Recommended female vocalists?

My additions to a lot of good folks already mentioned:

Rebecca Gates, 'Ruby Series' more of an extended EP (7 songs) but well worth it
The Innocence Mission, 'glow'
Everything But the Girl, 'Walking Wounded,' electronic, but Tracey Thorn's voice is amazing

And though this isn't all female vocals, the soundtrack to the movie, 'First Love, Last Rites' has great collaborations between Shudder to Think and Liz Phair, Nina Persson (Cardigans), and Angela McCluskey (Wild Colonials).

You might not know these femail vocals, but for what I've seen listed the ones I will list to you are THE BEST:

Mireille Mathieu -- Une Histoire D'Amour hard to find on CD but vinyls are often on ebay and have excellent recording. Genre is Chanson.

Patricia Kaas -- Scene De Vie and/or Mademoiselle Chante Blues. Genre is classic jazz, blues.
available on CDs.

Juliette Greco -- Any album will be very hard to find since she was popular in the mid 50's to the end 60's. There are some phillips german or UK pressing on vinyl with excellent recording. I'm not sure if she ever was printed on CD.

3 different and extra-ordinary French singers which can capture your heart even if you do not understand French.

I've started to learn French since I am so devoted.

(By the way the same way I've started to learn English since Eric Clapton was my favorite bluesmanm -- one of the vast reasons!)

Lucinda Williams: smooth and sexy

Natalie Cole -- the duet cd with Nat

Sinead O'Connor -- Universal Mother (not all relaxing, but try her version of "all apologies"

Bebe Gilberto -- only one album, all sensuous Portuguese (She is Astrud and Gil's daughter)

Poe -- same as Sinead

Maria Muldaur

Alison Krause

India (not India Arie, although she's ok) -- this woman recorded with the "Masters at Work" at lot on "Strictly Rhythym records. This is the stuff to buy, not her solo album which is, to me, a disappointment

Diana Krall is at or near the top of my list. I just recently discovered Jacintha, and boy is she romantic! Wow! I also love Sarah Vaughn. Astrud Gilberto may not have a great voice but her early recordings of Antonio Carlos Jobim's songs are some of my faves.

I own CDs by Jane Monheit, Kitty Margolis, Kendra Shank, Stacey Kent, Patricia Barber, Sunny Sumter, Monica Worth and Datevik. With the exception of maybe Sunny Sumter, none of these women convince or move me emotionally the way Diana Krall and Jacintha do.