Yusuf Cat Stevens chooses his five favorite singers of all time
Credits: Far Out / Protest Photos
To be a successful session or backing singer, you need to have an impressive octave range, complete control of vibrato and dynamic pitch. To be a successful singer-songwriter, on the other hand, you just need to hit the notes you write for yourself, with a unique timbre and expressive lyrics. Bob Dylan, for example, is one of the most popular singers of all time, but is rarely ranked among the greatest. Cat Stevens, on the other hand, seems to have it all as a singer-songwriter.
After Stevens became famous in the late 1960s despite a serious bout of tuberculosis, he captured the world’s imagination with three masterpieces: Mona Bone Jakon, Tea for the Tillerman And Teaser and the Fire CatThese important releases not only showcased Stevens’ songwriting skills in poignant classics such as “Father and Son” and “Wild World,” but also his talent for sonorous and soulful vocal delivery.
As a leading exponent of the singer-songwriter movement, Stevens has been associated with contemporary artists such as James Taylor and Joni Mitchell. As an acoustic troubadour, Stevens holds several folk and folk-rock musicians in high regard, including Bob Dylan and The Band. Perhaps an even greater influence on his craft, however, has been the work of soul artists.
In a previous interview, Stevens talked about some of his key influences and selected some of his favorite albums of all time. His selections ranged from Bob Dylan’s debut album to Gustav Holst’s The planetsbut the list lent itself mainly to soul-oriented pieces. Stevens places emphasis on soft, poignant vocals and the delivery of emotionally stirring lyrics, something his catalog has in common with that of most soul artists.
Stevens has stated on several occasions that Stevie Wonder is one of his favorite artists and that the American singer’s best album overall was the one from 1972. Audiobook. “Audiobook blew me away when I was going through a dry spell with my writing,” Stevens said. “I was listening to Stevie Wonder and I thought I couldn’t top what he did, he’s such a genius! I just fell in love with it, it was black soul music from that era but sounds totally, totally current.”
Before Stevens fell in love with Wonder, he had been drawn to the genre by pianist and soul innovator Ray Charles. Charles was an all-rounder, but for Stevens, it was his voice that stood out. “He was the great innovator and trailblazer who made black music ‘acceptable’ to the white population of America and the world,” Stevens said. “When he came out, you just couldn’t ignore the impact of his voice and his music with piano and arrangements.”
Concluding his comments, Stevens noted that Charles, along with Little Richard, revolutionized piano-driven pop music. “I can’t ignore the contribution that Ray Charles made to soul and music in general,” he said. He added, “If there’s one person I could imitate with my voice, it would be Ray Charles, maybe with a little Nina Simone thrown in. I’ve never seen myself as a white singer.”
In 2008, Rolling Stone reached out to some of the world’s most respected musicians and asked them to fill out a 20-place ballot. Each was asked to rank the greatest singers of all time. Stevens filled out just five spots, placing Stevie Wonder in first place, closely followed by the King of Soul, Sam Cooke.
Related topics
Love Island viewers unimpressed by recent exit
Review: Doctor Who, “Empire of Death”
Who is PARTYNEXTDOOR’s ex-girlfriend Desma Tripp? Age and connection to Chris Brown …
About The Author
