If You Could Sing Like Anyone, Who Would It Be?

[Reid]

At dinner, I asked my wife this question, and she said, Whitney Houston. I wasn't really sure about my pick, but the first person that came to mind was Darryl Hall. So if you could sing or play an instrument like anyone who would it be? (I admit this is a pretty silly thread idea, but what the heck.)

[rene]

Frank Sinatra

Tony Bennett

[SinginSumo]

Frank Sinatra

Johnny Hartman

Luciano Pavarotti

maybe even the lead singer of the Platters

[Tom Storer]

Sam Cooke.

I had trouble getting it down to one. Other contenders: Al Green, Otis Redding, Joe Williams, Mel Torme, Jimmy Rowles, Doc Watson, Orlando "Puntillo" Rios, etc. etc.

[Gary Sisco]

Wilson Pickett in his prime.

[SinginSumo]

Tom & Gary - Your choices weren't too shabby at all!

[Tanager]

Hrm, either William Shatner or Pat Boone.

[Pete C]

[Joe Milazzo]

Jimmy Witherspoon.

[Brian Olewnick]

Dama Mahaleo

[Valerie]

Sarah Vaughan
Dianne Reeves
June Christy
Chris Connor (who is at Birdland tonight!!!)

[Canuck Don]

Arthur Prysock for singing and Stanley Turrentine for ten.sax.

[Underhound]

In a perfect world I would be the male Ella Fitzgerald.
I would love to have that kind of control, that tone, that sense of melody, and make it all sound so effortless.

Here in the real world I have to settle for sounding like the bastard child of Randy Newman and Jerry Garcia.

[Jim Dye]

Marvin Gaye

[Dr Dave]

Eddie Jefferson! The Man!

Louis Armstrong (hey, Louis was a GREAT singer! You ever hear his duets with Ella?)

Leon Thomas (I always wanted to be able to yodel like he did on "The Creator Has A Master Plan.")

Bobby Short (Okay, Bobby Short in 1972)

Brook Benton ("Lie To Me" still moves me)

Al Hibbler (Actually, I would almost rather be able to sing like Al Hibbler than like Eddie Jefferson. A serious tossup.)

[Knike]

I'd like to play the piano like Keith Jarrett. And I'd also like to sing along my piano-playing like Keith Jarrett.

[clinthopson]

Either Jack Teagarden or Irene Kral.

[Dennis Gonzalez]

David Sylvian
Brendan Perry

[jazzfiend]

Well now, I'd have to say a good mix of Mark Murphy, Otis Redding, Anita O'Day , and Carmen McRae.

Wait a minute, let's throw in a touch of Joe Williams & Johnny Hartman.

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

Well I DO sing for my supper, so mostly I sing like me.


But as for coveting another's instrument...
Sam Cooke
Jackie Wilson (anybody else know his version of Danny Boy?)
Clyde McPhatter
Frank Sinatra



stylistically, I find myself doing Jack Teagarden on many of the jazz numbers I do, like Ain't Misbehaving and St. James Infirmary:

Now when I die I want you to dress me up in straight lace shoes,
With a boss black coat and a Stetson hat.
Put a twenty-dollar gold piece on my watch-chain
So the boys'll know I died standing pat.

[Peterdubya]

One of my idols.
"If I Had a Nose Full of Nickels"

[blake]

tiny tim. though otis redding isn't a bad pick.

[moneyp]

I'm tempted to say Sam Cooke, but bad things seem to happen to people who can sing like Sam Cooke.

Val, if you could sing like June Christy, I'd be marrying you instead.

[Dennis Gonzalez]

OK, Cathy Berberian.

[lex luthor]

Roy Orbison.

Or maybe Bobby Bland.

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

All right, if Dennis has Cathy Berberian, I want Sainkho Namtchylak! (Overtone calling -- the next frontier!)

[Pete C]

Moreschi, but with helium instead of surgery.

[bluenoter]

Sarah Vaughan
Eva Cassidy
Al Green
Lotte Lenya (yes, I'm sure)

[Al in NYC]

Solomon goddamn Burke

[Chris A]

I was going to say Florence Foster Jenkins, but I'm there already.

So, I'll say Carlos Gardel