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May 16, 2024 · A countdown of the most talented and influential jazz vocalists, from Bessie Smith to Madeleine Peyroux, with examples of their work and biographical notes. Learn about the diverse styles, influences, and achievements of the 50 best jazz singers ever.
- Charles Waring
- Ella Fitzgerald. We begin with Ella Fitzgerald, who is truly one of the greats—you have to be to earn such a title as the First Lady of Song. One of the most popular female jazz singers in the country, Fitzgerald won 13 Grammy awards and sold more than 40 million albums in her lifetime.
- Frank Sinatra. Even those who know little about jazz know the name Frank Sinatra. Born in December of 1915,Sinatra was the child of immigrants in Hoboken, New Jersey.
- Billie Holiday. Billie Holiday, less formally known as Lady Day, was a famous American jazz and swing music singer. Though her life was cut short due to heart and liver problems from drugs and alcohol, she had quite an extensive career that spanned four different record labels.
- Louis Armstrong. Jazz singer Louis Armstrong was one of the most influential jazz artists of all time. His five-decade career included playing the cornet, singing catchy jazz hits, and appearing in Hollywood films.
- Charles Waring
- Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996) Born in Newport News, Virginia, Ella Fitzgerald earned the title “The First Lady Of Song” due to her peerless vocal abilities.
- Duke Ellington (1899-1974) Between 1927 and 1974, Washington DC-born Duke Ellington commanded one of the finest ensembles in jazz. A pianist by trade – he played in a unique staccato style – Ellington made his name performing at Harlem’s famous Cotton Club in the late 20s where his orchestra helped to usher in the big band swing movement.
- Louis Armstrong (1901-1971) Nicknamed “Satchmo” or “Pops,” New Orleans-born Louis Armstrong was one of jazz’s most significant founding fathers and played a profoundly influential role in exporting the music to other parts of the world.
- Miles Davis (1926-1991) A trumpeter and bandleader from East St. Louis, Illinois, Miles Davis is arguably the most influential jazz musician of all time.
- Ella Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald is a popular figure who transcends jazz, and it’s not hard to see why: her singing is bright, breezy, incredibly swinging, with perfect time and intonation and a real sense of fun.
- Frank Sinatra. As one of the most popular artists of the 20th Century, a movie star and one of the best selling musicians of all time, it’s perhaps unsurprising that some hardcore fans debate whether Frank Sinatra should be called a jazz singer at all.
- Billie Holiday. Rarely singing the melody straight, Holiday’s husky voice has proved highly influential and utterly iconic. Her 1930s work with the pianist Teddy Wilson is some of her best loved, and particularly the tracks (like ‘All of Me‘, ‘Foolin’ Myself‘ and ‘This Year’s Kisses‘) that find her accompanied by Lester Young on tenor saxophone.
- Sarah Vaughan. “The Divine One”, as she was known, was famed for her operatic, vibrato-laden sound and her wide vocal range. In her early career in the mid-1940s she was featured in big bands led by Earl Hines and Billy Eckstine, both of which were famed breeding grounds for the bebop style that was becoming prominent at the time.
- Charles Waring
- Frank Sinatra (1915-1998) In pole position in this list of the best male jazz singers of all time is the man whose two most popular nicknames inspired both affection (Ol’ Blue Eyes) and respect (The Chairman Of The Board).
- Nat “King” Cole (1919-1965) Soft as a sigh and sleek as satin, Nat Cole’s voice was a thing of immense beauty. Delicate in its sensitivity and yet supple, strong and masculine, it could transform the most banal lyrics into sublime poetry.
- Louis Armstrong (1901-1971) With his unmistakable gravelly bark of a voice, Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong was one of jazz’s early male singing stars. He rose to fame as a dazzlingly virtuosic trumpet player in the New Orleans jazz scene of the 20s, but the alluring texture of his voice – imagine sandpaper dipped in honey – and its down-home Southern charm helped to accelerate his fame as his career progressed.
- Ray Charles (1930-2004) Originating from Albany, Georgia, Ray Charles Robinson had lost his sight by the time he was seven, but grew to become one of the most accomplished musicians of his generation.
This is an alphabetical list of notable jazz vocalists . Contents: Top. 0–9. A. B. C. D.
Apr 2, 2023 · Learn about 44 of the greatest and most influential jazz musicians in history, from Louis Armstrong to Chick Corea. Discover their biographies, styles, achievements, and famous songs.
