Female Lead Singers

[Bill0604]

I very much enjoy a band with a good female lead singer and when you think about it there still aren't that many around.

Some of the female vocalists that paved the way for other female vocalists that I listened to was of course Annie Haslam of Renaissance, Pat Benetar, Grace Slick, Ann Wilson to name a few. Who are your favorites right now? I can’t think of many but my short list would be:

I absolutely love Christina Booth from Magenta. It would be great if George was to get them to play Rosfest again?

Leslie Hunt from District 97

Katarzyna Sobkowicz-Malec from Albion

Rachel Jones from The Reasoning

Esther Ladigese from Illumion

[Progtopia]

I have lots!

Jessica Lehto of Factory of Dreams and Beto Vasquez Infinity

Rebecca "Spinky" Spinks of the Mariana Hollow

Julie Kiss of To-Mera

Sharon den Adel of Within Temptation

Lydie Lazulli of Venturia

Annamaria Pinna of Vajra

Charlotte Wessels of Delain

But it's 1 am and that's all I've got for now.

[JIF]

I dig Pat Benatar, Ann Wilson, Tori Amos, Annie Haslam, and Bonnie Raitt. She was on Jimmy Fallon the other night, and she sounded great. Her cover of Right Down The Line kills. Give It Up should be as popular as Nick Of Time.

[Zeuhlmate]

Any prog here?

[flowerking]

Aside from those already mentioned (my list would definitely include Annie Haslam, Leslie Hunt, and Christina Booth):

The amazing Anne Marie Helder from Panic Room (and prior to that Karnataka and Mostly Autumn)
Valerie Gracious lead and backing vocals for Phideaux
Kate Bush (I didn't like her latest release but she seems to be more active now than the previous 15 years)
Joanna Hoag from Ioan
Barbara Gaskin (I include her because Stewart/Gaskin released a Green and Blue a few years ago)

Not as good, but worth noting is Aleena Gibson from Kaipa

And one more, non-prog, Sarah McLachlan, although her most recent releases have been pretty boring

[Scrotum Scissor]

Any prog here?

Haven't you heard? Asia/GTR/Heart/Lita Ford/Europe (didn't they have a sort of female lead singer too?) etc. is not only the new prog, it's the old and ancient and future as well.

[Dodie]

Anne Marie Helder is my favourite, though Tina Booth (Magenta), Heather Findlay (ex-Mostly Autumn) and Rachel Jones (The Reasoning, but formerly of Karnataka) are all effective at certain things.
But Anne Marie Helder vocally and musically has got the lot. :-)

[Wah3]

Shemekia Copeland. Grace Potter. Arleigh Kinchloe of Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds.

[Brian Griffin]

Debbie Harry could bring it with anyone in her day, on many levels

BG

[Progtopia]

Any prog here?

Most of the ones I listed have been classified at least as prog metal.

[iguana]

wow, no mentions of sonia kristina and annie haslam yet?
PS: jerney kaagman (earth and fire)

[happytheman]

Wouldn't classify her as prog.... but Eva Cassidy had a wonderful voice. And I'd give a nod to Edie Brickell as well.
Annette Peacock, Grace Slick.... the list goes on and on. Plenty of female vocalist to choose from

[Mt. Pleasant Farm]

Actually the title of the thread says Female Lead Singers and not Prog Female Lead Singers which is cool. Yes, Leslie Hunt and Christina Booth both come to mind immediately but I have a few more lovely ladies that I love to listen to;

1- Elizabeth Fraser (Cocteau Twins)
2- Johnette Napolitano (Concrete Blonde)
3- Karen Peris (The Innocence Mission)
4- Enya Brennan (Enya)
5- Moire Brennan (Clannad)
6- Lisa Mills (toured one time with Big Brother & The Holding Co.)
7- Amy Sky (Jim Brickman)
8- Anne Cochran (Jim Brickman)

[Gruno]

Actually the title of the thread says Female Lead Singers and not Prog Female Lead Singers which is cool.

It is cool, but technically this was posted in the "Progressive Music Discussion (THE MAIN BOARD)" not the OT section.

[The Hollowdude]

Anne Marie Helder sends a jolt to my nether regions.

[Bill0604]

There have been a few comments regarding the intent of the question relating to Prog. Of course this is a "Progressive Music Discussion"
forum, but I intentionally omitted the word "prog" from "female lead singer" since the term "Prog" or "Progressive" has in the past and could very well
in this thread start an intense discussion over its meaning. I did not want someone to leave out a favorite because they thought that the female
vocalist might not fit the definition that everyone has a different view on.

The term "female lead singer" I thought (IMO) meant the band is primary and the female vocalist happens to be the lead singer. But we got an
enormous amount of diversity in thought and opinion and I think it is great. For example Adrian mentioned Star Anna from the Laughing Dogs whom
I never heard of and I don't believe to be "prog" but was a wonderful contribution to the thread. IMO my personal favorite for Prog female lead singer is
Christina Booth from Magenta

Here is a great video from the Live At the Point album with their great opening song "Speechless".



While there are many wonderful female vocalists I think there are very few female lead singers of Prog bands. But stretching that definition is perfectly
fine with me and hopefully with Duncan also.

Bill

[markwoll]

Dagmar Krause,
Siouxsie Sioux,
Wayne ( Jayne ) County,
Wendy O. Williams,
Laurie Anderson,
Diamanda Galas,
Lætitia Sadier & Mary Therese Hansen ( Stereolab )
Susan Mumford ( Tiny Desk Unit )

Not all prog, some New Wave, No Wave, Punk. All awesome in their own ways

mark

[The Silent Man]

The amazing Anne Marie Helder from Panic Room (and prior to that Karnataka and Mostly Autumn)

Not 'prior' - she's still a member of Mostly Autumn. Only does backing vocals though, along with keyboards and flute.

Current MA vocalist Olivia Sparnenn is becoming pretty damned impressive now, I believe she's currently better than Heather was.

This is only an amateur recording, but check this out, particularly from about 3:30 onward:

[MJBrady]

Finneus Gauge - Laura Martin
Monia Rossi - Fartherpaint
Julie Kiss - To-Mera
Francisca Moraga - Mahesh
Loreto Chaparro - Matraz
Andrea Medina - Tocatta
Kyree Vibrant - Half Past Four
Marie Bernard Page - Et Cetera
Aleena Gibson - Kaipa
Jewlia Eisenberg - Charming Hostess
Elise Testone - Man on Fire
Lisa Bouchelle - Mastermind(Angels of the Apocalypse)
Moorea Dickason - Moetar
Sylvia Skjellestad - White Willow
Numerous Japanese bands with names I cannot remember.

[flowerking]

wow, no mentions of sonia kristina and annie haslam yet?
PS: jerney kaagman (earth and fire)

Actually, two mentions of Annie Haslam.

[Progtopia]

How about Annie Lennox? And there's a singer named Jayney Klimek who worked with Tony Banks and Tangerine Dream among others; I always liked her.

[bill g]

Aside from those already mentioned (my list would definitely include Annie Haslam, Leslie Hunt, and Christina Booth):

The amazing Anne Marie Helder from Panic Room (and prior to that Karnataka and Mostly Autumn)
Valerie Gracious lead and backing vocals for Phideaux
Kate Bush (I didn't like her latest release but she seems to be more active now than the previous 15 years)
Joanna Hoag from Ioan
Barbara Gaskin (I include her because Stewart/Gaskin released a Green and Blue a few years ago)

Not as good, but worth noting is Aleena Gibson from Kaipa

And one more, non-prog, Sarah McLachlan, although her most recent releases have been pretty boring

The latest Sarah McLachlan 'Laws of Illusion', I think is her best yet. The previous 'Afterglow' I thought was her weakest to date, so nice bounceback there. I love her voice, occasionally she has songs I don't care for like 'Angel'. But songs like 'Out of the Shadows', 'I Will Not Forget You' (not to be confused with the lackluster 'I Will Remember You') and much of her newest, are excellent. Sharra and Anisha (of Cirrus Bay) both like her, and have a slight influence of her style I think, even though singing prog.

Some of my favorites include:

Christiane Robichaud (Contraction)
Amy Darby (Thieves' Kitchen)
Elaine Difalco (Thinking Plague)
Kaitlyn ni Donovan
Harriet Wheeler (Sundays)
Elizabeth Fraser (Cocteau Twins)
Leslie Hunt (District 97)
Kate Bush
Sally Oldfield
Christiana Booth (Magenta)

I can feel there's someone huge with me I'm completely forgetting, probably a couple... The singer of Karnataka has a nice voice as does the singer of Mr. Sirius, especially.

[everythingtoexcess]

Having made a living in a band with a female lead singer, I cannot stop myself from posting the following:
What's the first thing the female lead singer of a band does in the morning?
Puts on her clothes and goes home.

How do you know when the female lead singer of your band is knocking at your door?
You say, "come in" and nothing happens because female lead singers NEVER know when to come in.

I kid. Don't throw anything. Just couldn't pass it up.

[mogrooves]

Dorothy Moskowitz (USA)
Cathy Pruden (Julian's Treatment)
Anna Meek (Catapilla)
Catherine Jauniaux (Aksak Maboul, etc.)
Dagmar

[trurl]

Kate Bush
Tori Amos
Michelle Young.

Do you sense a pattern here?

And of course, I have to shout out Suzie Bogs...