Iceman's "Best Singer in the World?" topic inspired me. Thank you, Iceman.
Here's a topic that fits the forum more closely. Amongst harmonica players, who's the best singer?
I have three nominations, in order of singing talent. They are are all dead, unfortunately--
Junior Parker
Howlin' Wolf
Little Walter
Little Walter, whose instrumental skills we talk about incessantly, was also a great singer. Muddy Waters said he was his favorite singer. I don't have them in front of me, but I'll find Muddy's exact words if anyone needs to delve into this. I agree with Muddy, he is (was) a beautiful singer.
Somebody will point to singer/harmonica players that aren't dead. This is good. Help me out. Annie Raines? John Nemeth? Sugar Ray Norcia? Stevie Wonder?
Sam Myers ---------- i still have a little Hohner stock for reed replacement in three common keys. when these are gone i'm out of the biz. click MP for my e-mail address and more info.
Darrel Nulisch is really good too. Sort of sounds like Singer/guitarist Duke Robbilard. ---------- i still have a little Hohner stock for reed replacement in three common keys. when these are gone i'm out of the biz. click MP for my e-mail address and more info.
butterfield was the bestIMHO..great blues voice.....there is no mention of rice miller here.......kind of surprisied........the wolf?what more can you see about him....sang,played guitar,blew harp,great showman..........
I like a lot of the names that have been suggested, and I'll add a few additional names to flesh out a working list of my faves:
Junior Parker John Nemeth Paul Butterfield Sugar Blue Billy Branch Sugar Ray Norcia James Harman Curgis Salgado Sam Myers Darrell Nulisch Tad Robinson Howlin' Wolf Mitch Kashmar
Cotton never really could sing, even when he had vocal chords.
Little Walter I'm not sure about. His vocal performances are memorable, but I think of him more as a stylist than a singer. Junior Wells, too. Neither of them could really hold a note and make it sound good. Stop for a moment and think about that; think about them in comparison with Junior Parker, who really COULD sing, and the difference should be obvious. Of course Junior Wells was a master showman and he could bring it down so low that you could smell it (as he put it). He was a great front-man, but not much of a singer. Some might put Billy Branch in the same category: more showman, front-man, and stylist. I think there's more there than that, but some might say that. Sugar Blue, on the other hand, can f-ing sing his ass off.
Last Edited by kudzurunner on Nov 17, 2013 2:36 PM
Does Johnny Winter qualify as a harp player? I have in mind that he played on that first Columbia album he made. He sure could sing. The vocal he does on drown in my own tears still gets me every time. ----------
Kudzu, I am amazed that you think Cotton couldn't sing. He is one of my favorite singers of all time. I also think you are wrong about Junior, but it doesn't bother me as much.
For today John Popper is my favorite singer and favorite harmonica player at the same time. Also possible not my favorite songwriter, but one of. I also really like Paul deLay's singing. ---------- Excuse my bad English. My videos.
Amazing how many of you have left out George Harmonica Smith here. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
i saw james cotton perform here at the galaxy theater it holds well over 500 people i tipped the maitre d he put me in the front row i thought i died and went to heaven, what a powerful voice he had the band turn down, he stepped back from the mic it was just him and his voice, nothing more. when he sang if you know you don't love me... why in the world won't you let me be you could hear a pin drop. his voice filled the entire room. and this is a very large room. the crowd went nuts! i have been to many many concerts, most of them are long forgotten this was something i will never forget, i had tears welling up in my eyes! galaxy theater
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i get a lot of request when i play my harmonica "but i play it anyway"
Last Edited by 1847 on Nov 18, 2013 5:13 PM
Yeah, I'm thinking I may have judged Cotton a little too harshly as a singer. I still wouldn't put him on my list (above), but I like what 1847 has posted. I guess my judgment was slightly skewed by the fact that in the handful of times I've seen him over the past 12-15 years, his singing voice has been shot (the early part of that period) and totally gone (the past five years or more). It was on the way out back in the early 90s. But it's unfair to judge him for how he's been singing, or barely singing, or not singing, over the past 20 years. He was pretty good before that.
Of course he still is and has always been a monster on the harp. Arguably my single favorite harp player and one of the two or three strongest influences on my playing. This thread isn't about that, and I trust that we all understand that.
I'll add that I disagree with the prevailing view of certain singers. I've never thought that Koko Taylor was a particularly good singer (although I do like the original recording of "Wang Dang Doodle") and certainly not in the last two decades of her life. She literally couldn't hold a note. All she could do was roar and, when she tried to belt, watch as her voice shrank to a strangled sound and then disappeared. She was a one-trick pony whose trick had run out. Nobody wanted to say anything about it, but it was painfully obvious, even as she continued to be celebrated as "queen of the blues." Her vocal gifts were exceeded by any number of her peers, including Francine Reed, Valerie Wellington, Toni Lynn Washington, and Bonnie Raitt. But that's another argument!
Here's one of my favorites. Her name is Roach. She sings with a group called Cafe R&B
Last Edited by kudzurunner on Nov 19, 2013 10:24 AM
Great group of singers y'all tossed out there. I have to agree with most to the assessments on this post. Speaking of Sam Myers, I interviewed him for an article in the long defunct Blues Access Magazine years back. His business card simply read: Sam Myers...Blues Singer. He took more pride in that than his harp playing. I've always loved Slim Harpo's vocals, and Jimmy Reed's. To me that's the reason that they crossed over to the pop charts. Vocals that oozed a bit of sexuality. ---------- Ricky B http://www.bushdogblues.blogspot.com RIVER BOTTOM BLUES--crime novel for blues fans available at Amazon/B&N and my blog THE DEVIL'S BLUES--ditto
Oh yeah and thanks for reviving this thread...I missed it before and I would have not heard of Cafe R&B, and that would be a shame. I'm now watching everything I can find on you tube. Roach is awesome!
Steve Marriner in case no one has heard him. In this video Harry Manx (also great singer and harp player of o.k caliber) and Steve Marriner rock out Please Don't Go and at the 3 minute mark Steve take sit into Help Me and shows off his tremendous vocals to much applause. Another one of those under recognized or lesser known players. His band is Monkey Junk and are worth checkin out.
I'm partial to those who convey heart. I think my all time favorite is Ray Charles.
Love Brownie McGhee also.
EDIT to add: I know I'm stretching the harp concept w/ these guys but they certainly did a lot for the cause. It's Superbowl shopping time and I'm in a rush or I'd have chosen better samples.
Last Edited by JustFuya on Feb 06, 2016 1:03 PM
@cyclodan You are more than welcome--I just watched the documentary on Steve Marriott on YouTube, and remembered that harp was one of his instruments of choice. I'm a little different, not primarily a harp player, but I loved the British blues guys--I always thought Help Me was by Ten Years After LOL And Peter Green played some harp, not a great vocalist but certainly a big influence on me as a musician.
Last Edited by Gnarly on Feb 06, 2016 1:08 PM
At SPAH I really enjoyed when Dale Spaulding (current Canned Heat singer) sang at the Soiled Dove harp blow off with Jimi Lee. Dale has a great voice and good harp chops. Dale's brother Larry is a pretty good singer and harp player, too, but not a full time professional musician.
RJ Mischo is a pretty good singer/harp player, too! ----------
Doug S.
Last Edited by dougharps on Feb 06, 2016 2:42 PM
