1. marvin gaye
2.otis redding
3 aretha franklin
4 michael macdonald
5 anita baker

:)

Okay, just to open debate on this:

1. James Brown - the man had a voice that moved mountains.
2. Jimmy Ruffin - my personal favourite. He starts singing and my heart breaks.
3. Otis Redding - sang some terrible songs at times, but when he was good he was untouchable.
4. Marvin Gaye - I'll agree with you on this one, just because of 'Heard It Through The Grapevine'.

I'd add more but i cant think of anyone else who stands out. I'm just getting into soul, its a very diverse sound. Some of it is amazing and some is just pap, but you get that with most genres. :)

Chris

1. Marvin Gaye
2. Aretha Franklin
3. Stevie Wonder
4. Smokie Robinson
5. Al Green

I could go on...Martha Reeves, Temptations, Jimmy Ruffin, Isley Brothers, Jackie Wilson....all quality!

Sam Cook
jackie Wilson
Edwin Starr
Otis Reading
Bill Withers
I could carry on for another 30. No smokey or Marvin on the list and no female singers

Aretha Franklin
Al Green
Marvin Gaye
Sam Cooke
Gladys Knight

..and really just about any Motown, Stax, Atlantic act from the 60's.

im not a big soul fan...but every name mentioned seems to be from the same time period (yes i know its the most popular period) but surely there must be someone out there from 1990 onwards that has showed a great soul voice?

Marvin gaye, luther vandross, Al Green, Smokey Robinson, James Brown...

Pure Class

This is a hard one! This is my Top 5:

1. Marvin Gaye
2. Al Green
3. Aretha Franklin
4. D'angelo
5. Erykah Badu

I'll probably think of someone else who should be in there in 5 minutes 'tho!

at a push james brown would be in the top 5 but i think of him more as a peformer on stage ie movements , hes done a few good songs but i doubt if id get any of his albums or would no which one to get

one thing ive always wanted to know about jb and its this every time he sings he comes out with a word witcherman or somthing like that what is he saying exactly

Al Green
Teddy Pendergrass
Marvin Gaye
Jimmy Ruffin
Gladys Knight

Anita Baker
Teddy Pendergrass
Marvin Gaye
Aretha Franklin
Gladys Knight

Any list of all time soul singers has got to have Curtiss Mayfield in,hasnt it?And all though im not a big fan of his,Barry White had a mighty(if distinctive)voice of his own.

*PS* glad to see Soul get a look in on 'ere:clap:

when recorded i honestly believe that lemar's voice is as good as most of the names mentioned in terms of emotion and tone and better in range. i think there is a tendency to ignore 'modern' artists when compiling such lists. People seem pre-occupied with the 'good old days, when singers could really sing'. May i suggest you check the song 'what about love' by him - so simple, yet so brilliant.

Yes I agree Lemar is very good, I have one of his albums and listen to it alot.

I see no one mentioned Peabo Bryson, who I like alot, has done some brill ballads.

and not forgetting Sam Dees

Five Soul singers........

Pookie Hudson, Arthur Alexander, Little Willie John, Rudy Lewis and Clyde McPhatter.

Bill Withers

(Who thank the lord is 'still with us'!)