Not just a distinctive singer but a true vocal wonder, Al Hibbler featured with Duke Ellington's Orchestra throughout the 1940s and recorded a few hits ("Unchained Melody," "After the Lights Go Down Low," "He") on his own for Decca and Atlantic during the 1950s and '60s. His frequent use of a Cockney accent and non-subtle growling techniques... [+] Read More

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Arthur Prysock was perfectly at home singing jazz, blues, or R&B, but his smooth-as-silk baritone made him a superbly effective (and underappreciated) pop crooner in the manner of his chief influence, Billy Eckstine. Prysock was born January 2, 1929, in Spartanburg, SC, and was the brother of saxophonist Red Prysock. As a teenager, he moved to... [+] Read More

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Billy Eckstine's smooth baritone and distinctive vibrato broke down barriers throughout the 1940s, first as leader of the original bop big-band, then as the first romantic black male in popular music. An influence looming large in the cultural development of soul and R&B singers from Sam Cooke to Prince, Eckstine was able to play it straight on... [+] Read More

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A fine ballad singer with a deep baritone voice influenced by Billy Eckstine, Earl Coleman made his place in history by recording "This Is Always" and "Dark Shadows" in 1947, while being accompanied by Charlie Parker. He had sung previously with Jay McShann (1943) and Earl Hines (1944). Despite the success of "This Is Always" (which was a minor... [+] Read More

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Ernie Andrews has managed to be both popular and underrated throughout his lengthy career. After his family moved to Los Angeles, he sang in a church choir, and while still attending high school had a few hits for the G&G label. Billy Eckstine and Al Hibbler were early influences and, after reaching maturity, Andrews was somewhat in the shadow... [+] Read More

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Frank Sinatra was arguably the most important popular music figure of the 20th century, his only real rivals for the title being Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley, and the Beatles. In a professional career that lasted 60 years, he demonstrated a remarkable ability to maintain his appeal and pursue his musical goals despite often countervailing trends.... [+] Read More

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Recognized as one of the foremost vocal interpreters of jazz and standards on the Canadian scene, George Evans has been celebrated diversely as "a ballad's best friend" by All-Canadian Jazz Festival, and "an agile voice and always swinging" by the National Post. Since coming to prominence in Montreal in the early-1990s, George has been nominated... [+] Read More

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Joe Williams was the last great big-band singer, a smooth baritone who graced the rejuvenated Count Basie Orchestra during the 1950s and captivated audiences well into the '90s. Born in Georgia, he moved to Chicago with his grandmother at the age of three. Reunited with his mother, she taught him to play the piano and took him to the symphony.... [+] Read More

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One of the last and most popular in a long line of traditional male vocalists who emerged before the rock-dominated 1960s, Johnny Mathis concentrated on romantic readings of jazz and pop standards for the ever-shrinking adult contemporary audience of the '60s and '70s. Though he debuted with a flurry of singles-chart activity, Mathis later made... [+] Read More

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For a mild-mannered man whose music was always easy on the ear, Nat King Cole managed to be a figure of considerable controversy during his 30 years as a professional musician. From the late '40s to the mid-'60s, he was a massively successful pop singer who ranked with such contemporaries as Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, and Dean Martin. He shared... [+] Read More

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Tony Bennett's career has enjoyed three distinct phases, each of them very successful. In the early '50s, he scored a series of major hits that made him one of the most popular recording artists of the time. In the early '60s, he mounted a comeback as more of an adult-album seller. And from the mid-'80s on, he achieved renewed popularity with... [+] Read More

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