top ten # 4

i have been thinking about this since my last list of my favorite ten bands of all time. while that list, as all my lists are, is subject to change without notice, it seems pretty complete at the moment.

so i have this list in my head of my favorite solo artists of all time. here you go:

10. jason mraz - while his sophmore album was a bit of a let down, i think he is finally finding his groove. and i am feeling it.

9. ray charles - older stuff = better stuff. check it out.

8. bob dylan - while i am not a crazy fan of his, and there are many out there, the things he did for music can't be taken away from him. he changed it.

7. jay-z - a rapper adam, really? well yes, and here's why. this guy puts stuff together that blows my mind lyrically. his beats are sic and he can flow like nothing. he has also solidified himself as one of the most influential, if not the most influential guy in the game. his career alone is enough to get him on the list.

6. johnny cash - this guy made great music until the day he died. god's gonna cut you down. amazing song. you should look it up. now. don't worry, the rest of us will wait for you to finish.

5. damien rice - it will be interesting to see what kind of music he makes without the help of lisa hannigan. but the stuff he made with her on his first 2 1/2 albums is legendary. yeah, i said legendary.

4. aretha franklin - mama can sing. seriously.

3. michael jackson - i think the only argument i'll get here will be that he isn't number one (or two).

2. otis redding - buttery smooth. one of the saddest stories the music industry has ever seen. he died far too young. thank God he got started early and pumped music out while he was working. so amazing.

1. ray lamontagne - crazy at number 1? maybe. but if i could sound like anyone in the world, it would be him...so there you go.

you will notice an amazing lack of estrogen on this list. if you know of some ladies i missed, please let me know. women who almost made the list: janis joplin, etta james, and billie holiday.