Best female vocals on CD

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?

I don't know the music of Leann Rimes well enough to comment, but I absolutely agree with Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey as being in the "damn shame" category. Here are two women with outstanding vocal instruments and very few memorable songs between them. Hopefully as they mature they will achieve a better perspective brought about by concern for their "place in history". Although it looks like Whitney has more worldly problems to worry about now.

I love most of the Jazz singers mentioned so far, but I feel I need to toss in a couple other genres to make things fair. First of, Bjork really has done some amazing work. Second, I don't know the lead singers name, but Sneaker Pimps is great female modern techno/pop. Also Poe is pretty great. Let me just mention Holly Cole again. Also I saw Natalie Cole for Unforgettable but I think I like Stardust even more (they both are great). I also that Mrs. Big (I think that was her name) who sang the female part in Meatloafs 'I Can Do That' on Bat out of Hell 2 was great.

--Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth (especially on "Dirty" and "Washing Machine") --Tori Amos (especially on "Choirgirl Hotel" and "Venus Orbiting") --P.J. Harvey (especially on "To Give You My Love" and "Is This Desire?")

Since my last reply got blown away during the outage and I'd like to keep this thread going: Mary Magdeline from the orginal Jesus Christ Super Star recording. "I don't know how to love him" and "Everything's alright." Very sweet is this Hawaiian girl (Yvonne Elliman). No career afterwords, but she's HOT! Marry me.