What are some outstanding female R&B performances

[jamesanthony]

If you like this genre of music what would you consider to be some of the best performances by solo women through the years?

Aretha Franklin

has many such as Respect, Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do), Call Me, Ain't No Way, Think, Chain of Fools... her records post 1974 aren't as good as these though many were very decent. Her 67-74 hits are helped immeasurably by her back-up singers the Sweet Inspirations making them almost group performances more than solo affairs

Jennifer Holliday- And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going

Chaka Khan-

though her biggest hit was I Feel for You I wouldn't consider that a really strong performance. Among her solo work I vote for her cover of Michael Jackson's Gotta Be There

Patti Labelle-

If Only You Knew and I Love Need and Want You are her best solo tunes as is The Best is Yet to Come

Anita Baker-

Her work is best showcased on entire albums rather than individual songs; I haven't heard her new one but nearly all her previous ones (except Compositions) are very good performances overall

Lisa Stansfield-

All Around the World and All Woman; I think these are just about the best soul style singles by a female Anglo performer because she has her own smooth style; she's not belting needlessly or trying to ape some other artist's style

Natalie Cole-

This Will Be and Our Love- The latter's lyrics are a bit trite but it's a very good performance. So is I've Got Love on My Mind

Whitney Houston-

You Give Good Love is her best single IMO at least of the r&b flavored ones. I'm not big on the one's like It's Not Right and Heartbreak Hotel where the lyrical content reminds me too much of her tumultous personal life

Honorable mentions:

Heather Headley- I Wish I Wasn't
Betty Swann- Make Me Yours
Brenda Russell- So Good So Right (this is arguably a pop record)
Minnie Ripperton- Lovin You (this is also arguably a pop record)
Lalah Hathaway- When Your Life Was Low
Jackie Moore- This Time Baby

Some singers who are OK to me but I wouldn't rate any of their solo records as all time greats:

Donna Summer
Diana Ross
Roberta Flack (She leans more towards pop than R&B)
Oleta Adams (she did a gospel record that puts her best pop/r&B stuff to shame)
India.Arie (Video is a very intelligently put together song though I must admit)

Some who have talent but I just don't really cotton to as much as the ones above:

Etta James
Lauryn Hill
Teena Marie
Toni Braxton
Alicia Keys

Does anyone have 2 cents to add on this?

[MissZero]

I think Diana Ross was always outstanding.

But do you really consider Etta James R&B? I always thought of her as jazz.

[jamesanthony]

Originally posted by MissZero
I think Diana Ross was always outstanding.

But do you really consider Etta James R&B? I always thought of her as jazz.

Etta James is an artist who crosses genres to me. She's made some very earthy records that would classify as blues even more so than rhythm and blues. A lot of the people I listed up there can't really be locked into just being r&B singers. I didn't see it but one year Aretha Franklin sang opera on the grammy awards and brought the house down.

[MissZero]

Originally posted by jamesanthony
Etta James is an artist who crosses genres to me. She's made some very earthy records that would classify as blues even more so than rhythm and blues. A lot of the people I listed up there can't really be locked into just being r&B singers. I didn't see it but one year Aretha Franklin sang opera on the grammy awards and brought the house down.

Ahhh I love Aretha Franklin, I would have loved to see that performance. I also like Gladys Knight.


As far as talented R&B females of today go (in no certain order):
Lauryn Hill
Alicia Keys
Jill Scott
Maxwell (ya don't hear too much of her though)
Angie Stone

[jamesanthony]

Originally posted by MissZero
As far as talented R&B females of today go (in no certain order):
Lauryn Hill
Alicia Keys
Jill Scott
Maxwell (ya don't hear too much of her though)
Angie Stone

Maxwell isn't a woman.

[MissZero]

Originally posted by jamesanthony
Maxwell isn't a woman.

Are we thinkin of the same person?

[jamesanthony]

Originally posted by MissZero
Are we thinkin of the same person?

Maybe. Did you mean the artist who sang Fortunate, Ascension and Lifetime?

[MissZero]

Originally posted by jamesanthony
Maybe. Did you mean the artist who sang Fortunate, Ascension and Lifetime?

no...the person I'm talkin about is more so a local artist lol