Best Male Singers of the 20th Century

Rayhall; During the Viet Nam era, Woodstock days, and riots and protests in the streets, John Fogarty and his Creedence Clearwater Revival band "moved" a lot more people than any jazz singer did, IMHO. I was there. Have you ever listened to the lyrics of CCR's "Fortunate Son"?. Any one of the CCR band members was probably a mediocre muscian, but as a BAND, they were great. Further, I took SD's thread to mean "what was your favorite (or who you thought was most influential) in male music", not who, on some analytical scale YOU devised, is the absolute "best", eg I could care less about opera (or jazz) singers. And even further, I doubt that SD wants YOU to critique everyone listed on his thread. Craig.

Uhh Craig... Haven't we been down this road before? I certainly didn't criticize EVERY pick. I know who John Fogarty is also as I was alive during that era. I didn't even mention a jazz singer! And I do like music other than jazz. When the title of the thread is Best Male Singers of the 20th Century, that's an awfully high standard to reach, and when some of us pick certain artists for their popularity rather than because we LIKE them, I wonder what kind of standard we are applying. I don't hate John Fogarty. I don't know all the Creedence Clearwater Revival music but actually, I kind of liked "Proud Mary" but IMHO he is a long way from the best of the twentieth century". But hey, that's just my opinion! Anyway, my posts on this thread were not meant to be terribly serious. I seem to have a penchant for continually offending you. For that, I am sorry because the other times I have run across you on Audiogon, you seem to be an interesting, engaging cheerful kind of guy.

Yeah... Hi again Rayhall; If there was an "un-submit" button in the AudiogoN program, I might have used it re: my last post--. I guess your implied criticism of CCR struck a nerve, and I need to "rein in" my sensitivity. I find your posts articulate and interesting, and I do appreciate your apology. In some ill-defined context, I really do think CCR (not so much John Fogarty) was an important musical influence in their time-- maybe I got caught up in a flashback? Thanks, and no hard feelings. Craig

Bobby Darin, Harry Connick Jr., Nat King Cole. Also, Freddy Murcury, great voice, probably could have sung just about any style of music.

Harry Connick Jr. is an example of somebody who I think REALLY shouldn't be discussed on this post. Talk about somebody who is completely derivative. A pale -- and obnoxious, in my view -- imitation of Sinatra. I also would take issue with saying that the members of Credence Clearwater Revival were all "mediocre" individually. That's probably true for the three other than John Fogerty, but Fogerty was everything in CCR and is clearly among the best of the bunch of singers/guitarists/songwriters of his generation.