The Belters

#1

The Belters

Posted: 8/23/08 at 10:47pm

The famous belt voices

Ethel Merman
Barbra Streisand
Whitney Houston
Patti LuPone
Vestal Goodman


Who else?

eta: I didn't mean that it should just be Broadway people. I listed Vestal Goodman who was the Ethel Merman of Gospel music.

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If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

Updated On: 8/25/08 at 10:47 PM

#2

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/23/08 at 10:50pm

Pearl Bailey
Bernadette
Judy Garland


and countdown till the teeny boppers list Idina, eden, and the other starless stars of the day.

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Updated On: 8/23/08 at 10:50 PM

#3

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/23/08 at 10:58pm

I don't think Bernadette has ever been considering a belter.

#4

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/24/08 at 12:22am

Betty Buckley
Bette Midler

The newer generation:
Alice Ripley
Emily Skinner
Leslie Kritzer
Sutton Foster

#5

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/24/08 at 12:24am

Coleen Sexton
Kate Shindle
Linda Eder
Luba Mason

#6

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/24/08 at 12:26am

Ethel hahaha

I guess it's not good belters you are looking for then

#7

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/24/08 at 12:52am

Yeah, I just watched Elaine Stritch: At Liberty and I wouldnt call her a belter. She sort of yelled on pitch.

#8

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/24/08 at 1:05am

I love Bernadette, but I wouldn't really classify her as a belter.

The rest I completely agree with, however.

#9

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/24/08 at 1:26am

Carolee Carmello also!

#10

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/24/08 at 1:34am

Heidi Blickenstaff

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"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

#11

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/24/08 at 1:46am

Sorry but if you've ever listened to Bernadette Peters in MACK & MABEL, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, GYPSY or SONG & DANCE you wouldn't be ignorant enough to say she can't belt.

I'd add the brilliant belters:

Sherie Rene Scott
Karen Olivo
Lillias White
Jennifer Holliday
Michele Lee
Suttton Foster
Andrea Burns
Andrea McArdle

Updated On: 8/24/08 at 01:46 AM

#12

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/24/08 at 1:59am

Andrea Burns is a stretch, she is a great mixer.

Lauren Kennedy
Christane Noll
Heather Headley

#13

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/24/08 at 5:22am

philly03, so glad I am not the only one who thought of Shindle.

#14

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/24/08 at 5:36am

Well it really depends if you're going for musical theatre performers...or pop divas.

Because I wouldn't class Patti LuPone as remotely famous compared to Whitney Houston, or in belting power.

If you're going for actual famous belters, then the list is pretty obvious.

However, in terms of musical theatre...I agree with pretty much everyone mentioned.


Belter on the rise:

Kerry Ellis, she has a serious pair of lungs when she lets go.

#15

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/24/08 at 6:03am

A few more worth mentioning:
Tammy Blanchard
Lisa Kirk
Liza Minnelli
Julia MacKenzie
Carol Burnett
Tammy Grimes
Leslie Uggams
Mimi Hines
Betty Hutton
Anita Ellis
Pat Suzuki

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"I long-ago realized that this country is a nation of morons, when it comes to knowledge of anything outside, or beyond, pop culture." Steve Slezak

#16

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/24/08 at 7:03am

Sheryl Lee Ralph

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"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

#17

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/24/08 at 7:48am

The first person I though of also was Kate Shindle.

What about Stephanie J. Block? I'm not sure if she's a belter but she certainly has a big booming voice. Her mic went out the one night and I could hear her clearly up in the mezz. She also had my ears ringing at the end of Defying Gravity.

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Don't believe everything that you hear! Only the peeps involved know the truth!

#18

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/24/08 at 10:30am

Tammy Blanchard's 'belt' in Gypsy makes me cringe.

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"Oh look at the time, three more intelligent plays just closed and THE ADDAMS FAMILY made another million dollars" -Jackie Hoffman, Broadway.com Audience Awards

#19

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/24/08 at 10:58am

Not one mention of Susan Johnson or Karen Morrow?

Karen Morrow and company performing "I Had a Ball" (number begins at 3:10 after Buddy Hackett's interminable introduction):

http://www.bluegobo.com/video.php?var=10239

Susan Johnson and Shorty Long performing "Big D" (after "Happy to Make Your Acquaintance") from The Most Happy Fella:

http://www.bluegobo.com/video.php?var=10228

Susan Johnson and Eddie Foy performing "I Wouldn't Bet One Penny" from Donnybrook!:

http://www.bluegobo.com/video.php?var=10211

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Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.

Updated On: 8/24/08 at 10:58 AM

#20

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/24/08 at 11:27am

Let's not forget Julia Murney.. her Defying Gravity beats them all!

#21

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/24/08 at 12:34pm

I'd more classify Bernadette as a brilliant mixer who has the capability to belt wonderfully.

Also, I really enjoy listening to Sherie Rene Scott's high belt. It's not grating to the ear like many belts.

She may be on Grey's Anatomy now...but Sara Ramirez was really brilliant. She may return someday to Broadway and that would be a great thing. She was absolutely fantastic in A Class Act.


and i really don't want to be the one to have to say this...but Jennifer Hudson has a truly pure belt, one of the most pure I've ever heard.

#22

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/24/08 at 12:56pm

Mary Testa

#23

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/24/08 at 12:58pm

I'm going to tag Shindle and Kritzer as well.. Not because of Blonde (although, that helps Shindle), but I've looked at alot of their other work.

#24

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/24/08 at 1:34pm

Maureen Moore
Georgia Brown
Shani Wallis
Elaine Paige
Dolores Gray
Beth Leavel
When I was a kid I saw Ann Sothern play Rose in GYPSY. That lady could belt!
Mary Martin
Joanne Worley

Updated On: 8/25/08 at 01:34 PM

#25

re: The Belters

Posted: 8/24/08 at 1:42pm

"I'm going to tag Shindle and Kritzer as well.. Not because of Blonde (although, that helps Shindle), but I've looked at alot of their other work."

Certainly helped Shindle....I actually named the three major Lucy's from Jekyll & HYDE on Broadway, and should probably also add Leah Hocking & Emily Skinner (who was already mentioned) who both understudied Lucy and were great.