Best female vocals on CD

Tubegroover - I really have to give my wife credit for most of the suggestions that I have posted in this thread. I know that this is why I snapped at Sluggo who I know nothing of other than his Boooooring post. I grew up in Des Moines listening mostly to "loud" popular music of the 60's and 70's and some instrumental jazz and big band stuff that my father had. I became overloaded with music in general after attempting to make a living writing and performing it when I moved to LA in the late 70's and literaly did not listen to music from 1985 to 2000. I had an extreme love for music and at the same time an extreme lack of talent which made for an extreme amount of frustration. Now I discover that I appreciate all types of music and musicians as long as their is an underlying talent that involves me in the music. I try to go to the local highschool fleamarket every Sunday and yesterday picked up two Cowboy Junkies CD's and the second Cranberries CD that were suggested in this thread. They are good bands producing sincere music. We do not listen to the radio or "borrow" with Napster so I would again like to take this opportunity to thank the people that have contributed to this thread. I showed my list to the vendor at the fleamarket who seems to have listened to "every album ever recorded" and he was very impressed with it.

I can't understand how everyone has managed to overlook Brittany Spears! Also, have you never heard of Cher? And speaking of extremely talented, single-name singers, who could forget Melanie? ("I Got a Pair of Brand New Rollerskates," "Beautiful People.")Edie Brickell? Shanna Twain? Joan Jett? Pat Benetar? Also, I'm not sure if she's female or not, but I think Barney's sidekick, Baby Bop, is awesome!

Check out Janis Ian's Breaking Silence

What a coincidence, Dalelogix! After pleasantly sitting through an hour or so of Krall's latest, I happened upon Fi magazine's sampler, and played Janis Ian's "Breaking Silence"---couldn't believe it was her! Wonderful lyric, magnificently sung. Now you've got me interested in finding the album...but where? Curiosity led me to dig out a Chesky vocal disc of a few years back (for the Liv Taylor cut), and I stumbled upon the tune by PEGGY LEE. Her complete mastery and flair really took me aback. I happened to have an older friend over who has 40+ years of jazz-listening experience, so when I told him I barely remembered the "White Owl Cigar" TV ad he laughed---and regaled me with stories of Ms. Lee's abilities with a song. So I found that Chesky Peggy Lee CD (on eBay), and am now marveling at what this chanteuse (who's voice is well past prime) can still do. Krall, Barber (isn't she great?), Pigeon, Upshaw, are all apprentices by comparison. Enjoy!

...and now for something from left field: JEAN DANTON is a Boston-based soprano who cut a disc on Albany called AMERICAN DREAMERS: about 25 songs from Foster through Ives, Kern, Gershwin, Bernstein (inc. a couple of premieres), recorded at Jordan Hall (more intimate acoustic than Symphony Hall) with Stumpf on their Steinway D. Her simple and honest stylings are a refreshing change from overproduced fair, and the recording is magnificent, with LOTS of ambience. Lemme know if you can't find a copy. Similar to Dawn Upshaw's artsong outings but with less coyness or preciousness!