Question of the Week: Who’s the most influential female singer of the past 60 years?

Local Spins’ Question of the Week (Nov. 5, 2020)

Who’s the most influential female singer of the past 60 years?

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THE READER RESPONSES:

Goldie Stilson – Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul for sure.

Quinn Baldry – On the rock side of things, I’d put Ann Wilson up there considering how many vocalists have adapted her style.

Nicholas James Thomasma – Dolly

Michael J Vizard – Saw Aretha on the ‘Who’s Zoomin’ Who’ time. I want to say at the Civic, like in ’85….She gets my vote.

James Markus – Aretha Franklin

Julie Bernat Swanson – Carole King, Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon.

Tim Williams – Nina Simone

Matthew Borr – Gotta be Aretha.

Mike Filkins – Koko Taylor

Mike Niemchick – Aretha

Harry Oman – Gotta be Yoko Ono

Mike Skory – Harry Oman or Nancy Sinatra

Tommy Erickson – Madonna

Benjamin Joseph – Aretha. I agree with you John Sinkevics!

Dave Joanis – Influential? Aretha. Maybe Tina. Lately I’ve been digging Bettye Lavette.

Ralston Bowles – Linda Ronstadt. She crossed the genres collaborating with many of the greats. Released more than 35 albums over a career spanning 40 years and recorded the biggest selling non-English album i American record history.

Daniel P Hudelson – Ralston Bowles, I loved her versatility. Was among the best of the best at every style she did.

Don Bidell – Ralston Bowles: And was the impetus for the creation of the Eagles / Stone Pony Band

Mary Ellen Murphy – Joni Mitchell.

Matthew Farage – Yes, Joni is an excellent choice! She wrote Woodstock!! She should get it.

Terry R Altman – Ella Fitzgerald

James Shotwell – Etta James

Tom Sydloski – Joni.

Daniel P Hudelson – I see a lot of great singers mentioned here, but as far as influential, I gotta go with Whitney Houston. The lady not only had very powerful pipes, but the breath and control to riff and do the vocal runs like no one before.

Crystal A VanAntwerpen – Came here to say Whitney as well

Matthew Farage – Barbra Streisand or Dolly Parton comes to mind.

Andrea Wallace – I forgot Dolly. Another solid choice

Stephen Aldrich – You left this question a bit open, are you looking for a pure vocalist, or artist in general? If it’s an artist, I would likely say Joni. As far a vocalist go, Ralston’s case for Linda argues well, but the folks going for Whitney might be closest to reality, as just about every female pop artist since has been influenced by her heavily.

Pamela Jansen – Janis Joplin for sure.

TA Vanden Akker – Janis Joplin

Ernie Clark – Sister Rosetta Tharpe!

Melodee Van Bogelen Horsford – Janis Joplin

Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk – To me, “influential” means their affect on other performers. It comes down to who cites them as an influence and how many. “Successful” can be measured by album and ticket sales. Aretha is at the top for influential. But I might go with Ella Fitzgerald.

Janet Lee Zahn – Nina Simone

Andrea Wallace – For most influential over the last 60 years, I think you nailed it. Aretha is the one. Diana Ross for a very close second though.

Kevin Murphy – Mariah Carey?

Deborah Weiser Pianist – I’m going with Aretha.

Steven Richard Ellis – Aretha, then Janis, Dolly, Patsy.

Craig Carrick – Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou

Douglas J Dok – Was pondering this just yesterday, as to great singers regardless of gender, while listening to the Sinatra channel on Sirius. So, Ella and Aretha and Linda R — and Frank and maybe Tony Bennett? Growing up on rock and soul and pop and a little country … maybe Elvis?

Kevin Matthews – Please remember the 3 Shaggs.

Dan Feister – Aretha and Dolly

Michael Packer – Many, many many: Marianne Faithful, Joni Mitchell, two at the top of my list – The Andrew Sisters (do they fit in the era?), The Roches, definitely Janis, Cher (?), Carole King, Bonnie Raitt, Grace Slick, You want me to go on? You know who I forgot – and I’d be surprised if no one else got it – but also at the top of my list is Karen Carpenter!

AJ Paschka – Billie Holiday

Bradley Raffenaud – For me it’s a toss up on these: Billie Holiday, Diana Ross, Madonna, Patti Smith, Nina Simone.

Andrew Ogrodzinski – Aretha is a good choice. Billie Holiday even though that’s closer to the past 70 and 80 years.

AJ Paschka – What about Janis Joplin?

Andrew Ogrodzinski – For country, Patsy Cline. For straight up blues, Koko Taylor.

Mark Jilbert – I’d agree with Aretha. If you sort through her catalog you can listen to tons of music including many covers she’s done over the years. Listen to her phrasing. And she always had the best musicians in the studio.

Kevin Murphy – “Most influential” is a very tricky call because it’s ambiguous. Madonna probably had a broader influence on society and music than Ella Fitzgerald, but it’s hard to say she’s categorically better. The audience also matters. Was Salena more influential than Grace Slick? Not to most English speakers. But in Mexico? No question. Britney Spears was more influential than Sarah Vaughan. Joni Mitchell? Adele? Bonnie Raitt? It’s really hard to say with such a subjective category. But Aretha is hard to beat. I think Madonna is number 2.

AJ Dunning – I have to agree, John: For my money it’s also Aretha.

Joel Schultze – Janis or Debbie Harry.

Jack Kooreman – Linda Ronstadt.

Lee Chase – I’m right with you, John. Sister Re it is!!

Doug Chesnut – Joan Baez

Jennifer WolfSchwallie – I could easily agree with you, but Aretha didn’t create new music in her latter career (not saying that’s wrong) where Mavis Staples was in one of the most loved soul groups (The Staples Singers) and recorded solo and has been working with a wide range of contemporary artists, releasing new singles and albums regularly. Aretha is big but Mavis is still making music and touring.

Kyle Rasche – Dolly or T. Swift

Kat Hovingh – Janis Joplin

Dave Adams – Depends on the genre. Here are my choices based on their genres: Aretha, Anne Wilson, Diana Ross, Madonna

Carl Schumacher – This question was too easy. Aretha without a doubt. Possibly Anita Baker 2nd. Mariah Carey, Janis Joplin, Ann Wilson to name a few also rans .

Lucie Bellows Lareau – There are many, but Joni Mitchell, as a singer, songwriter, and musician is at the top in my opinion.

Mitch Mileski – Criteria does not allow consideration for Billie Holiday as she passed in 1959. Though not my favorite NO ONE compares to Aretha Franklin.

Shazzer McBroddle – Carole King

John Connors – I have to say Joni if you’re looking for an artist who IS her craft. Straight-up leave-you-speechless performer, Aretha. Longevity and adored by all, Dolly

Barry Bazza Crawford – “Influential” doesn’t mean “Favorite” Ladies and Gents ~ Aretha it is!

Mitch Meleen – Stevie Nicks!

Christian J. VanAntwerpen – I’m going to go with Carole King and Laura Nyro. Primarily as these women were triple threats at a time where that wasnt common. The fact that both these women had their own unique voices and still wrote their entire catalog, performed their entire catalog on voice and musical instrument, and had also written for many others at the time (everything from Blood, Sweat and Tears, to the Monkees) ensured their influence carried beyond their own distinct voices.

Ted Cusack – Joni Mitchell

Mike Dodge – Aretha, Patsy, Ella, and Bessie probably go down as the most influential of my youngest years. But I think in the long run it would be Whitney. There was nothing like her before or after…except for those who were influenced by her.

Honest John Kowalko – I gotta go with Linda Ronstadt also. For all Ralston Bowles’ reasons plus more.

Hugo Cruz – Probably Aretha…but if not her, then Carole King. No one could sing like Aretha or Janis or Ann Wilson, but damn near any girl could sing like Carole, and millions did, or at least tried to because her vocal talents weren’t so stratospherically unapproachable.

David Kuzma – Aretha! ‘Chain Chain Chain,’ hands down.

Ed Atanasoff – Shania Twain. She turned that genre upside down when she came on the scene.

Catherine Slater Zoerman – Aretha Franklin

Shane Roberts – Diana Ross

Michael W Morris – Norah Jones

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