Good Morning Heartache- Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday's signature tune that showcases her extraordinary command of both jazz and blues vocal techniques.
Let's Get Lost-Chet Baker
Chet Baker is probably on nobody's best vocalist list but there is a winsome melancholy quality to his voice that is hypnotic. Baker's vocals inspired Elvis Costello to write
Almost Blue as a tribute to Chet's vocal talents.
Ball and Chain- Janis Joplin
Janis Joplin's "take no prisoners" approach to this Big Mama Thorton song at the 1967 Monterey Festival made her a star.
That's Life- Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra was never a sentimentalist and his rendition of
That's Life the evidence of the authenticity as a vocal stylist.
Nice Girls Don't Stay for Breakfast-Julie London
Julie London was the original bad girl and there is an alluring eroticism in nearly all her vocals including this 1957 song.
Doctor Feelgood- Aretha Franklin
This song was originally the B-side of
Respect but in
Doctor Feelgood Aretha summons all her multiple powers as a gospel, blues and soul singer. Dr. Feelgood was the song that always brought down the house in her live shows.
Stormy Weather- Peggy Lee
When I was younger Peggy Lee was considered to be an unhip remnant of the big band era. I confess that her seductive minimalist arrangement of Fever caught my attention, but her rendition of Stormy Weather recorded in 1947 at the peak of her vocal powers was stunning.
Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying- Ray Charles
It's surprises me that Ray Charles' heartfelt rendition of this song seldom makes it to so few of the numerous anthologies of his best performances.
Indoor Fireworks- Elvis Costello
This elegant little country flavored gem from Elvis' 1986
King of America album demostrates Costello's genius as a crossover vocalist.
Changes- Phil Ochs
Phil Ochs was the golden boy of folk music before the arrival of Robert Zimmerman. Phil's voice was so beautiful and expressive, yet it's hard to select a single song from his repetoire that shows the full range of his talents.
You can hear 8 of my 10 selections at on this page at Last FM:
GavinBane’s Library – Users at Last.fm
The ten songs listed are by no means a list of my favorite vocalists or even my favorite vocal performances, rather a quick list of ten performances that immediately came to mind when I thought about the topic.
Comments on my selections are welcome or list your own favorite vocal performances. But if you post your own vocal performance list, I'd appreciate any comments on why you think your selected songs are great vocal performances.