Trends in music come and go, but the sound of a solid female vocalist will always be something incredible to behold. Let’s celebrate women’s contributions to one of the greatest eras of music with a list of iconic female voices of the 1970s! Please keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list; I just think these five icons deserve a little bit of reverence.
1. Donna Fargo
Beloved by traditional country fans and underrated virtually everywhere else, Donna Fargo’s voice is a timeless thing to behold. She was an excellent fit for country music at the time, but her voice was far from a carbon copy of her contemporaries. “The Happiest Girl In The Whole U.S.A.” was her claim to fame, and one could say she pioneered a new era of country pop.
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2. Dolly Parton
What would a list of iconic female voices of the 1970s be without including Dolly Parton? From songs like “Jolene” to “I Will Always Love You”, Parton lent her stunning soprano pipes to countless beautiful tunes through the years. Even now, well into her 70s, Parton’s voice has aged like a fine wine.
3. Stevie Nicks
When one thinks of iconic female voices of the 1970s, one often thinks of Stevie Nicks. Both as a soloist and part of Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks’ voice has historically been one of the most recognizable in rock, pop, and folk music. Her magical stage presence definitely had a hand in gaining her much-deserved fame, but her raspy singing style is what kept fans begging for more.
4. Gladys Knight
Nobody has pipes quite like Gladys Knight. She was a next-level vocal performer in Gladys Knight & The Pips, and she managed to stand out in a sea of other soul singers throughout the 1970s. “Midnight Train To Georgia” still hits decades later.
5. Ann Wilson
One of the most iconic female voices of 1970s rock, we just couldn’t leave out Heart’s Ann Wilson. Her vocals in “Barracuda” are incredible, but her voice has somehow gotten even better through the years.
Not everyone can take on the vocal requirements to sing “Dream On” by Aerosmith properly, but Wilson made it look easy.
Photo by David Redfern/Redferns
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