The only vocalist in history to net Grammy awards in three different categories (jazz, pop, and R&B, respectively), Al Jarreau was born in Milwaukee, WI, on April 12, 1940. The son of a vicar, he earned his first performing experience singing in the church choir. After receiving his master's degree in psychology, Jarreau pursued a career as a... [+] Read More

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Easily the most solid and long-lasting vocalist of his era, Andy Williams' laid-back delivery and expansive voice has charmed audiences for decades, from his first appearance with a brother quartet into his seventh decade of performance as the head of his own dinner theater in Branson, MO. Born in Wall Lake, IA, Williams sang in his church choir... [+] 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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Though he was never the most distinctive vocalist, Johnny Hartman rose above others to become the most commanding, smooth balladeer of the 1950s and '60s, a black crooner closely following Billy Eckstine and building on the form with his notable jazz collaborations, including the 1963 masterpiece John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman. Born in Chicago,... [+] Read More

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Julio Iglesias was the most popular Latin singer of the '70s and '80s, selling over 100 million albums around the world. Iglesias was a smooth, romantic crooner and his appeal translated to many different countries in many different languages.

Initially, Iglesias planned to be a lawyer. As he studied, he was a goalkeeper for the Real... [+] 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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One of the prototypical Italian-American crooners, Vic Damone parlayed a smooth, mellow baritone into big-time pop stardom during the '40s and '50s. Early in his career, his inflection and phrasing were clearly indebted to Frank Sinatra, who once famously called him "the best set of pipes in the business." Overall, though, Damone's style was... [+] Read More

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