Singing rock lyrics surrounded by loud guitars and thumping drums provides a different sort of challenge to vocalists than other types of music. What makes a great rock and roll singer may not necessarily mean they are a great singer in comparison to those who excel in different genres. This truism works in reverse as well: how often do you cringe to hear someone with a multi-octave range who can kill singing opera try and fail miserably to sing good old rock and roll?
The Prototype
The prototype who essentially invented the art of singing along to rock music is, of course, Elvis Presley. Elvis had a terrific voice that was capable of spanning across genres as varied as gospel, country & western, lounge and flat out dirty garage-band rock. Without the Pelvis, none of these other contenders for greatest rock singer ever would probably have ever been heard from. Elvis laid down the template for success in rock and roll: you had to be able to belt it out above the amplified guitars while also being able to sing barely above a whisper in order to hit the key emotional note.
Best Duo
The best intermingling of a female voice and a rock voice in singing rock and roll is so easy, it’s almost embarrassing. Exene and John Doe of the band X don’t just take the art of the duet to its highest levels of artistry, they reinvented the entire concept and expectation of a duet. While other great singing duos of different genres like Johnny and June Carter Cash sing together and separately at times, Exene and John Doe broke new ground by having one complete the lyric sentence begun by the other. You cannot help but get the image of two snakes slithering up a tree together, coiled forever in an attachment for the ages. The caduceus should be the symbol of this L.A. punk band. To hear the intertwining of two voices that by themselves are among the most underrated in rock history is to listen to rock genius. A mix tape of X to get a clue about this duo absolutely must include “True Love, Part 2.” This song represents the pinnacle by which all other duets should be measured.
Best Female Singer
Got a big surprise for you here. Most of you will not be familiar with the owner of his voice, and that is your unfortunate mistake. When it comes to great female rock and roll singers, Catherine Ringer may be an unknown quantity to most, but once you listen to her powerful voice, you can’t completely dismiss the nomination. Catherine Ringer was one half of the duo Les Rita Mitsouko. Duo they may have been, but singers of duets like Exene and Doe they were not. Catherine is the voice of Les Rita Mitsouko and what a deep, appealing, masterful, powerful voice it is. Ringer’s deep voice may be offputting to some in the same way that Ian Curtis’ voice can take some getting used to. Elvis set the stage for the falsetto and higher range of rock singing and when a voice that dips down into the octave pool comes along, there can be resistance. Yes, Catherine Ringer is singing in French and that can also be an obstacle…but it shouldn’t be. This is the greatest female voice in rock history! The video for “C’est Comma Sa” gives an example of how much fun listening to music outside your safety zone can be. “Alors C’est Quoi” is an even better demonstration of Ringer’s vocal abilities. Tragically, the other half of Les Rita Mitsouko, Fred Chichin, died of cancer in November 2007.
The Best Rock and Roll Singer Ever. Period.
If it’s not Elvis, you know who it has to be, right? Just like X provides the unquestioned champs for the best rock singing duo of all time, the best rock and roll singer of any gender can only be one person. The one and only Freddie Mercury. Freddie Mercury is the ultimate rock star; while his band partner Brian May has a doctorate in astrophysics, it is absolutely impossible to imagine Freddie Mercury being anything other than a rock and roll singer. He’s a superstar with a truly legendary voice. That voice, my God, it is absolutely stunning. Listening to Freddie Mercury bring one of Queen’s patented anthems to life or listening to him dip into his bag of tricks for an eccentric song like “Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon” is akin to what it would be like to watch Van Gogh paint or Shakespeare write. The highs and lows are not just an excuse for showing off his range; Mercury was the rare rock singer who succeeded in making his range matter. The world lost one of its all time greatest musical artists far too early as a result of AIDs. Sad, tragic and distinctly unfair. Not just to Freddie, but to everyone who loves rock and roll.