Etta James
Barbara Lynn
Barbara Lewis
Mitty Collier
Anita Carter (I know she’s part of the Carter Family, and also recorded duets with a number of male singers, but she had a long solo career, too)
Patsy Cline
Gail Davies
Dodie Stevens (She’s much more than Pink Shoelaces - she could REALLY sing serious ballads even when she was only 13)
Connie Francis
Dusty Springfield or Connie Smith
I was going to say Janet Vogel of the Skyliners, but, DUH, that’s a group. Still, she’s awesome and underrated. I chose Dusty almost in lieu of Janet, I’ve heard some songs where Janet sings lead and noted strong similarities.
Agree on the choices of Anne Murray, Alison Krauss and Jane Olivor as really good voices.
Many will argue with this, but I think Lee-Ann Rimes deserves to be on the list if just for her pipes. “Blue” was a song to remember.
I heard Janet Vogel perform with the skyliners in Washington, DC in 1979, shortly before her death. I also met Dodie Stevens at a party at the home of a rock and roll historian.