4 of the Most Iconic Vocalists From American Bands in the 60s

The British Invasion stole a lot of the thunder from the music scene in the 60s. But American bands didn’t exactly sit back and let the Brits run roughshod. They made their own mark throughout the decade.

Many of these bands benefited from vocalists who could deliver the songs in unique, potent fashion. Here are four voices from that era that still ring out today.

Brian Wilson from The Beach Boys

We often focus on the songwriting and production brilliance of Brian Wilson when talking about the music of The Beach Boys. And we can’t forget that this band was blessed with a phalanx of impressive vocalists who could then form heavenly harmonies at the drop of the hat. Still, Brian was the guy out in front on the mic more often than not (at least when the band was in the studio). And when he sang lead, he brought many of the qualities that filtered through his songwriting, such as his vulnerability and wonder, to the fore. That’s even before you get to his amazing range as a vocalist. Let’s not underestimate Brian Wilson the singer while we’re praising everything else he could do.

Jim Morrison from The Doors

There aren’t too many people who would argue that Jim Morrison was a technically brilliant singer. But you also won’t find a lot of folks who’d deny that Morrison was anything but mesmerizing when he sang. You couldn’t help but notice the danger lurking at the corners of the notes that he sang, which came in handy on brooding set pieces like “The End”. Morrison was also unpredictable. Consider the way his voice crashes way up into the red on “Break On Through (To The Other Side)”, taking the song to wild new territory. Morrison could even tackle the band’s more pop-oriented material, such as “Touch Me”, and imbue it with just a hint of alluring strangeness.

Grace Slick from Jefferson Airplane

Grace Slick wasn’t the first lead singer of Jefferson Airplane. On the band’s debut album, Signe Toly Anderson sang a few songs, although Marty Balin took lead on the majority of the tracks. When Anderson left, the band pivoted to Slick, who had been starting to make some waves with her band The Great Society. Slick brought two tracks from her old group, and both of them (“Somebody To Love” and “White Rabbit”) turned into instant classics once the Airplane laid them down. Not only were they marvelous songs, but they also provided a stellar showcase for Slick’s powerhouse vocal style. They set the tone for Slick’s work with the band and all its future incarnations. And they immediately stamped her as one of the best vocalists of her era.

Scott Walker from The Walker Brothers

They weren’t really brothers, and Scott Walker’s given name was Noel Scott Engel. But the artifice only extended to the branding. The three guys who made up The Walker Brothers had a knack for elevating the material they delivered. Their towering harmonies had something to do with that. Scott’s lead vocals were also something special, somehow both majestic and mysterious. The group’s two biggest 60s hits, “Make It Easy On Yourself” and “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine (Anymore)”, were typical Brill Building-style fare. But Walker made them slightly weirder and spookier than you might have expected with his brooding croon. The contrast between the pristine songs and the slightly off-kilter delivery went a very long way.

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