Best female vocals on CD

I took your advice and listened to the Cowboy Junkies' Margo Timmins - I still want to marry Jennifer Warnes but a few nights with Margo might be interesting.

If I had to pick a favorite, I guess it would be a tie between Thelma Houston(Sheffield Lab Pressure Cooker) and Lisa Gerrard(Dead Can Dance or solo).

I like many of those already mentioned, but I have to add my favorite--Toni Braxton, any of her albums, latest "The Heat" is outstanding. (nice to look at and listen to!)

Thanks Joe for starting this essential thread. I recognize many greats, but only recently discovered Eva Cassidy. She is a remarkable artist with clarity and power. Her posthumous album, "Time After Time," released this month will last long in my CDP and even longer in my heart. Oh, and favorite vocalists of mine deserving mention: Weslia Whitfield (jazz/cabaret and outstanding backup), Kate Schrock (Shunyata!), Susannah McCorkle (great jazz/cabaret singer), Mary Black (Irish folk and pop), and Indigo Girls (they count as two). As for those already mentioned, I second: Laura Love (she makes music), Sarah McLachlan, KD Lang, Jennifer Warnes, Lisa Gerrard, Shirley Horn, and most definitely Diana K and Aretha. But if you haven't heard Eva Cassidy yet, treat yourself to this great soul asap!:-))))

Might be interesting to start another thread following up on this one, maybe call it the "Damn shame" thread and list all the people with incredible vocal gifts that have wasted them with bad choices of material and arrangement. Could start off with Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey ana Leann Rimes. Any other contenders?