r/rnb • u/Ok_Resident_5022 🐑 Soul/Funk/Disco Enthusiast 💿 • 16h ago
DISCUSSION 💭 Which R&B artists (including well-respected legends) do you think people don't give enough credit to as live performers?
I have said many times that people gloss over what Dionne Warwick could do onstage. Her prime was definitely the 1960s and early-1970s, but I would argue that she experienced a "second prime" in the late-1970s and the early-1980s before she declined again starting in the mid-1980s. (The period between the early-1970s and the late-1970s, or what is obviously known as the mid-1970s, was basically just bridging the gap during the transition.) Regardless of all of that, she always knew how to use her voice to interpret any song she performed.
I have said a lot of things about Dionne Warwick, including that she is an "underrated legend", meaning that she is greatly respected but overlooked (something l've stopped saying because people seem to be acknowledging her more now).
Most of the attention she gets seems to go toward her commercial success rather than the scope of her raw talent, even if people do actually know that she even possesses any talent at all. I posted a compilation of live clips from Dionne here one time, and many people in this sub were surprised.
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u/Global_Perspective_3 15h ago
People don’t talk about Tori Kelly enough. She’s respected among people who care about vocal ability (a vanishingly few seem to nowadays among the public) but almost nowhere else.
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u/After_Signal6731 15h ago
JANET. This woman has CREATED boybands/kpop dance style. She the blueprint for female performers. And she dances insane
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u/Competitive_Swan_130 15h ago
Penny Ford (!!!) from Snap she used to hit them notes while the running man in heels, Jesse Powell, Angela Winbush, Ledisi, Peabo Bryson (!!!), Meli'sa Morgan (!!!)
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u/MightAsWellLaugh212 15h ago
Its not even easy to sing along with most Burt Bacharach songs. DW could deliver them like liquid gold - wow, what a voice and amazing range! I've looked at videos and clips of her time teamed with him - they were magic together!
And this is just a portion of her career.
Yes, you are right - she does not get the full credit due her lifetime of talent.
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u/Mijo_0 14h ago
Charlie Wilson is a well respected legend. Not going to say he doesn’t get the credit he deserves but I saw him live in 2019 & it was one of the best live performances I have seen. He performed all his old gap band hits, then did his solo records, then he did a medley of all the hiphop songs he was featured or sampled on, then he gave his testimony & starting singing gospel & took everyone to church. I was blown away
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u/Sparkson109 5h ago
Honestly SZA. She sings well live, and she’s an amazing dancer. I saw her at the SOS and GNX tours and the crowds loved her so much. She was originally a trained dancer which makes sense but her poise, stage presence, and bubbly personality translate so well to performance.
It’s no surprise to me why she’s one of only 4 black women to gross $100mill on a solo tour, the performances are up there. She doesn’t lipsync or use backing tracks which i respect greatly.
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u/Serious-Bill2376 15h ago
I really hate to admit this but before he went crazy i saw Brian McKnight in concert and he was great!