Blame it on my being raised on not just The Beatles and Stones but also the music that came out of Motown, Memphis and Muscle Shoals – there are few musical things I enjoy more than male blue-eyed soul singers: a white artist whose vocals brim with black R&B and gospel soulfulness. Because there are few things I enjoy more than a great black soul singer, such as Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, Sam Moore (of Sam & Dave), Marvin Gaye and others.
What makes a singer soulful? Being able to channel the rich emotionality and vocal agility of the R&B-based style; the howls, growls, shouts, coos, whispers and more that invest soulfulness into the singer’s delivery. What marks soul singing greatness? I’ll rework how Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart defined pornography to say I know it when I hear it. And you’ll hear it too from the singers listed below.
12) Paul Young: Sadly, the most talented blue-eyed soulster to emerge in the 1980s has released very little new material in recent years. But that’s no reason to count Young out. The man who sang the opening lines to “Do They Know It’s Christmas” (the song that launched Live Aid) and was an MTV favorite and British teen idol in the mid-’80s showed he had the pipes of a smooth as silk soul man on his cover of Daryl Hall’s (more on him, below) “Everytime You Go Away,” which reached #1 in the U.S. on July 27, 1985.
11) Alex Chilton: Worshipped by a rather substantial cult for his stunning pop-rock with his early 1970s band Big Star – it seems like everyone who bought one of the only 2,000 copies originally pressed up of their first album went on to either start a band or become a rock critic – the late singer and songwriter’s earlier work as the lead singer for The Box Tops gets undeserved short shrift. Reared within the Memphis music scene and making soulful pop records with some of the city’s best songwriters, producers and players, Chilton sang with a different, deeper and throatier voice than later in his career, definitely going “soul deep” on “The Letter,” the 1967 #1 debut single by The Box Tops. Bonus points: When I saw the The Box Tops as a teen (as was Alex at the time), he worked the stage with a fury like he was Otis Redding.
10) Georgie Fame: Many of you might say: Georgie who? Fame in the U.S. has eluded the man who adopted the word as his last name. His biggest U.S. hit was the somewhat cheesy (but still well sung) “The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde,” which reached #7 in 1967. But during his three year residency at London’s Flamingo club leading his band The Blue Flames in the early 1960s, Fame found favor with black American servicemen for his R&B authenticity as well as Jamaican immigrants for his mastery of ska music and was popular with the young English mods (as heard on his first release, 1963’s Rhythm and Blues at the Flamingo, an all-time favorite album of mine shamefully unavailable in the U.S. for decades) The clip below from a 2000 appearance on the English live music show Later… with Jools Holland shows his masterful ease at blending both, and gives a taste of his skills on the always soulful Hammond B-3 organ on a take of his trademark 1964 U.K. # 1 hit song – the infectious “Yeh Yeh.” Bonus points: In recent years Fame toured and recorded with Van Morrison, playing organ and singing.
9) Paul Carrack: The English singer, songwriter and keyboard player has been quite the in-demand band member since he first cracked the American charts in 1974 with his group Ace’s # 3 hit, “How Long,” working with Squeeze (with whom he sang “Tempted”), Mike + The Mechanics (that’s him singing “The Living Years”) and Roxy Music. The video below of him crushing it on Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” attests to Carrack‘s mighty pipes. Bonus points: He’s a damn fine keyboard player as well.
8) Steve Marriott – A while back, I read a disparaging comment on Facebook that called Marriott a “screamer” and nearly hit the roof. He was able to wail in the high registers with the deepest soul yet still rock throughout his career with The Small Faces and Humble Pie. And no one else could make a Ray Charles song rock so hard yet still sing it with as much soul as he did on the Pie’s a bit raw but supremely righteous take on “Hallelujah (I Love Her So)” from their classic 1971 double disc Performance: Rockin The Fillmore.
Related: An interview with Steve Marriott
7) Bill Medley/Bobby Hatfield; The Righteous Brothers – We’ll make this entry a two-for-one even if Medley’s deep baritone and Hatfield’s high tenor can both be singled out for praise. But the way they intertwined was sheer magic, and nowhere as much as on the Phil Spector-produced 1964 #1 smash hit and golden oldie “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling.”
6) Tom Jones: Quite simply, one of the greatest singers of our age, period. And a man who can kill on a great soul song as well as no slouch singing pop, country, blues, gospel – his masterful 2010 spiritual LP Praise & Blame is well worth seeking out – or whatever, really. No wonder the ladies throw him their panties onstage. He delivers songs with elan and aplomb and has a mega-watt vox box. To show just how soulful Jones can get, we could feature his very hip 1988 collaboration with Art of Noise on Prince’s “Kiss.” But a listen to how he wails in a duet with Nina Persson of The Cardigans on a cover of the Talking Heads tune “Burning Down the House” from his wonderful 1999 collection Reloaded shows just how well Jones can deliver the soul, plus it’s one wickedly cool track.
5) Daryl Hall: The fact that Hall is a stone-cold monster of a vocal soul man may have been overshadowed a bit by the pop success he and partner John Oates (who rightly shares some of this honor) enjoyed with an impressive string of Top 10 pop hits like “Sara Smile” (#4), “Rich Girl” (#1), “Kiss on My List” (#1), “You Make My Dreams” (#5), “Private Eyes” (#1), “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)” (#1), “Did It in a Minute” (#9). “Maneater” (#1), “One on One” (#7), “Family Man” (#6), “Say It Isn’t So” (#2), “Adult Education” (#8), “Out of Touch” (#1), “Method of Modern Love” (#5) and “Everything Your Heart Desires” (#3) – phew! – but it’s that voice (intertwined with that of Oates) that helped make all those Hall & Oates songs into hits. I still favor how he wails on their 1973 classic “She’s Gone” – originally only a #60 chart showing that five years later went to #7 (as noted on our list of 10 Re-Released Songs That Became Hits) – with such power, passion and sheer soufulness that it makes my toes curl.
Related: Many of these great singers continue to tour today. See our listings
4) Steve Winwood: Since America first heard Winwood on the 1966/’67 back-to-back Top 10 hits “Gimme Some Lovin'” and “I’m a Man,” the soulful vocal influence of his early hero Ray Charles has echoed through his voice in his work with Traffic and Blind Faith as well as his solo career. His natural and engaging R&B flair works no matter what hue the musical style may be; now that‘s a voice. He shows his soul stuff below on the Junior Walker Motown classic “Road Runner” backed by an all-star band (including Eric Clapton) at the 1983 Ronnie Lane Appeal for ARMS concert. (Alas, Winwood so liked the melody he borrowed it for his 1988 #1 hit “Roll with It” and subsequently got popped for plagiarism.)
3) Boz Scaggs – Big-time bonus points bring Boz way up the list as the artistic comeback kid here thanks to two recent killer real-deal soul/R&B albums in a row, 2013’s Memphis and 2015’s A Fool to Care – two timeless gems. He showed his deep R&B command, accent on the ‘b’-lues, on his 1969 self-titled second album singing “Loan Me a Dime” with Duane Allman behind him; later hits like “Lowdown,” “Lido Shuffle” and “Breakdown Dead Ahead” showcased a smooth soul sophisticate. Today his seasoned voice is as rich, real and expressive as it gets. Not only does he sing with grace and finesse on Willie DeVille’s “Mixed Up Shook Up Girl” – one of my favorite songs ever – but also dig the utterly sublime track behind him from the Memphis album.
2) Felix Cavaliere – When Motown was “The Sound of Young America” and Memphis & Muscle Shoals had multiracial rhythm sections blowing the doors off behind some of the finest soul singers to ever grace this planet in the mid-1960s, The Rascals née Young Rascals showed us that four white guys from Jersey could deliver the goods with the same assurance, chops and you-just-can’t resist it feeling. Bonus points here go to Little Steven Van Zant for bringing the band back together again in 2012 for the Once Upon a Dream multimedia stage show.
1) Van Morrison: I shall brook no argument here. When it comes to blue-eyed soul, Van is The Man. White Soul Brother #1. Even on the clanging 1964 garage band rock classic “Gloria” with Them he delivered the lyrics with a full kit of impassioned soul vocal techniques. This year he showed that his mighty singing skills are still formidable on the Duets: Reworking the Catalogue album, outclassing every guest (see our review here). Really, there’s no case for me to make here; it’s just indisputable fact that Morrison is the finest. Many songs over the year could handily show his stuff, but none is more apropos than his nod to one of soul music’s greatest singers on 1974’s “Jackie Wilson Says (I’m in Heaven When You Smile).”
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104 Comments
How could you possibly not include the absolutely greatest blue eyed blues singer of them all: Gregg Allman?!!!!
I will admit that the one person I felt could also make the list is Gregg, whose singing I love. But I see Gregg more as a blue-eyed blues singer.
Sometimes blues and jazz crossover well. Bobby Caldwell should be in the mix. Blues singers? Where’s Delbert McClinton?
Oh yeah, Caldwell knows he can sing
Delbert is so often ignored, it makes me sick! He’s one of the solid rocks of the industry! A true musician’s musician!
Yes Bobby Caldwell also phenomenal Blue Eyed Soul Singer…
Yeah, Greg Allman could sing some blues!!!!
Ok Rob, you say that Gregg Allman could make the list? Well Gregg is at the top of the list because Soul and Blues have always intertwined with each other. Having photographed rock, blues and soul artists for over 51 years, and attended over 400 concerts I think I have seen them all.
Gregg was influenced by artists like
Ray Charles, Otis Redding, James Brown, Muddy Waters, Elmore James, Willie Dixon, and many more
who had a Soul-Blues influence in their songs too. You need to go back and listen to some of these songs, and I could double the list.
Dreams, Whipping Post, Stormy Monday, You don’t love me, Its not my cross to bear, Don’t keep me wondering, One Way Out, Southbound, Midnight Rider, Will the circle be unbroken, and many many more. Gregg is the best singer for over 45 years and he will be at the top of my list for my photography
book which will include over 125 Legends Of Rock, Blues And Soul
Live Over 50 Years. With 2020 being
a washout for live shows it should be
out in 2022.
I would definitely be interested in checking out your book. Agree with everything you said about Gregg. Been around the music biz most of my life & have seen most of them as well. Still believe Paul Rodgers & Peter Green should be up there as well. Chris Youlden should be added to the mix for his work with Savoy Brown.
Bobby Cadwell
When I think of blue eyed soul Gregg Allman doesn’t register.
Billy Joe Royal should’ve been included on this list!
What? no Joe Cocker? Virtually every one of his covers surpassed that of the original. To leave his name off this list is a travesty of the vilest order!
I was going to say the same thing. Glad to see others agree! Blues, soul, they’re intertwined and Gregg tops everyone on this list.
Hoping no news is good news in regards to his health. Get well, Gregg!
Totally agree Gregg should be on there. Morrison may be great singer, but treats fans like Crap. He’s a POS!
Thank You!
Because he’s a blues singer.
The list is also missing Bob Seger, Eric Burden and maybe the best Blue Eye soul singer Mitch Ryder.
You got that right!
Right on C.A. No doubt should have been in the top 2!
Too bad your list isn’t longer to include Cory Wells of Three Dog Night.
Yup. You missed Gregg Aallman, Delbert McClinton, but even more importanly, Paul Rodgers. A BIG miss, in my book!
You have left out one of the most talented soul singers in the world, Peter Cox of Go West. A beautiful, soulful voice full of emotion
To the excellent list, I’d add David Clayton Thomas, Burton Cummings, and Kurt Nilsen. Nilsen won the World Idol competition in 2004. It’s his voice.
Good list. I agree with you on Allman…..more blues. Personally, I would move Carrack WAY up there but realize I am probably in the minority. Still, nice work!
Would agree with your evaluation of Paul Carrack moving up. You then run into the problem of who to move down. I thought the list, in general, was very well done, although I like the inclusion of Delbert McClinton. Also a bluesy kind of guy. I’d say it’s a rather subjective topic.
Good list, but you should ask Bobby Caldwell (“What You Won’t Do for Love”). A superb vocalist, most radio listeners had no idea he had “blue eyes.”
We sure didn’t…
Southside Johnny anyone???
Remember Rare Earth?
This list has one glaring omission: Sir Rod Stewart. I would say he is in the top three. Also, I would add Mick Hucknall to the list.
I was wondering myself how you leave off Mick Hucknall
Amen!!
How could you possibly not include Robert Palmer?
Oh, LOVE Sir Rod the Mod!!!!! Saw him live years ago, had I known the tickets were bogo, Id have gotten a 2d, and taken my then 6 yr old.. so he had school the next day, he wouldve seen his 1st good show with his mama………..
Mike Finnigan
No Michael McDonald??!!
THANK YOU!!!
Michael McDonald is by and large the worlds most soulful white man, period. Any blue-eyed soul list he isn’t on the top of should be immediately discredited
GOT to agree,,, Michael kinda took over the Doobies, great either with or without him, two different styles, but love em, and oh, my word, can he put on a concert…..Oh, LOVE !
Yes, I was quite surprised to not see Michael McDonald. OK, check. Now I’ll keep scrolling looking for Joe Cocker.
Thank you!
Totally agree About Michael McDonald. Been going to his concerts for YEARS. He’s still killing it and a humble guy to boot! I grew up in the 60s and 70s and fell in love with the ‘Blue-eyed Soul’ artists. Still my very favorite kind of music. Few white guys can do Motown like Mr. McD! Well, maybe Paul Carrack. LOVE ’em all!!!
Mitch Ryder, didn’t make the list?
No Robert Palmer? Fantastic list just the same. Lots of favorites!
Yeah, he’s not in the hall of fame either……it’s criminal
Ladies and gentlemen, Delbert McClinton.
You have forgotten two of the best, Frankie Miller and Paul Rodgers,
Bob Seger
Yep, I would have to agree with putting Bob on this list, if you are going to use the way a singer uses the Ohh’s, and Ah’s, and ” the howls, growls, shouts, coos, whispers and more that invest soulfulness into the singer’s delivery” Very few did it better than Bob Seger, I would also put Peter Wolf from J.Geils on the list as well, he did it better than anybody in a live setting.
No Frankie Miller, no list
Joe Cocker?
Joe Cocker should be number one, easily!
Joe Cocker doesn’t belong on a list. Unless it’s a list of one. He’s a class by himself.
This type of list could go on forever, and not putting Joe Cocker on the list is a huge miss. Seger, Wolf, Ryder, why does everyone forget about the music that came out of Detroit? Admititdly Wolf is not from Detroit, but he might as well have been, The J.Geils Band was bigger here than anywhere else, other than their own hometown of Boston.
I give an honorable mention to Robert Palmer; Sneakin’ Sally through the Alley.
Huey Lewis could also sing soul in the day. Shame he lost his hearing. Wishing him the best.
He may not have blue eyes but how could you leave Eric Burdon off the list? Need proof? Check out his version of “To Love Somebody.”
Eric Burdon’s omission is a crime.
You are correct
The late Lowell George. Also the criminally underrecognized Tommy Malone of the subdudes.
You are so right!! I’m listening to Little Feat’s Sailin’ Shoes right now. He could sing anything. Not bad for a furriers son from SoCal.
A female list will be easy. #’s 1-8 are Bonnie Raitt. Y’all can argue about the other 4.
I think you meant Bonnie Bramlett, now that girl can sing! Forget Raitt she’s an also ran.
Maybe you should expand the list to 15 : >) Robert Palmer, Todd Rundgren, and Michael McDonald would be on mine.
Boz Scaggs typo – 1969 is year Loan Me A Dime was cut w Duane Skydog Allman. Boz is quite tasty guitarist himself.
Steve Winwood’s triple threat world class keyboard & guitar skills weren’t mentioned. Stellar live performer.
Thanks–we made the fix.
Now, I know, I can hear y’all already, but sit and actually listen to this mans voice, and forget his family name, etc, and I think toy just might agree.. Merrill Osmond, yes, that family, has alwaays had on of the best voices Ive heard. Ive been an entertainer, non prefessionally, since I was 15, amd thats longer than I car to discuss, Im 46 for the 3d time, 49 for the 5th, I think, in a couple of weeks. Had rhe oldest four not been “encouraged” to back brother Donny, and left to be what genre they chose, theyd be a very popular rock band. Merrill can squeeze his voice, does great at different genres, and is basically a great singer.. not too hard on the eyes, either, and truly a very sweet guy. Ok, I hear the groans….
Well, I was thinking that this list would be difficult to get the order right, and that there’d be a lot of comments about it, but I didn’t expect so many excellent additions. My feeling is that you definitely go the first two right, and the rest is up for grabs in terms of order. Though I don’t know how you could put Boz ahead of Winwood. Though there is fine line, I agree with you that blue-eyed soul, is significantly different than blues singer, so I can understand why Greg Allman didn’t make this list, as wonderful and beloved as he is. I’m just glad you gave Felix his due. He was one of the first, and always one of the best!
Love Bonnie Raitt, but the greatest white soul singer who ever lived was Dusty Springfield.
I Have seen them all and would pit Michael MicDonald and Gregg Allman on the top of the list
Michael McDonald
No one was better than Marriott.
Glad to see Eric Burdon and Mitch Ryder in the comments. Why did I not see Paul Ridgers anywhere?
I agree that Gregg Allman and Rod Stewart s/b on this list. plus Joe Cocker and Mick Jagger.
Where is Brother Gregg?
Jamiroquai
I’m suprised that Mitch Ryder is not on the list.
Billy Joe Royal! One of the best voices ever and the best blue eyes! So underrated for 50 years.
Article should be retitled 12 Great voices worth checking out.I can very easily and quickly give you 12 other fine voices in that unfortunate categorization “Blue-eyed soul“. Soul is soul regardless of the color of the vessel from which iTs a voice is Heard
Au contraire mon frere!
Another one to consider is Chicago’s late, great guitar wiz Terry Kath. His voice shines brilliantly on songs like “Colour My World”, “Make Me Smile” and his own solo number “Tell Me from the movie Electra Glide in Blue.
The top 5 of this list is legit. The rest not so much. How is Michael McDonald not top 3 at least.
Curtis Salgado. The conservator of soul. How on earth can you leave him off the list? That’s like saying Bb King couldn’t play the blues.
Hall and Oats instead of ERIC BURDON? Kidding
Someone mentioned the singer from Rare Earth in these comments, and I heartily agree. Peter Rivera is one of the most soulful white men to ever lay it down. Just listen to those hits again, and see if you don’t agree….
billy vera earned a mention
Chris Farlowe should have made the list
One vote for Bryan Duncan=anyone else?
Billy Joe Royal! Most under appreciated singer for over 50 years.
A lot of people mentioned some great singers here, including the author, but they need a lesson as to what “blue-eyed” soul is- including the author. The only blue-eyed soul singer on the list that should make the list is Felix Cavaliere, who should have been number one, maybe Bill Medley. Van Morrison a soul singer? Georgie Fame? Even the great Steve Marriott, one of the greatest rock singers ever, blue eyed soul? Are you freakin’ serious? Mark Stein of Vanilla Fudge or Eddie Brigatti, should have been number 2. Take your pick of Three Dog Night. Get it?
It’s an absolute travesty that Paul Rodgers,Eddie Hinton, & Mike Harrison are not included on that bogus mainstream list. How could they be overlooked along with Gregg Allman & Delbert McClinton. And you guys claim to know music. What you listed is the “top 40” in blue eyed soul singers. Tell me Free’s Fire & Water is not soulful. Wilcked Wilson Pickett recorded it & made Paul proud. And don’t forget the great Peter Green who had one of the most soulful voices ever. We can’t forget the fabulous James Dewar of Robin Trower and Stone the Crows fame who is vastly under appreciated. I rest my case!
A great list. Seen them all live except Tom Jones and the Righteous Brothers. All them are just fabulous singers. Glad you included Felix and Alex, big time talents. Paul Young and Paul Carrack were both in Mike and the Mechanics. Great show. I guess the only guy I’d add is maybe the greatest frontman ever, the incredible Paul Rodgers. How that guy has escaped induction into the R+R Hall of Fame is unbelievable and truly shows how inept that Hall truly is. Should have been in decades ago. Nobody sings like Paul, and no one has done it better over 6 decades like he has.
Believe it or not, JCB, the Paul Young in Mike and the Mechanics died in 2000, and is not the same singer as the Paul Young who scored with “Every Time You Go Away.”
Wow. I didn’t know Paul had passed so long ago. Just assumed the same Paul Young. Thanks for the correction. Great list. Love Boz’s “Memphis” album. Sad that Boz is being ignored for the R+R Hall. He should have been in 25 years ago. And Paul Rodgers, what is wrong with that nomination committee?
Totally agree about Paul JCB. Outrageous that he’s not in the Hall. When you listen to Free (of which I’m a huge fan), he just oozes soul. Like you said he’s been doing it a long time & is as good as ever. Then you look at his success with Bad Company and it’s just hard to fathom why he’s not in the HOF. When you listen to songs like “Woman” & “Remember” by. Free you hear so much soul. What a voice. Think Free were a bit funkier but his whole recorded output is great. They don’t call him “the Voice” for nothing.
Uh, .. Long John Baldry?
Robert Palmer, Bobby Caldwell and FRANKIE MILLER! Come on!!!
“Bl*e-e*ed s*ul” is a derogatory term.
Looking for people who haven’t been mentioned as of yet…no one mentioned Paul Weller (a stellar vocalist with both the Jam and the Style Council and later as a solo artist), Lee Michaels (Exhibit A: side one of his self-titled third album, some of the most amazing singing I’ve ever heard, not to mention he played every instrument but the drums on this and most of his other records), the recently deceased David Lasley, Charlie Rich (a guy who could sing most ANYTHING), Bobby Darin (look out for an unissued Atlantic track, “My Baby Needs Me”, written by the great Van McCoy, and thank me later!), Graham Parker and the two Elvises, Presley and Costello.
Eddie Hinton and Frankie Miller are two of my favorites that did not make the list. Eddie was referred to as the white Otis Redding. His music is the essence of southern soul.
I love that people are still commenting and adding to the list!
Years ago, a friend and I once had a passionate late-night discussion on this very subject, singling out vocalists we felt were the “least recognized, least appreciated” in the industry. Their, uh, blue-eyedness wasn’t a conscious consideration, but we automatically gravitated to the same pool of white artists as you all did.
We unanimously agreed on three who, in our humble opinions, most deserved the title: 1. Merrill Osmond, 2. Corey Wells, and 3. Dennis Locorriere from Dr. Hook. (I’m a little surprised no one mentioned ol’ Dennis! Exciting voice, that guy.)
Yeah, I was once a pre-teen girl with Osmond posters on my bedroom walls … but I wasn’t fixated on Donny for long. I didn’t have words for it yet, but I was drawn to the way Merrill instinctively let his voice “go scratchy” in the upper ranges. NOT a white bread sound. Merrill seems to have found his groove starting with their Phase III album, on songs like Down by the Lazy River and Yo Yo. (My best friend, a professional musician, was already familiar with Merrill’s talents. He toured with the guys in 1976 as a member of their backup band. HE had the enviable experience of hearing the guys practice their vocals and work out their harmonies a cappella during those long hours on the tour bus. Oh, to have been a fly clinging to the inside of one of the bus windows.)
A superb tackling of a timeless topic!
Alex Ligertwood.
Well, if you’re going to give kudos to Daryl Hall, which I certainly think you should, then you have to give it to Todd Rundgren, who recently opened with Hall’s solo tour, and way out-souled him in my book. Todd Rundgren, really? Yep, if you’ve not seen him since Utopia days, the guy is the real deal — as Philly soulful as they come. Just beautiful!
“The White Knight of Soul” Wayne Cochran!