The best R&B singer?

chgolatin2 · « **on:** 17 Jul 2007, 06:53 am »

Some of you dont like R&B singers

however, I have to admit that some artist sound well amazing Marvin Gaye is one of them wow such a soul man, such truth. Who do you consider one of the BEST? Let the polls start! Oldies or modern singers...

TONEPUB · « **Reply #1 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 06:58 am »

Prince!

chgolatin2 · « **Reply #2 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 07:10 am »

Prince is cool!

1000a · « **Reply #3 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 07:52 am »

John Lyon (AKA Southside Johnny)

for sampling tracks (use the device about 1/3 down the page):

http://www.amazon.com/Better-Southside-Johnny-Asbury-Jukes/dp/B000008KZO/ref=dp_return_1/102-7554488-2278557?ie=UTF8&n=5174&s=music&qid=1184658090&sr=8-18

the above is 7. new (1.50-3.00 used) can't loose one of his finest great one to try, little risk.

http://www.amazon.com/This-Southside-Johnny-Asbury-Jukes/dp/B00000259I/ref=sr_1_18/102-7554488-2278557?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1184658090&sr=8-18

samples only for the above/ the remaster is below as a 2fer

http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Want-Home-This-Time/dp/B0001IW2Q6/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3/102-7554488-2278557?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1184657994&sr=8-3

the above is the remastered first 2 lps both excellent

we might have more fun if we define (at least for this thread) what rhythm and blues is and is not before getting deep into this one, R&B to my limited knowledge is a form much tighter/possibly limited compared to Prince to my mind, altough I can see Prince as R&B in a broad sense and Marvin and many others.

I think of R&B as a fairly tight musical form, not as tight as Blues but still very close to roots music. Playing in a tight musical form does not limit expression of emotion but often brings more of it to te table through the discipline of the structure.

I guess maybe I am just older now, like the new stuff that is referred to as R&B these days seems more closely related to soul ala Marvin Gaye and Al Green than to the below mentioned artists

if Sam Cooke is R&B is Marvin R&B or soul, or Stevie Wonder soul or R&B
I was thinking more along the lines of Sam and Dave, songs such as "Green Onions" by Booker T and the MGs. There is a whole tradition of R&B that can be expored I believe its most popular time was the 1960s others would probably know more than I.

Any way I am not trying to spoil the party, most of the confusion over musical genres is a direct effect of the $$ people in the record business slapping labels on everthing to hopefully sell more. Music Historians will constantly be trying to straiten out the mess the $$ grabbers have made.

and then the Historians all got their own agendas going to - did I rant probably

- no offence intended

PhilNYC · « **Reply #4 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 12:48 pm »

Here's a good definition:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhythm_and_blues

my favorites:
Ray Charles
Lou Rawls
Otis Redding

ricmon · « **Reply #5 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 01:11 pm »

George Clinton
Otis Ready
Joe Joe
Musiq Soul Child
Cee Lo

weirdo · « **Reply #6 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 01:54 pm »

I like Keb Mo

ZLS · « **Reply #7 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 02:09 pm »

Ray Charles; Solomon Burke

Either One

Mightyburner · « **Reply #8 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 02:23 pm »

Quote from: ricmon on 17 Jul 2007, 01:11 pm

George Clinton
Otis Ready
Joe Joe
Musiq Soul Child
Cee Lo

George Clinton an R&B singer?

I consider him to be Funk,,,un-cut P-Funk that is. As 1000a noted, I guess it depends on what one classifies as R&B. If you consider Soul as a sub-genre, I consider the following to be among the best;

Donny Hathaway

David Ruffin
Al "Grits" Green
Aretha Franklin
Levi Stubbs

rockadanny · « **Reply #9 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 04:35 pm »

Johnny Adams
Bobby Bland
Otis Redding
Wilson Pickett
... all oldsters, just like me.

1000a · « **Reply #10 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 05:11 pm »

Quote from: PhilNYC on 17 Jul 2007, 12:48 pm

Here's a good definition:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhythm_and_blues

my favorites:
Ray Charles
Lou Rawls
Otis Redding

Thanks-cool I like wikipedia a lot, it seems the category was a marketing effort from the get go, and turned into quite a large net overtime.

Your 3 are indisputable masters of the genre, (and Wilson Pickett)

but I still maintain John Lyon IMO is very hard to beat the guy pours more emotion through his singing than just about anybody I have ever listened to.
Caveat he has often been referred to by many critics as the best white soul/R&B singer around.

1000a · « **Reply #11 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 05:13 pm »

Junior Walker

Quote from: chgolatin2 on 17 Jul 2007, 06:53 am

Some of you dont like R&B singers

are you kidding I love the stuff

its pure soul food, its a staple in my musical diet I would probably die without- in many ways it along with delta blues, Gospel, Elvis and Bill Haley are the very rock that rock and roll was built on.

there is arguably in my mind no more beautiful song(s) ever than "Whats going on / Mercy Mercy me / ecology" sorry if I screwed the titles up- but you know the 2 songs

ricmon · « **Reply #12 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 05:38 pm »

Quote from: Mightyburner on 17 Jul 2007, 02:23 pm

Quote from: ricmon on 17 Jul 2007, 01:11 pm
George Clinton
Otis Ready
Joe Joe
Musiq Soul Child
Cee Lo

George Clinton an R&B singer? I consider him to be Funk,,,un-cut P-Funk that is. As 1000a noted, I guess it depends on what one classifies as R&B. If you consider Soul as a sub-genre, I consider the following to be among the best;

Donny Hathaway
David Ruffin
Al "Grits" Green
Aretha Franklin
Levi Stubbs

If you won't put George Clinton in the R&B category consider that his first group Parliament was a doo woop R&B group. Also I would consider R&B an sub-genre to SOUL. The word speaks for it's self. IMHO that is.

1000a · « **Reply #13 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 05:56 pm »

I knew this one was gonna get very complicated

but a great thread none the less- Thanks chgolatin 2

chadh · « **Reply #14 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 09:13 pm »

Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
and...ummm...
Aretha Franklin

Chad

Mightyburner · « **Reply #15 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 10:14 pm »

Quote from: ricmon on 17 Jul 2007, 05:38 pm

Quote from: Mightyburner on 17 Jul 2007, 02:23 pm
Quote from: ricmon on 17 Jul 2007, 01:11 pm
George Clinton
Otis Ready
Joe Joe
Musiq Soul Child
Cee Lo

George Clinton an R&B singer? I consider him to be Funk,,,un-cut P-Funk that is. As 1000a noted, I guess it depends on what one classifies as R&B. If you consider Soul as a sub-genre, I consider the following to be among the best;

Donny Hathaway
David Ruffin
Al "Grits" Green
Aretha Franklin
Levi Stubbs

If you won't put George Clinton in the R&B category consider that his first group Parliament was a doo woop R&B group. Also I would consider R&B an sub-genre to SOUL. The word speaks for it's self. IMHO that is.

No argument from me! I agree that Parliament started out as a typical R&B Group in Plainfield, New Jersey barbershop no less ("I Just Wanna Testify"). I was just trying (albeit weakly) to say that they made their mark as Funk artists. I do disagree that R&B is a sub-genre of Soul. If anything it's the other way around. R&B was around way before anyone knew what Soul was. AFAIK Soul music wasn't recognized as a genre until the mid-60's.

provny · « **Reply #16 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 11:16 pm »

One of the best-- Candi Staton. "His Hands," which was released about a year ago, is a great album.

JoshK · « **Reply #17 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 11:21 pm »

This era? Jamiriquoay or Maxwell.

JoshK · « **Reply #18 on:** 17 Jul 2007, 11:22 pm »

Quote from: weirdo on 17 Jul 2007, 01:54 pm

I like Keb Mo

I've always thought of Keb Mo as blues. My dad like him a lot so I've heard plenty.

Bemopti123 · « **Reply #19 on:** 18 Jul 2007, 03:19 am »

Quote from: JoshK on 17 Jul 2007, 11:21 pm

This era? Jamiriquoay or Maxwell.

I second Jamiroquai. Very groovy sounding things that they do.