What happened to those 40s voices?

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I love the sound of those women pop vocalists of the 30s and 40s! Betty Hutton, Judy Garland etc. Why is it that noone seems to sound like that anymore? We have none of those silky smooth lower range female singers in our charts. Does anyone even sound like this these days?

― Jole, Friday, 26 December 2003 16:19 (twenty-one years ago)

We have auto-tune now so we can slap any skinny tart on the mic and it doesn't matter.

Bring. Back. Billie.

― Lynskey (Lynskey), Friday, 26 December 2003 16:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Diamanda Gal...oh, "silky smooth" - nevermind....

― notloggedin, Friday, 26 December 2003 16:51 (twenty-one years ago)

fiona

― reo, Saturday, 27 December 2003 01:21 (twenty-one years ago)

We have Michael Buble.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 27 December 2003 01:22 (twenty-one years ago)

i think the i remember hearing from something on npr or somewhere else about how the style of singing was often dependent upon the technology, the mics. certain vocal techniques were developed to sound good with the technology. i dont know any specifics but it was an interesting concept.

― tom cleveland (tom cleveland), Saturday, 27 December 2003 01:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Also, male vocalists of the 1930s... and most spectacularly lost to time is a mannered yet warm voice like Al Bowlly's.

― Tom May (Tom May), Saturday, 27 December 2003 02:13 (twenty-one years ago)

There's always the jazz singers, I guess. Diane Reeves, even Diana Krall and Patricia Barber if you must.

― Jordan (Jordan), Saturday, 27 December 2003 02:20 (twenty-one years ago)

We have none of those silky smooth lower range female singers in our charts. Does anyone even sound like this these days?

Along with Diamanda, these ladies will help that nasty jones for the lower range. They sure ain't silky smooth and they may never hit the charts, but search:

Marianne Nowottny
Fursaxa
Greenpot/Bluepot

All avant-garde to a fault (post-artsong?) but somehow they work on random shuffle between Julie London & Rosemary Clooney. Go figure.

― Venus Glow (1411), Saturday, 27 December 2003 16:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Thanks there V. Anyone got ideas on changes in popular vocal style? I know the current trend toward an american-accented singing voice is well documented...

― Jole, Saturday, 27 December 2003 17:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Ooh! Just heard Zooey Deschanel on the Elf OST! I wonder how they made her sound all OOOOOOOOld school?

― Jole, Saturday, 27 December 2003 17:36 (twenty-one years ago)

I see that as the main problem with a lot of the neo-soul singers.

― V (1411), Saturday, 27 December 2003 19:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Can I say Dani Siciliano?

Michael Buble = Wayne Newton for the 21st century. Yuck.

― Schwingung (Damian), Sunday, 28 December 2003 01:53 (twenty-one years ago)

yes Dani!

― jed (jed_e_3), Sunday, 28 December 2003 03:14 (twenty-one years ago)

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