Who has the best singing voice of all time? Sure we talk about songwriters and bands, but what about that instrument The Voice? It’s a worthy discussion, if perhaps a little unfair to pit greatness against greatness.
But that’s what CBC Radio One’s On The Coast asked our listeners.
For the past few weeks, we’ve been taking submissions from our audience. We got many fine emails and suggestions from the across the genres — from rap and rock to pop and country. After tallying up the results, we came up with this Top 5 list.
Here they are, with a few words from their nominators. Take a look, and then vote in our poll at the bottom of the page.
Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury, of course. Who else can beat his four octave range, and sing with such dexterity and commitment. He gave it his all whenever he sang. — Debra Rurak
Eva Cassidy
Eva Cassidy has the kind of voice that stops you in your tracks. If you are driving, you pull over and listen. — Gladys Hirota
Ella Fitzgerald
Her mind-blowing improvisational abilities to "scat," the balance between her voice's resonant body and multi-octave range, and her ability to naturally sync with and elevate the talents of those other vocalists who performed beside her; she made perfection look and sound effortless. — Chris Matisz
K.D. Lang
She can bring you to your knees — literally. Go listen to her version of “Hallelujah” and see if you can stay unmoved. — Audrey Pearson
Stan Rogers
It’s hard to talk about voices without mentioning Stan Rogers, the great Canadian folk singer who was taken from us far too early. Not only did he have a great voice, but he covered Canadian history and the lives of average Canadians. — Andy McKay
So there you have it. Five worthy voices, five worthy votes.
But the final vote is yours.
You’ve got the weekend, and the winner will be announced on Monday at 5:20 p.m. PT on On The Coast.