The Undeniable Top 12 Best Black Female Singers of All Time?
– January 30, 2012
Posted: January 30, 2012 at 1:17 am
Gladys Knight
The Undeniable Top 12 Best Black Female Singers of All Time?: Isn’t it amazing that there has been not one single woman who has been compared to Gladys? Gladys Knight is not only a phenomenal singer, being a star since she was 8-years-old. She became an even bigger star when her and The Pips signed with Motown records in the 60s, however, word is that she was not happy with the way her and the group were treated at Motown and that she was not happy that Marvin Gaye recorded another version of their smash hit “I Heard it Through the Grapevine.” Gladys’ biggest and most memorable hits were during the 70s with a couple of hits during the early 80s as well.
Most of those women didn’t write songs in the 1960s. If they did, those BMI Writers and Publishers checks would be nuts today.
You should add soul/disco singer Loleatta Holloway. Her voice was crazy.
Jennifer Lopez is not Black and I can’t believe you could compile a list like this and not include Nina Simone. Have you lost your mind?
Aretha wrote many songs and some of her own hits..”Think”, “Day Dreaming”, “Rock Steady”, “Since You Been Gone”, all sold well over a million copies each plus she wrote “Call Me” and “Dr. Feelgood”..
I think Jennifer Hudson and Oleta Adams belong on that list somewhere, although I can’t deny that for the most part it’s a pretty good lineup.
Great list… much respect to the wonderful singers you’ve listed; I just have to add a few you have overlooked: Ella Fitzgerald (the best female vocalist I’ve ever heard), Billie Holliday, and Sarah Vaughn. Not to mention Lena Horne, Shirley Bassey, Joesphine Baker, Dorothy Dandridge, Ethel Waters, Mahalia Jackson, and Pearl Bailey.
this list is incomplete to me if Anita fuckin Baker aint on it re you crazy!!!!!!!!!! minnie ripperton, kim burrell, Sade, Shirley murdock definitely deserve honorable mentions and teena marie might be white but she aint no punk
Who complied this list? I understand you wish to pay homage to a few legends, where is Mahalia Jackson or Tina Turner if that’s what you’re doing? I read a few comments about those writing their own material….I don’t think that’s what the writer is trying to convey because ‘singer’ is the key word! Are you considering record sales? If so, then Beyonce should be on there (even tho I don’t think she’s a contender but she has paid her dues)! Also HOW IN THE WORLD could you not include Lisa Fisher, Minni Ripperton, Angela Bofill and Heather Headly? When you say undeniable you mean undisputed or incapable of being denied…correct? Well I can dispute a few of your choices. When I think of a black female that sing….I think quality!
Oh yeah and Jennifer Lopez? I’m still scratching my head about that one!
Angela Winbush, Angela Bofill, Randy Crawford, Sharon Bryant from Atlantic Starr. I never thought of Jennifer Lopez as a singer nor as blaci
Jennfer Lopez is the JOKE here folks
Here we go not reading and only looking at photo’s again lol. The J-Lo addition is a joke.
What happened to Anita Baker, Stephanie Mills, Sade, Minnie Ripperton and Ella Fitzgerald should be in the top three. Its obvious the compiler of this list do not really pay attention to black female artist,,,,,Jennifer Lopez, why not Bonnie Raitt also.
How could you leave the legendary Toni Braxton off the list I mean come on! I’m also shocked that Anita Baker was ignored as well SMH!
I get the Jennifer Lopez joke. I immediately knew something was wrong when I saw her name (LOL). I’ve read some of the suggestions that others have entered above and have to admit that many were good singers, but we are talking about the greatest of all time here, so being good is not good enough for this list. Here are some glaring omissions from your list. Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughn raised the standard from everyone that preceded them, and set the standard for everyone that followed them. Dinah Washington is simply the most versatile singer ever (black, white, male or female). Check out some of her music and I’m sure you will agree. She could sing anything. Stephanie Mills would run several of your “top 12″ off the stage. She would definitely be in any top 10 list I came up with. And While I’m not sure she would make my top 10 list (definitely my top 20), I would also have to mention Teena Marie. Now I know y’all will say she’s white, but she truely loved and fully embraced our culture and gave us some of the most soulful music of a generation. Because of this, many whites dispised her and refuse to give her her props. In many ways Teena was one of us, so i feel she deserves honorable mention.
Ok, so I thought about this some more and realized that I forgot some others that definitely deserve consideration. Lauren Hill as both a singer and a songwriter needs to be atleast considered for any such list; maybe the top 20? Maysa Leak is in my opinion the greatest singer on the planet right now, she just can’t seem to get any airplay on these highly restrictive radio formats we have now. Adreana Evans, the best singer you probably have not heard of. She has the voice of an angel; seriously. I agree with the person who mentioned Angela Winbush. Also Angela Bofill. My gosh, how could I have forgotten ROBERTA FLACK? Definitely a top 10 consideration!!
J Lo really!
In my book Phyllis Hyman should be # one. And I have a newly found love for Melba Moore she the Queen of dance funk and should have been placed some where below 7 on the list
You must be kidding! Sarah Vaughn, Carmen McRae, Billy Holiday, Dakota Staton, Ella Fitzgerald, Bessie Smith, Nancy Wilson, Mahalia Jackson, Marion Anderson, Leontine Price, Shirley Bassey, Della Reese , Deniece Williams, Minnie Riperton and many more set the standard for all the singers on your ill conceived list. Many of the women I have listed are not simply among the best ” Black” female voices, but rather among the best voices of all time. Your list might be better labelled some of the top voices in the last 25 years, but it would still be lacking!
Im not understanding why Jennifer Lopez is on this list not only is she not black she also is not one of the greatest singers, what about Minnie Riperton, Anita Baker,Sade Denise Williams and if you are going to stray from blacks you most definitely could not leave out that blue eyed soul sister Teena Marie.
Anita Baker, Sade, Toni Braxton, Angela Winbush, Regina Belle, Stephanie Mills, Shirley Murdock. They should be on this list
UNDENIABLE? ARE U KIDDING ME? I can agree with maybe half. Maybe! But what about Minnie Ripperton; Sarah Vaughn; Billy Holiday; Tamia;
First who is Rachelle Ferrell? and what does she do for a living?
Have you ever heard of Ella, Nancy, Billie, Sarah, Carmen, Sade, Mahalia, Marion Anderson or Leontine. You must live in cave and are to stupid to read your own Headline…undeniable, Black, of all time. Lopez? you must be related to here or something
I totally agree with Sule. Where the hell is Ella, Sarah and Billie. In a list of the “best Black singers” of all time – how could they be missing??!! Someone didn’t do their homework.
Oh yes, there is work to be done. As a classical trained vocalist, Black, and an ethnomusicologist, from the readings I have taken off the internet, it is time something is done about the lack of information. My work is to not only pay tribute to the Black singer but make sure that the “sound” they have created and is much emulated by almost every culture on the planet is preserved for all time and that the world knows (what some take for granted) who were the originators, and how it has impacted American music and culture, and is still a major force in the world today. Stay tuned, because I can prove it.
Ummm… Where’s Tina? Donna Summers? Etta James? Wow haha. And I didn’t know J-Lo was Black! lol…..
No one has mentioned Leona Horn, Candi Staton, Dorothy Moore, Jill Scott, but Jennifer Lopez. You could’ve use Seline Deon, not to mention those great that never got their reconition.
I like to know who took the pole for the votes. Whom ever it was they was certainly off point with J -Lo .
Chante Moore should definitely be on this list. It’s your list, but you know we take our music seriously. The #10 spot was no place for a”joke.”
Alright KEVIN………… who did yo’ pickn?? How can you put Etta James, Dionne Warwick and Gladys OVER Anita Baker! Beyonce! Mahalia Jackson! AND BILLIE HOLIDAY? REALLY KEVIN? REALLY? I love you, too, my brother!!
I’m ready to re-do this list whenever you’re ready…… 
Any list of vocalists without Ella Fitzgerald is incomplete
This is not to take away from any of the names listed, but it is just not possible to do this sort of list without acknowledging Diana Ross.
Are you mad? Lopez? Really?
DENIED!! J-Lo?? Seriously? Better than Tina Turner, Ella Fitzerald, Lena Horn, Billie Holiday?
Undeniably poor list.
What an empty and pathetic list this is!! If the great and glorious Mahalia Jackson is going to be snubbed, then this whole list is garbage. Yeah, she may have been a gospel singer, but that shouldn’t ostracize her from being at the top of this list. If she would have broken her integrity, she would’ve buried every one of these singers. How DARE you try to bury her because of her integrity!!
You lost me with Jennifer Lopez. We were all good up until then. SMH
WHEN IT COMES TO MUSIC, I MUST ADMIT THE 70′S TO THE EARLY 90′S IS WHERE THE REAL R&B WAS. NOT LIKE TODAY THIS MUSIC THEY CONSIDER R&B IS NOT R&B IT’S RHYTHIMIC SOUL…..I SAY THE BEST THAT EVER DID IT..PHYLLIS HYMAN, PATTIE LABELLE, STEPHANIE MILLS, MELBA MOORE…POWERFULL LADIES!!!!!!!!!!
i have a problem with this… where is Nancy Wilson? i seen dionne, phyllis, natalie, even etta… WHERE IS NANCY WILSON IN THIS 12? THIS SHOULD BE REDONE OVER!
NANCY WILSON HAS BEEN RECORDING SINCE 1960. EVEN THOUGH, SHE IS RETIRED NOW, YOU SHOULD GIVE HER DUE! SHE DESERVES IT!
Minnie and Phyllis should be a lot closer to #1 (although maybe they are not in a particular order?) . And no mention of Deniece Williams or Angela Bofill???!! Angela winbush is also one of the very best and wait!!! Jean Carn should absolutely be on that list. If you go see her live (even today) you’ll know why. She could go toe to toe with ANY of those mentioned.
J.Lo?????? I had no idea she was BLACK!!!! Really? Does she know she is black? You left out JEAN CARNE and REGINA BELLE!
Omg ….it gotta be a joke MIKI HOWARD is not on the list!