Rock

Keith Richards Names His Best Singers of All Time

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The Rolling Stones have been the face of rock for a very long time. And Keith Richards is a man with a prominent handprint. Over the years, Keith Richards is one of the most highly regarded musicians in the history of rock. Keith has played in every one of The Rolling Stones’ albums and is still there in the game.

He has solidified his place in music history. And that is both as a band member of the Rolling Stones and as an individual artist in regards to his own rights. Also, his set of favorite singers is a topic to talk about. He is an artist who has been influenced by a lot of reggae and blues and he has hinted at some of his best singers. The list comes as a part of Rolling Stones Magazines’ ‘100 greatest singers of all time.’

This all dates back to 2008, and while his taste may have changed with the passing of so many years, this list was his heart back in the day. It was a set of many interesting artists and his taste is flawless. His list consists of singers like Little Richard, Otis Redding, Mavis Staples, and other iconic artists.

The very first on the list is Aretha Franklin. She could make anything sound good. She began her career as a child singing gospel in Detroit at New Bethel Baptist Church. Her performance was very powerful and she is one of the greatest singers of all time. She was also the first female to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The next spot was taken by Jimmy Cliff. He was a one-of-a-kind reggae pioneer. Keith has also been to Jamaica and over the decades had a chance to know about the country’s music. In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, he said,

“[It was] very memorable, especially in that year. Because that was ’73. That was the year that Bob Marley and the Wailers put out Catch A Fire.” He added, “I remember being in Jamaica, There was this feeling in the air, actually, that Jamaica was starting to make a mark on the map. It was a great feeling.” He also showed respect towards Cliffs’ music and said, “He wrote some of the most beautiful ballads that ever came out of Jamaica.”

The list was followed by Sam Cooke who has one of the most influential music in the world. He is also considered as the “King of Soul” for his vocals. Buddy Holly also made it to the list with their mid-50s rock and roll. Other notable artists on the list are Willie Nelson, Toots Hibbert, Ronnie Spector, Smokey Robinson, and so on.

Later down on the list is Tom Waits. And he had something to say about his old pal. He said, “We wrote songs together for a while and that was fun [but] he doesn’t really remember anything or write anything down. So, you play for an hour and he would yell across the room, ‘Scribe!’ And I looked around. ‘Scribe? Who’s the scribe?’ And he’d say it again, now pointing at me.”

The theme around Richard’s choice has revolved around Blues. He has a unique way of choosing things and a unique voice. The way he has chosen the individuals has given a big insight into what kind of music he really loves.

The full list can be seen below.

Keith Richard’s 20 Favorite Singers

  1. Aretha Franklin
  2. Jimmy Cliff
  3. Sam Cooke
  4. Buddy Holly
  5. George Jones
  6. Willie Nelson
  7. Toots Hibbert
  8. Aaron Neville
  9. Muddy Waters
  10. Gram Parsons
  11. Ronnie Spector
  12. Mavis Staples
  13. Otis Redding
  14. Smokey Robinson
  15. Tom Waits
  16. Little Richard
  17. Warren Zevon
  18. Bonnie Raitt
  19. Elvis Presley
  20. Keith Richards

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