Your favorite male soul voices

Wilson Pickett
Sam Cooke
Otis Redding
Van Morrison

When I was in the Army my black friends took me to a "Wicked" Wilson Picket show in South Carolina , was a bit scared because I seemed to be the only white guy in the club . Don’t think anyone would have bothered me but with 4 big Airborne soldiers at my side it was A-OK .
Wilson was a force of nature and could slay any R & B song ever written ,

Solomon Burke

Today:

Jackie Wilson
Ray Charles
Sam Moore
Stevie Wonder
Aaron Neville

+1 Solomon Burke
Bill Withers
Brook Benton

I love all the above, and add Teddy Pendergrass, David Ruffin, Levi Stubbs.

Paul Robeson.  For those who may not be familiar with him:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh9WayN7R-s

Regards
-- Al  

So true almarg, a great voice in a great man !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0bezsMVU7c
Hits home with me as i had a grandfather who was a Scottish miner in these very mines .Paul was one of the most noble souls ever born in the USA .

Lots of good selections mentioned, I particularly like Sam Cooke, Solomon Burke and Jackie Wilson.  I also like Clyde McPhatter, Smokey Robinson and Al Green.

Delbert McClinton
J D Souther
Lowell George
Dr John
Leon Russell

Damn, all great lists and nominees! Missing are Big Joe Turner, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, and Albert King, and if whites other than Van Morrison are okay (;-), Richard Manuel, Steve Winwood, and Bill Medley. Of course no one here would say Michael McDonald or Michael Bolton!

Neil Young
James Taylor
Bryan Ferry
don't know what it matters but everyone I listed is white

Eddie Hinton! Got me singing all day long!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvUHJ-MLZy0

R&B = Bill Withers & Brook Benton
FOLK = Jeffrey Gaines
CROONERS = Bryan Ferry & Jim Morrison
ROCK = Joe Cocker, Paul Rodgers & Rod Stewart

David soul

Chris Stapelton
Brothers Osborne
James Taylor
Willie Nelson
Johnny Cash
Kenny Rodgers
Kris Krisoferson

I still like to listen to the Ink Spots.  Very simple, yet elegant.

Sam Cooke
Jeffrey Osborne
Marvin Gaye
Dennis Edwards
Lionel Richie

Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers, JT and Rod Stewart. 

Otis Redding--On These Arms of Mine the recording engineer said he could, "hear the tears in his voice."  And this was at the end of a long day of recording work by the band he was a roadie for...great story to hear.

Smokey Robinson--nothing else to say here.

Ray Charles--on those songs he did in soul music style.

James Brown--nothing else to say here.

Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, Sam and Dave...we played all these artists' songs in bands in the '60's and '70's.  MUSIC!!

James Taylor, Really???

Re those not yet mentioned:
Although not at all a fan of disco, has anybody ever heard Jimmy Ellis scream "Satisfaction, came in a chain reaction"(Disco Inferno). Don’t know much else about the group but boy did that guy have lungs.

Dennis Edwards-Temptations (after Ruffin)

I can't see James Taylor and Jim Morrison on a list of great soul singers.

In fact, I don't see any of these folks on a SOUL list:

Chris Stapelton
James Taylor
Willie Nelson
Johnny Cash
Kenny Rodgers
Kris Krisoferson

All great singers in their own right, and some of them might have some 'soul' but they are not soul singers.

I think some folks missed the "soul" part.

Hey.
Many great voices listed here but Donny Hathaway deserves a spot near the top of the list. Not only a great voice but also a brilliant song writer and arranger.

PS
Among contemporary musicians, Sam Smith and Kwaye deserve nods.

Great list!!!!!

I'll add EARLY Lou Rawls.  Check out his album with Les McCann and Les's trio.  I just lent a copy to a new 'phile friend I met here on the 'Gon.  He reluctantly borrowed it and told me when I visited him and his rig that it is amazing.  

Please please do yourself a favor and listen to Lou Rawls & Les McCann Stormy Monday. The album is amazing.  Listen to how well it's recorded.  Listen to how Lou (I think he's in his 20s) handles these standards and develops them with great vibrato and that amazing Lou deep tone.  He has such moxy in spots. Such attitude.  Give Outskirts of Town a roll.  

Big +1 on Sam Cooke.  Night Beat is soooooo good.  

Damn good lists here to make me sleepless!
I wanna add Boz Scags and Phil Perry!

+1 on Boz Scaggs.

U B right JB Hiller! Sam Cooke’s Nightbeat is a classic! 

Check out Gregory Porter, he covers everything - soul, jazz and pop. I've seen him in NYC. He's the hottest male jazz/soul singer now. Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Clf6NP3E7os

He's considered a blues artist, but Taj Mahal has done some fine covers of soul and R&B tunes.

There are some really good contemporary exemplars that deserves some attention. Check out Leon Bridges in his NPR Tiny desk concert. I'd also recommend Michael Kiwanuka and Charles Bradley. Gary Clarke jr is more blues-rock, but also worth a listen. 

+1 for Jackie Wilson. I saw him in my home town of Detroit when I was 
a kid or young teen. What an extraordinary entertainer he was. He danced and danced well all over his stage and could do full splits as well.

Tyrone Davis, Otis Clay, Rufus Thomas, Al Jarreau

Theses guys aren't Soul singers! Do your homework.

Delbert McClinton
J D Souther
Lowell George
Dr John
Leon Russell

Terry Evans
Sam McClain 

Marvin Gaye, Steve Winwood, Aaron Neville, Sam Cooke,Ray Charles. The last one, the best.

What about the guy who was the lead singer in The Commitments?

Isaac Hayes

Wilson Pickett’s rendition of Hey Jude on Duane Allman’s Anthology, vol.1.

I have been listening to music for awhile this afternoon and was just about to turn it off for the day. Then I came across this thread. Not yet, one more song. Somebody grab Wilson, Hey Jude.

In no particular order
Delbert McClinton
John Kay
Paul Rodgers

Have to add Steve Marriott, just listen to Black Coffee off of the Eat It album. And absolutely Delbert McClinton.

+1 Steve Marriott - is there such a thing as too much talent?

Donny Hathaway, Curtis Mayfield, Ray Charles.

Gotta add David Clayton Thomas

The most fascinating aspect of this music, is the fact that it was the soundtrack of our lives no matter where we were; we could go from Chicago, to Detroit, and then to Atlanta, and still hear the same music; they were even listening to it in Vietnam.




              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8Y9IJonTqY