As I stated before, lists seem to be a big thing with magazines and blogs in general so it’s time for me to jump on the bandwagon.  I’ve already listed my favorite bands since 2000 so now I’m coming up with a ranked list of my Top 25 favorite singers of all time.  There are likely a lot of people on here that you don’t know but are well worth seeking out if you’re looking for something new.  I’ll add a few choice cuts for you to seek out if you want!

Note these are MY favorite singers and this list likely misses some of yours, but that’s all part of the fun 🙂

Without further ado…

25.  Danny Bowes

The Thunder man is mostly unknown in the States but the band is fairly big in Britain, being around since the late 80’s with their blues based rock approach that didn’t quite fit the hair metal of the times.  Bowes has great range and comfortably swings between simple rock structures and more ballad material with ease.  Known mostly for his Thunder material but has released a couple of discs with band mate Luke Morley.  If you like Free, Bad Company, early Whitesnake, etc, Danny Bowes is up your alley.

Choice Cuts:  “Love Walked In”, “Low Life In High Places”, “I Love You More Than Rock N Roll”, “Turn Into The Sun”

24.  Erik “AK” Knutson

My first exposure to AK was with Flotsam and Jetsam’s debut disc “Doomsday For The Deceiver” which showed off more of a high pitched yelp and rapid fire delivery than the mid-range that he eventually developed over the years.  But that yelping shriek added a lot of character to go along with the old school thrash in 1985.  Around the mid-period years the material was more in the “Black Album” Metallica vein, a little more slowed tempos and geared more to a tempered groove.  Flots is still around and AK’s vocal is a little more smoky but he continues to belt in fine style.

Choice Cuts:  “Hammerhead”, “Forkboy”, “Suffer The Masses”, “Wading Through The Darkness”

23.  Ty Taylor

A relative newcomer in comparison to most on this list, Vintage Trouble’s Ty Taylor is flat out awesome.  A bit of a throwback to Jackie Wilson, James Brown, Otis Redding but having his own style, Taylor and the Trouble boys fit the R&B mold with a bit of a rock twist.  Not only can the guy sing but he’s a massive showman and entertainer in his own right-  check out clips from the Leno and Letterman shows from a few years back to see what I’m talking about.  If these guys come anywhere near you, RUN and get a ticket!

Choice Cuts:  “Blues Hand Me Down”, “Total Strangers”, “Another Man’s Words”, “Run Like The River”

22.  John Corabi

I touched on Crab’s vocal skills a little bit when discussing The Scream’s debut album (see the “Under The Radar” post about rock bands you may have missed from 80’s/90’s) but it’s time to cover more ground.  John Corabi is the real deal and has been around the block for a few years-  stints with The Scream, Motley Crue (the self titled album from ’94), Union (with KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick), and solo.  If you dig whiskey soaked and cigarette laden vocals, you can’t do much better than Corabi.  Easily handles the rockers and bluesier material.

Choice Cuts:  “Man In The Moon”, “Hooligan’s Holiday”, “Smoke The Sky”, “Outlaw”

21.  The Temptations

OK, I’m cheating a little here but as a whole The Temptations were a great vocal band that had some outstanding singers throughout their career, from Paul Williams, Dennis Edwards, Eddie Kendricks, Damon Harris, and the fantastic David Ruffin.  All versions of the band could handle everything from classic R&B, psychedelic soul, and funk with each vocalist in the band covering falsetto to bass and everything in between.  Although their hits ended by the mid-70s the band (or certain former band members) lended their talents to diverse artists such as Rod Stewart, Rick James, and Hall and Oates.

Choice Cuts: “My Girl”, “Just My Imagination”, “Papa Was A Rolling Stone”, “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg”