Recommend singers with a voice like Billie Holiday

Tags: Music, Jazz, Billie Holiday, Vocal Jazz
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Lady Day has something very special to her voice to me, a lot of other vocal jazz greats don't do what she can do for me. The closest comparison I can give is actually Satchmo, where there is a melancholy quality to the voice that makes it so much more emotive.

Anywho, I'm trying to find other female jazz vocalists with a similar voice and style. Victoria Spivey comes close but isn't quite there. Maybe what I'm looking for can't be found but if you know of any vocal jazz singer who sounds like what I'm looking for please share.

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@Robert Gentel,

There is only one Mozart (no, daddy Leopold doesn't count). There is only one Lady Day. Nobody has a voice like Billie Holiday.

(Actually, you know who I think came closest back at the time of her prime? Janis Joplin. Different genre entirely but the same kind of emotional commitment.)

1 Reply

@Robert Gentel,

Nina Simone

1 Reply

CJ, you took Nina's name right off my fingertips.

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@Robert Gentel,

somebody described her as "Fitzgerald with the voice of "Lady Day""

Madeline Peyroux

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsK40HcxxsE

1 Reply

@Robert Gentel,

Nancy Wilson ain't bad, Robert. Different style, but great voice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wPKzLvqKDg&feature=related

1 Reply

@CalamityJane,

CalamityJane wrote:

Nina Simone

Unfortunately, Nina is already in my collection. I'm hoping for some I haven't heard.

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@panzade,

Do you know of any less subdued songs she sings?

1 Reply

@Letty,

Not bad, but not the same. :-(

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@Robert Gentel,

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1vhhwOsVS0

1 Reply

I'll post one more Robert. When you get married, promise me you'll make this song your first dance with your new wife.

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F10xwkCg4Mc

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Ma Rainey
Bessie Smith
Dinah Washington
Nancy Wilson
Carmen McRae
Anita O'Day

1 Reply

Bessie Smith

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MzU8xM99Uo&feature=related

1 Reply

How about Eartha Kitt? I love her voice.

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While she's not a jazz singer, I always thought that Erykah Badu had that special 'thing' in her voice like Lady Day.

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@panzade,

I get why she'd been compared to Billie Holiday, it almost sounds like she's copying her. But to me her voice doesn't have that special something that makes Billie's so forlorn.

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@CalamityJane,

Nice, I'll have to check them out. Would you happen to have any specific songs to recommend?

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@Rockhead,

Rockhead wrote:

Bessie Smith

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MzU8xM99Uo&feature=related

I like this a lot, isn't exactly what I'm looking for but that's right up my alley.

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@Merry Andrew,

Merry Andrew wrote:

There is only one Mozart (no, daddy Leopold doesn't count). There is only one Lady Day. Nobody has a voice like Billie Holiday.

I suspect as much, but hopefully I can find some similar artists.

Quote:

(Actually, you know who I think came closest back at the time of her prime? Janis Joplin. Different genre entirely but the same kind of emotional commitment.)

I agree, I've recently begun to listen to her and if you have any recommendations I'd be very interested.

Recommend singers with a voice like Billie Holiday

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