BEST FEMALE VOCAL EVER

tough call but put a gun to my head and I have to say Aretha.

Ella Fitzgerald - Nights in Tunisia
Jane Fielding - Round Midnight

Overall vocalist, I don't know, but I can certainly pick a favorite song/vocalist combo. Eva Cassidy's version of Over the Rainbow. Not a tough call for me!

For me, my favorite, range, tone, improv ability which is bottomless and sheer listenability, Sarah Vaughn. Can't argue with any of the above, love Ella too for many of the same reasons as Sarah but less to degree, Sarah was a true genius both vocally and artistically. Not familiar with Jane Fielding but will surely check her out!   And Eva Cassity died much too young. Not to forget Dinah Washington, amazing songstress who also left us too soon. 

Barbra Streisand 

Eva!

The  best that ever lived was Marion Anderson !

Yup.  Or, Leontyne Price, from Laurel, Mississippi, no less. 

Price was great alright , But Anderson was God's vocalist on earth .

George Gobel in drag.

DeKay

Cass Elliot.

Eva Cassidy!

Billie Holiday

No contest, Yoko Ono.

Actually, there is a contestant: a howling cat. 

tubegroover

You might like the article linked below if you haven't already seen it.

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/the-girl-singers-that-time-forgot/

Tammy Wynette, runner up Brenda Lee. Newcomer Iris Dement (listen to "Walkin' Home").

Yeah, I like Iris. 

Well I'm not too sure that time forgot Ella or Sarah but give it time as all things must pass. Thanks for the link Jperry.  

P.S.  Didn't ever really appreciate Doris Day as a kid, thought her movies, particularly with Rock Hudson were really obnoxious but there was one with Jimmy Stewart "The man who knew too much" which I saw later and kindled an interest in her. She was a really fine singer I must say, my mother loved her and I never knew why until I did.  

The singers in that article, I've never heard of but will surely check out, thanks again for the link!


  

Billie Holiday !

Jennifer Warnes: the Well, Famous Blue Raincoat, Another Time Another Place. Her voice, timing and instrumentation (tree trunk drum, 19th century accordion...)
All vocalists mentioned are excellent. Also Joan Baez

Linda Ronstadt . And her band was good too. Together they kicked Butt ....

Aretha

Young Judy Garland, before the booze.

Marriane Faithful, after the booze.

Patsy Cline

Joan Sutherland, Cuckoo in Siegfried

Marianne Mellnas, Julsang

Joan Baez, Silkie

Randy Crawford, "Imagine"

@tubegroover "For me, my favorite, range, tone, improv ability which is bottomless and sheer listenability, Sarah Vaughn"

+1.  Couldn't agree more

**If** the question is not intended to encompass opera and classical singers, and **if** the question is not intended to take repertoire into account (those things are not made clear in the OP), my vote goes to Connie Francis.

Regards,
-- Al

Jperry Jane Fielding kind of reminds me of Margaret Whiting who was it seems a bit more famous than some of the now forgotten girls from the 50's in your link, thanks for that!. Check out "Time After Time" by Margaret very 50's style in delivery typical of white female singers from that era. All these are definitely worth checking out in contrast with today's song stylists and arrangements.

Cass Elliott, Diane schurr, Carly Simon, in no particular order

Whitney Houston

Linda Ronstadt. Male vocalist? Keith Partridge  ;>)

Karen Carpenter 

+1 Keith Partridge :-)

Wendy O. Williams-'Plasmatics'

Holy Smokes!  Choosing between Ella, Aretha, Sarah Vaughan?  I can't do it.  

Was always favorable to Big Maybelle!

I'd give it to Linda Ronstadt for her versatility--so many pop styles plus mariachi and Gilbert & Sullivan.  Just amazing.

Julie London...Phoebe Snow...can’t decide.

Annie Ross

Annie Haslam of Renaissance, particularly on the first three albums: "Prologue - Turn of the Cards."

Obviously, not too many people here heard of French Canadian singer Ginette Reno.
Listen/watch this duet with Céline Dion... Magnificient.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0slOZv19g-k

Shirley Horn - hard to decide if she is a better singer or piano player.

Eva Cassidy, without question 

Ann Wilson, circa Little Queen. Listen to Dream of the Archer. I saw her in concert and when she held that note (you'll know it when you hear it) it was chilling.

I'm a total sucker for anything Hannah Reid from London Grammar does. Hannah has power and frailties all at once. My second choice is Sara K ....check out her album Play On Words. Sade is up there and also  Bonnie Paine from Elephant Revival. 

Clare Torry. Clare H. Torry (born 29 November 1947) is a British singer, best known for performing the wordless vocals on the song "The Great Gig in the Sky" by the group Pink Floyd on their 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon.

No doubt, Ella and Sarah, an unknown to most, blues and gospel singer Alexis P Suter and I am shocked that no one mentioned the spine tingling Maria Callas.