novelgirl asked:


Can you name me some famous dead female musicians or singers? I’ve already thought of janis joplin and karen carpenter. What other women have left us that were significant to the rock or pop genre?

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4 Responses to “Famous Dead Female Musicians?”

1. keke on July 31st, 2007 5:45 am

   AALIYAH

   BRITNEY SPEARS
   (LOL)

2. Bryce on August 2nd, 2007 6:50 am

   Janis is about it. Karen Carpenter was a nice stylist, but not exactly influential.

   Selena was ABOUT to become influential…. but I cannot think of any others.

3. SwiftKill on August 3rd, 2007 9:06 pm

   janis joplin

4. justaperson on August 7th, 2007 6:45 am

   In addition to Janis Joplin and Karen Carpenter, here are several more deceased female musicians that were and still are significant in varying degrees to the rock and pop genres.Some of the people on this list weren’t strictly rock or pop singers/musicians themselves as we would define their music today, but they are sometimes cited as influences by various rock and pop musicians. A few of those listed have been inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame…most of these people have entries on Wikipedia if you want to learn more about them.

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   Aaliyah

   Big Mama Thornton (original singer of the song Hound Dog, later covered by Elvis)

   Bessie Smith (an influence for Janis Joplin)

   Billie Holliday

   Celia Cruz

   Dusty Springfield

   Dinah Shore

   Dinah Washington

   Edith Piaf (her song La Vie En Rose has been covered by NUMEROUS artists of various genres)

   Elizabeth Cotten

   Etta Baker

   Eva Cassidy

   Florence Ballard (fomerly of the Supremes)

   Judy Garland

   June Pointer (founding member of the Pointer Sisters)

   June Carter Cash

   Kristen Pfaff (of the group Hole)

   LaVern Baker

   Laura Brannigan

   Lisa Left Eye Lopes

   Ma Rainey

   Mae West (don’t laugh…during the 60s, this actress and *** symbol actually recorded TWO moderately successful rock and roll albums…and is sometimes listed as an influence by musicians and other entertainers)

   Mahalia Jackson (primarily Gospel, but considered a rock influence nevertheless)

   Mama Cass Elliot

   Memphis Minnie (an influence for Led Zeppelin with her song When the Levee Breaks)

   Mia Zapata (of the Seattle based band The Grits)

   Minnie Ripperton (had an amazing vocal range such as in her song Loving You)

   Mrs. Elva Miller (why this person? In the 60s, this outsider musician and housewife actually managed to snag a Capitol records recording contract despite having absolutely no musical talent…they billed her as so bad it’s good…she recorded several albums with Capitol, then when they dropped her, she made more albums paying out of her own pocket, so in a sense she is one of the first indie artists)

   Nell Carter

   Nicolette Larson

   Patsy Cline

   Peggy Lee

   Phyllis Hyman

   Ruth Brown

   Selena Quintanilla-Pérez (emerging crossover tejana-pop artist who has gained more popularity in death than when she was alive)

   Sister Rosetta Tharp…Gospel singer, songwriter and guitarist.(A number of musicians, ranging from Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis to Isaac Hayes and Keith Richards, have identified her—or, more particularly, her singing, guitar playing and showmanship—as an important influence on them.)

   Skeeter Davis (Like Patsy Cline, one of the first country-pop crossover artists. she recorded the song The End of World also covered by the Herman’s Hermits and others)

   Trixie Smith (blues artist who in 1922 recorded the risque for its time song My Man Rocks Me With One Steady Roll…credited as the 1st song with the words rock and roll used in it)

   Wendy O Williams (grammy winning lead of the Plasmatics, one of the original punk/heavy metal shock rockers)

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