckin terrible ... sorry to say.

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