If we're taking about voice/stage presence (work hand in hand) I'll toss in Charlie Farren from the 70s-00s Boston music scene. Just a super voice & frontman for bands like Live Lobster, Balloon, The Enemy, Joe Perry Project and Farrenheit. There's a reason JP reached out to Charlie to front his solo project. Even used a couple of Charlie's (The Enemy) songs. Farrenheit had a track in rotation on MTV in the mid 80s and their debut album was full of "Big Star"-esque power pop. Never understood why he didn't end up becommng more relevant. Terrific songwriter, charismatic frontman and always with a killer bar band backing. Should have been huge but at that time people were into hair bands and then the Seattle scene and Boston guys kinda died on the vine. Anyway, lots of poorly recorded stuff on YouTube to check out. Just my opinion,...
A great singer you may have never heard, or even heard of.
One of the hotbeds of musical activity in the U.S.A. in the mid-to-late 70’s was New York City, especially the bands who were appearing at a club called CBGB. Everyone knows four of the bands who appeared at CBGB and as a consequence got themselves record deals---The Ramones, Blondie, Talking Heads, and Television most famously. Each had it’s own sound and style.
There was another band who didn’t do as well: Mink DeVille. Though the above bands all sounded different from one another, Mink DeVille sound more unlike them than any other. The singers name was Willy DeVille, and his style developed not out of the influences of the other NYC bands, but rather from R & B, 50’s R & R, and Latin music. Mink DeVille’s 1976 debut album Cabretta (on Capitol Records) was produced by Jack Nitzsche (Phil Spector’s arranger and orchestrator, and a member of Neil Young’s band Crazy Horse for a while), and is fantastic! Willy and the band included a great version of John "Moon" Martin’s killer song "Cadillac Walk" on the album.
Mink DeVille fared far better in Europe, as did Willy after he disbanded Mink DeVille and embarked on a solo career. He collaborated with Dr. John, Doc Pomus, Allen Toussaint, and Mark Knopfler (who produced and plays guitar on the Miracle album). Willy unfortunately was a heroin addict for many, many years, and passed away in 2009 at the age of 58. For those interested in learning more about Mink and Willy DeVille, here’s a video for ya:
https://youtu.be/YvaVSba-Y98?si=V3cUdkD5wuDV8xcH
For some reason the video runs a little over nine minutes on my computer, but over twenty minutes on my TV.
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I consider myself very fortunate in having managed to see Big Joe Turner live at Club Lingerie on Sunset Blvd. shortly before his death in 1985. The Blasters provided Joe with musical accompaniment that night, with Lee Allen and Steve Berlin on tenor and baritone saxes. Lee Allen is heard on many 1950’s records, including those of Little Richard (you can see him in the movie The Girl Can’t Help It). Steve Berlin ended up leaving The Blasters to join Los Lobos. Good move Steve! Steve now lives in Portland Oregon, so I’ve been keeping my eyes peeled when I’m driving around town.
Another singer I feel deserves more acclaim is Lou Ann Barton. Her debut album Old Enough (on Asylum Records) was produced by Jerry Wexler (Aretha Franklin, Dylan, hundreds more) and Glenn Frey (?), and is mighty fine. She has been touring on-and-off for many years with Jimmie Vaughan, making for a nice duo. The Stones included a credible version of Slim Harpo’s "Shake Your Hips" on their Exile On Main Street album, but the 2012 live performance of the song by Lou Ann and her excellent band in a radio station---see below---is (imo) considerably better. The DJ was left out-of-breathe and almost speechless.
https://youtu.be/3Wd2DveN0R0?si=v6eB5qhHfrmkHmGx
I sure wish Buddy Miller would get Lou Ann in his recording studio!
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