*lenny welch- he could sing the tears right outta my eyes in songs like "since i fell for you." superb set of genes allows him to still perform 50 years later. wow.
*bobby darin- he could do it all. man, that guy was SWINGIN' but born with a bum heart that killed him at 37. in songs as varied as "my buddy" and "mac the knife" he made 'em all his own.
*johnny desmond- the voice of an angel [in both german and english!], a masculine yet pretty voice, that sounded like it was talking to me even though it wasn't, in songs like "i'm a fool to want you" and "long ago and far away."
*gayle mccormick- front person of "smith" - a blonde bombshell with an emotive voice that was both sweet and powerful and could cut through a rock band at full tilt. on a recent [taped back in the early 00s] PBS oldies special, she filled in for grace slick in a reunion of starship. she still had it. "baby, it's [still] YOU!"
*frances farmer- a woefully underutilized talent, with a contralto voice similar to marion anderson. her parents screwed her over bigtime.
*betty hutton- a female frank sinatra. she could do it all. career cut tragically short. the song "stuff like that there" was HER!
*goldie hawn. another voice that for some reason is just not being heard in a musical context. she can sing like a bird! she needs to sing some more!
*sandra dee, with a delicate, wistful, yearningly sad voice, perfect for torch songs. her version of "when i fall in love" made me wanna go back in the WABAC machine and give her a hug.
*judy garland, the artie shaw of female voices, the iconic model for american torch singers. another one lost to drug overdose. her version of "blues in the night" [aka "my momma done tol' me"] was the signature one.
*agostinho dos santos- he was the rich, dark and masculine voice behind the lip/syncing brazilian soccer star breno mello in "orfeu negro" [black orpheus]. his life was cut short in a 1973 paris plane crash. what a voice. his version of "manha de carnaval" is the one, the only one.
*"mr five-by-five" himself, the inimitable jimmy rushing. man, that big guy with the big voice could boom out the volume! back in the day his voice would cut through a big band in full cry, but always with the right syncopated notes.
*tom jones, the pete fountain of male singers. he can belt 'em 'til the cows come home, even now at his advanced age. what a superb set of genes that man has.
and last but not least, the late great dusty springfield.