It seems everyone wants to sing with Chrissie Hynde. IN THE MIX Chrissie Hynde Edition Vol. 1 is packed with The Pretenders’ leader lending vocals to her friend’s songs (Chris Spedding, Cheap Trick, Elvis Costello, INXS, Ringo Starr) joining legends onstage (Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart) & supporting relative newcomers (Hybrid, Incubus, Rufus Wainwright, Tube & Berger). She adds some credibility to Russell Crowe’s band (one of my favorites of the tracks included here) & I included a couple tracks from her new duets album—songs with k.d. lang, & Julian Lennon. Maybe my favorite track is Hynde's live pairing with another go-to duet partner to the stars; Sheryl Crow.
Hynde is a tough as leather rock chick who’s too kind to eat meat. She's skippered a pirate ship on rock & roll's testosterone sea for 45 years without ever losing her femininity. And to me, Chrissie sings like no one else. The only influence I pick up from her singular vocal style is maybe a tiny bit of Cher—who I also find to be unique & unusual in a different way.
And despite all Hynde’s gone through—including the death of two of her original Pretenders bandmates in the space of ten months—she’s always written & recorded great music. And I've always liked that she tends to keep original Pretenders drummer Martin Chambers close. I feel like she's true to her friends, and her fans.
Even when I thought some material was weak, Hynde has proven my assessment to be inaccurate. The songs that failed to grab me on 1990’s Packed (recorded without Chambers) like Sense Of Purpose, & Criminal, and on 1986’s Get Close’s Chill Factor, & Hymn To Her took became some of my favorites when recorded with an orchestra for 1995’s The Isle Of View. The same is true of Revolution from 1994’s Last Of The Independents. I stand corrected, Ms. Hynde.
Downloaders are requested to share their a unique female vocalist, who's also a great duet partner. A link to an example is always appreciated.
ReplyDeleteI'll get the most obvious one out of the way: EMMYLOU HARRIS. I thought she'd never match her earliest duets with GRAM PARSONS, but she routinely does.
IN THE MIX Chrissie Hynde Edition Volume 1:
https://pixeldrain.com/u/aV7ESuZr
WoW THANKS STINKY! They came on fast on the radio in school and I hooked up on the chain gang at the get go--not having to buy the records with my grade school moneys as I could just flip on the radio! She hipped me steady at the BAH (bowling alley with video games we all hung out at next to a theater that kids snuck into) where I could hear it AGAIN! and gave me an attitude to succeed! Will always like their stuff and this comp is a Golden Mecca! ! ! ! Cheers and thanks for giving me sales-type writing practice like one of our field guys who writes his own positive style emails..CHEERS BUD!
ReplyDeleteThank YOU, Viacom! Once again, we're in agreement.
DeleteEven in the backwater I grew up in, THE PRETENDERS, & THE CARS slipped past radio's gatekeepers and hinted change was on the horizon. Then MTV kidked the door in and lots of other bands charged through. As you shared, VCMD, you could hear them on jukeboxes where you hung out--it was always a thrill to find some "new wave" among the more conventional stuff.
Nancy Sinatra & Kristy MacCall come to mind. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful way to start us off, Anonymous! Thank you.
DeletePlease check back--there's a KRISTY MacCOLL IN THE MIX "in the works!" Nancy has been a favorite of mine since childhood. You've spurred me to start collecting tracks for her own installment. :)
I have send Jon a bundle of Kirsty MacColl stuff some time ago.
DeleteDionne is also great look here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTNdU1K5DvE&list=RDXTNdU1K5DvE&start_radio=1
Thanks for those. Richard! I'll leave it to Jon to cover Kirsty--unless he wants to hand what you sent him over. I still make comps just for myself that I don't share here--so there's never any effort wasted!
DeleteHere's an interesting factoid that I learned listening to an interview with KIRSTY MacCOLL. She was in demand not only for arranging vocal parts, but for adding her own layers of (unique) vocals to a track. She did so on U2's masterwork THE JOSHUA TREE. The band (along with her husband, who was producing) were finished, but were having a hard time deciding on the track order of the songs.
DeleteKirsty asked to take a crack, & what she came up with is what they went with. When they asked how she came up with the order, she said it was easy. Her favorite track, followed by her second favorite track, and her third favorite track...
Emmylou is a stone goddess. I'd nominate the underappreciated (IMAO) Syd Straw. Joni, though whoever is singing with her is second fiddle, all due respect.
DeleteI can't argue with your choices Eric. Thanks for weighing in!
DeleteSTINKY looks like we are getting back in sync after my month or so away as I am getting ready to rip "Phew!" this weekend per: Claudia Lennear (also rendered as Linnear and Lenier when she appeared on Stephen Stills' albums) is an American soul singer. Claudia Lennear has worked with many acts including Ike and Tina Turner, Humble Pie and Joe Cocker. She was part of a trio of backup singers for Delaney and Bonnie, that also included Rita Coolidge. Lennear's meetings with Mick Jagger and David Bowie are often cited as inspiration for The Rolling Stones' "Brown Sugar" (1971) and Bowie's "Lady Grinning Soul" (1973). NME editors Roy Carr and Charles Shaar Murray noted in 1981 that she was "yet to reply in song to either Mick or David". However, in a 1973 article in Rolling Stone, she was quoted as saying that she wrote the song "Not At All" "to inform Mick Jagger of his dispensability". Claudia Lennear was one of Leon Russell's Shelter People. She sang back-up vocals on Joe Cocker's 1970 Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour and live album, on Leon Russell and the Shelter People, released in 1971 and on George Harrison's The Concert for Bangla Desh.
ReplyDeleteIn 1973, Lennear recorded a solo album of her own (her one and only) entitled Phew! (tracks 1,2 & 4 with Ry Cooder)
Obviously Clare Torry also comes to mind from Dark Side of the Moon per: The high, wordless vocals on Pink Floyd's "The Great Gig in the Sky" from The Dark Side of the Moon were performed by session singer Clare Torry, who improvised her powerful vocal part during a 1973 recording session, creating one of the album's most iconic moments
Also like Lesley Duncan who does backing vocals also on that album.
Claudia Lennear (as Eric put it) = a stone goddess. When I think of Clare Torry's incredible performance, my mind always goes to Merry Clayton's powerful and apocalyptic performance on "Gimme Shelter".
DeleteAddendum: Just got last Clare Torry CD on Discogs (under $30 anyways) and the vinyl with two tracks from 87 they mentioned at Wiki so doubly big thanks Stinky for this post and pushing me into action when it is necessary! Cheers Bud
ReplyDeleteYou're certainly welcome, Viacom. Thanks for all you do! Your rippage is appreciated & often supplies a track or two hereabouts.
DeleteI'll look forward to your CLAUDIA LENNEAR post VCMD. I feel like that album ("Phew!") could NOT have missed if the label had just printed the incredible cover photo in b/w rather than red on yellow (which I feel saps it's energy).
ReplyDeleteLesley Duncan & Clare Torry are two other great vocalists--thanks for circling back to share your picks!
Nora Jones, Linda Ronstadt, k d lang, Amy Winehouse, Bonnie Raitt.
ReplyDeleteWonderful singers all. Bonnie and Linda singing Little Feat's "All That You Dream" after Lowell George died is deeply moving.
DeleteI have seen kd lang in concert at least twice. Her voice is incredible, and her sense of humor is a treat.
There is a Norah Jones duet compilation called "Featuring..." (2010), and another called "Playing Along" (2023), but I think there's more than enough for a third collection! Neither one includes her group Puss N'Boots or the Everly Brothers duet record with Billie Joe Armstrong, and there's only one Little Willies song on "Featuring"!
AMY WINEHOUSE is another great one, that I overlooked, Lemonfllag. I've been a BONNIE RAITT fan since her NRBQ cover: Me & The Boys. Not to mention Runaway! Thanks for your comment.
DeleteOne of the timeless voices in music like Emmylou Harris, Astrid Gilberto, Debbie Harry. Would love to see a Pretenders compilation.
ReplyDeleteBest regards
Zippy
Hi Zippy, and thanks for your comment. I totally forgot about Astrid Gilberto! I have DEBBIE HARRY's IN THE MIX in the works!
DeleteThere's a PRETENDERS comp in the works, btw. :)
DeleteThanks Stinky, nice one. In 2004 The Pretenders performed in Bangkok as a double concert with Bryan Ferry which I attended. Unfortunately the venue was shoebox shaped, sitting only (I hate that!), and my friends & me were in the back, unable to walk to the front. I'm sorry to say that The Pretenders gave a lacklustre performance, but Bryan Ferry did a better job...
ReplyDeleteAs for a duet partner, you mentioned already Cher who did quite a few. Another candidate might be Marianne Faithful!
Marianne Faithful, indeed! Thanks.
DeleteThe opening slot has to be difficult after years of the cushier headline slot.
I've seen The Stray Cats many times, and the only lackluster show was near their hometown, opening for The Pretenders & ZZ Top. It was outdoors, it wasn't even dark yet when they started playing, so there was no lighting to speak of, they WERE the soundcheck, & people were finding their seats while the band played. Not a conducive environment for a rumble.
Chrisse Hinde is listed as Christina Kerr on U2's Pride (In The Name of Love) as background vocals.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that! I love that kind of trivia. Thanks, Anonymous.
DeleteNeko Case and Kelly Hogan
ReplyDeleteThere are Kelly Hogan and Syd Straw comps on the blog. Neko and Kelly contributed lovely harmonies to Jakob Dylan's solo record "Women + Country".
DeleteI have a folder full of EDDI READER's guest appearances, and another of CARLA BOZULICH. Two more of my favorite singers. 2026 is the year that I will finally post them!
EDDI READER is a great choice, Jon! Fairground Attraction's PERFECT, is, well... perfect! One of my favorite songs.
DeleteGood ones, James!
DeleteIlse de Lange is Dutch most celebrated country singer, started out late 90s and reached numerous highs, with acting credits in Nashville (tv-series), with Common Linnets (a duet that reached 2nd place in the Eurovision), and lots of solo and charity work.
ReplyDeleteRickie lee jones & john mellencamp. also kate bush with peter gabriel
ReplyDeleteGreat examples, Anonymous. Thanks.
DeleteI love RICKIE LEE. I can REALLY hold a grudge, & I've had one against her, for about 12 years.
I was visiting Detroit, & she was playing locally, so I talked my friend (also a big fan of hers) into going to see her with me. It was a nice intimate venue, but she announced at the show that she would ONLY be playing songs from her new album---which wasn't her best work. I'm all for a strong-willed performer setting such a boundary with their audience... but ONLY if it's advertised! Something like: "Playing songs from her (lackluster) new album."
I wasn't aware of her, Richard, but she's good! Thanks for commenting. For curious here's a youtube playlist:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd7LpZOtlqQ&list=PLoJtH4bFowYH1i67Z9APRmxAKyU8J39IC
Thanks, again! P.P. Arnold, Bobby Gentry, Carlene Carter
ReplyDeleteALL solid entries, Manufan99. Thanks for weighing in.
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