There are certain elements of popular music that really grab me.  A sexy saxophone solo.  A biting electric guitar riff.  A relentlessly driving beat.  A potent lyric that succinctly captures an emotion.

But when it comes right down to it, I get most weak in the knees when I hear an excellent singer.  From full-throated rock vocalists to gentle balladeers, from country crooners to feisty R&B wailers, I find myself more often mesmerized by voices than any other instrument in the mix.

And I’ll take this a step further:  For the most part, I tend to favor female singers.  Sure, I melt when I hear Roger Daltrey, or Marvin Gaye, or Art Garfunkel, or Peter Gabriel, or Willie Nelson.  But to my ears, women’s voices have a hard-to-define superior quality. Read More