Great Female African American Singer of All Time?

Honorable Mention:

Alicia Keys

Bessie Smith

Etta James

Billie Holiday

Jenifer Hudson

Natalie Cole

Lena Horne

Cardi B

Chaka Khan

HM to Billy Holiday? Surely no one could lack such taste.

HM to Holliday AND Lena Horne?

Where's Marian Anderson?

Donna Summer?

Dinah Washington?

Hell, where's Eartha Kitt?

Are you fucking deaf?

Don't forget Gladys on that midnight train to Georgia.

Beyoncé and Diana Ross should be removed from the list

I don't really think it makes sense to compare opera singers with pop, jazz and soul singers.

That said, my vote would be Sarah Vaughan.

Vivian Vance.

Where's Sarah Vaughan?

Whaddabout me?

Lutherina Vanessa Dross

Her throat was Golden….and she could sing pretty well too. Just don’t let her drive your underage brother around in a convertible on a curvy road. Even if the car is an automatic, she still keeps grabbing for the gear shift.

Khia, the Shakespeare of Philadelphia, on the strength of this:

Ethel Waters.

Janet

Mahalia Jackson, unquestionably

Marion Anderson

Shirley Verrett

Jessye Norman

Rose Murphy...

Donna Summer

Marilyn McCoo

How could you forget Nina Simone?

Lizzo

Carol Channing

Pebbles

Mel B

The exclusion of Donna Summer renders this poll useless, especially on a gay message board

What about that butch, Janelle Monae?

Meghan Markle

Album Release Summer 2022!

First Single: Royal Bitch!!!!!

(I voted Whitney. Her music can still bring a tear to my eye)

Mary J Bilge does not belong in this list. Even Beyoncé is a questionable inclusion but the horrid MJB with notes as flat as her chest has no business being compared with the likes of true musical legends Ella, Aretha, Tina, Dionne or even Whitney.

Shara Nelson

Bless your little pink gay hearts.

Kiss kiss!

It's impossible to compare singers from different genres of music -- for example, Leontyne Price, Ella Fitzgerald, and Mary J. Blige. So this is a very stupid and pointless question.

DUMBEST most IGNORANT listicle ever. SHAME.

How old are you, OP, twelve? NO Billie Holiday? NO SARAH VAUGHAN???

Lena Horne wasn't the greatest singer by a long shot, but she was one of the great live performers. Lena was a great influence on your idol Barbra Streisand, which she will NOT mention in her autobiography if it ever comes out.

I voted for Aretha before I realized this poll wasn't for the most overrated African American Female singer of all time.

In terms of singing, maybe not Nina Simone, but if you want to talk about all around musicians then she runs away with the title.

Show me a performance better than this. The voice and the piano are one. One of the greatest musicians of all time.

[quote]Where's Sarah Vaughan?

That OP put Dionne Warwick in the poll should tell you that he 1) knows nothing about music, 2) has no taste

Mahalia Jackson is my favorite

And I'd give Koko Taylor an honorable mention

No Nancy Wilson?

Leontyne Price is so obviously the best singer on the list that it appears the OP attempted to rig it in her favor. (If you haven’t heard her medley from Meistersinger, you simply haven’t lived!)

Jennifer Hudson is all volume and very little flexibility.

Blige is a great artist but hardly a great singer.

Donna Summer is Top 5. Chaka Khan belongs up there. And Deborah Cox and Tamia are underrated.

My personal favorites: Chaka Khan, Faith Evans, Patti LaBelle

Gospel favorites: The Clark Sisters, Vickie Winans, Ann Nesby

Why is Dionne winning?? No way she is better than Whitney.

I think people are judging by their musical preferences rather than judging by technical skills.

Martha Wash, voice of the Weather Girls, Black Box, and C & C Music Factory!

Ella Fitzgerald is my considered answer.

Op, you fucktard: Sarah Vaughan and Nina Simone. I

R45 is posting from 1989-1991

R23 Mel Bushman?

Cardi B

Doja Cat

Leontyne for the win! Greatest voice of my life

I’ve been enjoying Angela Bofill’s catalog lately.

Moms Mabley

Nice to know the Hussy is being recognized. A lot of people doesn't think she is a great singer because she does so little yelling and riffs and runs.