The 1970s could be said to be a melting pot of musical genres. R&B is a genre influenced by musicians creating new styles by hybridizing sounds from different genres with sounds they specialize in.
Despite the changes in sound, female singers still play an important role in the overall success and viability of the style. The following singers were among the most acclaimed singers of the 1970s.
Gladys Knight
Gladys Knight rose to fame performing in the band Gladys Knight & the Pips with her brother and cousins. With the group, Gladys Knight lent her vocals to some of the most iconic R&B songs of all time, including “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” (late 1960s) and “Midnight Train to Georgia.”
Gladys eventually launched a solo career in the late 20th century while continuing to record with the Pips in the late 1980s.
aretha franklin
1968 is often considered the year Aretha Franklin was truly at her peak, especially considering that most of her iconic hits were released during this year. Because of this, Aretha’s work in the 1970s was severely overlooked, although she had several hit songs in the early 1970s (such as “Rock Steady”).
Unfortunately, Aretha’s career had its ups and downs from the mid-1970s until she joined the Arista label for the next decade.
Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack is the first artist to win Grammy Awards in consecutive years for Record of the Year, a monumental feat for any artist, especially one from the 1970s For black women in the early 1990s. One of those songs, of course, is “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” which features longtime collaborator and R&B singer Donny Hathaway.
chaka khan
Chaka Khan was a major force in the R&B scene in the mid to late 1970s, performing in the funk band Rufus. The band eventually rose to fame with the help of Stevie Wonder, who penned the song “Tell Me Something Good” (arguably one of their best songs).
Eventually, Chaka became one of the band’s major highlights, with both the venue marquee and the album putting her name in front of the band. Over the next decade, Chaka launched a highly successful solo career, marked by hit singles and legendary guest appearances on songs such as “Higher Love.”
Anita Ward
If you’re not sure whether you’re familiar with Anita Ward, she may not be on your radar. Ward was a teacher before releasing the hit single “Ring My Bell” in 1979.
Despite releasing two full-length albums that year, Ward’s career never seemed to really take off beyond her initial hits. Still, “Ring My Bell” is a classic disco-style R&B song that seems to have stood the test of time.
Donna Summer
Donna Summer was one of many singers in the 1970s who achieved great success by incorporating disco music. By the end of the decade, Summer’s music had thoroughly invaded every corner of pop culture with her hit single “Hot Stuff,” a song that grew in popularity thanks to its appearance in films like “The Full Monty.”
“Hot Stuff” essentially established Donna as one of the best-selling R&B singers of the early 1980s.
Gene Knight
Jean Knight may well be considered a one-hit wonder, and although she is best known for her song, it was a landmark hit. The song is titled “Mr. Big Stuff,” and its catchy call-and-response chorus and funky horn arrangements are reminiscent of the soulful R&B bands of the mid-1960s.
Jean continued to release singles in the mid-1970s and briefly throughout the following decades.
lead singer
In the early 1970s, one of the biggest bands on the Stax label was The Staple Singers, an R&B band composed of a father (Pops) and his son and daughter. The Staple Singers’ sound was more influenced by soul music, but also had hints of the then-emerging funk style, best reflected in the song “Respect Yourself.”
Of course, one cannot mention The Staple Singers without mentioning lead singer Mavis Staples. Currently in her 80s, Mavis still records and performs regularly.
Shirley Brown
Shirley Brown is another R&B singer who probably won’t catch your attention amid all the other great music coming out of this decade. After being discovered by blues guitarist Albert King and touring with him, Brown made his debut in 1974 with the hit single “Woman to Woman.”
Unfortunately, due to the fate of Stax Records, Brown’s career never really took off after this single, despite regularly releasing music in the late 2000s.
pointer sisters
The Pointer Sisters were one of the most legendary family singing groups of the 1970s, achieving crossover success in multiple genres due to their willingness to experiment with different sounds. In fact, not only were they the first black band to perform at the Grand Ole Opry, but they also won a Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group with Vocal Performance in 1974.
Labelle
When it comes to dancefloor-friendly R&B tracks from the 1970s, “Lady Marmalade” is particularly famous. The song has been covered countless times, with the 2001 version by Mya, Lil’ Kim, Pink and Christina Aguilera (for Moulin Rouge!) perhaps the most famous contemporary version.
Labelle is a powerhouse vocal group consisting of members such as Cindy Birdsong (formerly of The Supremes) and Patti LaBelle, widely regarded as one of the greatest R&B singers of all time.
Natalie Cole
Considering her father is Nat King Cole and her mother was the lead singer in Duke Ellington’s band, Natalie Cole was born in 20 The huge success of the mid-1970s may have been destiny.
Natalie came to prominence in 1975 with her debut hit single “This Will Be,” which earned her a Grammy Award for Best New Artist of the year and a tribute to her until her death in 2015. The success enjoyed set the tone.
sleigh sisters
Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family” is one of the most iconic disco-style R&B tracks of the 1970s. The song became the sister quartet’s biggest hit and became a staple on DJ playlists for weddings and other family-related celebrations due to its infectious beat and memorable chorus.
Diana Ross
After finding fame in The Supremes, Diana Ross topped the charts in the 1970s with her cover of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” Just a few years later, Ross would eventually collaborate with Marvin Gaye on several songs, while also turning to disco (as heard on the hit “Love Hangover”).
Just when it seemed like Ross couldn’t get any more iconic, the 1980s arrived and she cemented her legend status with songs like “Upside Down” and “I’m Coming Out.”
Gloria Gaynor
Gloria Gaynor didn’t get her big break until the release of her sixth album, Love Tracks. This album became Gaynor’s claim to fame primarily because it contained the legendary song “I Will Survive,” which became a dance song about overcoming all obstacles and getting through hard times.
Gaynor continues to release music, with her latest studio album released in 2019.
Best Female R&B Singer of the 1970s
While this is by no means an exhaustive, comprehensive list of female R&B singers of the 1970s, these examples illustrate the diversity the genre experienced during the decade.
Although more than 50 years have passed/nearly 50 years have passed, the singers mentioned here still play an important role in influencing today’s contemporary singers. Their music is forever popular and will likely continue to be popular for decades to come.
