Singer-Songwriters, ALL-SLI
Meet the singer-songwriters who turned personal voice into an art form, pairing memorable melodies with words that could confess, protest, charm, or haunt.
Singer-Songwriters Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Allen, Lily
Lily Allen is an English singer-songwriter and actress who first gained attention in the 2000s with her unique......
Anka, Paul
Paul Anka is a Canadian-born American singer and songwriter whose wholesome pop songs first achieved wide popularity......
Antonoff, Jack
Jack Antonoff is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and producer who is best known as the founder and lead......
Apple, Fiona
Fiona Apple is an American singer-songwriter whose profoundly personal lyrics helped her ride the wave of alternative......
Armatrading, Joan
Joan Armatrading is a British singer-songwriter, the first Black woman in the United Kingdom to make an impact......
Baez, Joan
Joan Baez is an American folksinger and political activist who interested young audiences in folk music during......
Banhart, Devendra
Devendra Banhart is an American singer-songwriter whose experimental genre-transcending recordings, which blended......
Barrett, Syd
Syd Barrett was an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist who is best known as one of the cofounders of the......
Beck
Beck is an American singer-songwriter who brought Bob Dylan’s embodiment of the hipster folk minstrel into the......
Berry, Chuck
Chuck Berry was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist who was one of the most popular and influential performers......
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Bird, Andrew
Andrew Bird is an American pop songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known for his virtuosic skill on the violin,......
Blige, Mary J.
Mary J. Blige is an American singer-songwriter and actress who has been called the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul. A major......
Boone, Benson
Benson Boone is an American singer-songwriter who came to prominence after accumulating a strong following on the......
Brassens, George
George Brassens was a French singer, songwriter, and poet. One of the most-celebrated French chansonniers (cabaret......
Bridgers, Phoebe
Phoebe Bridgers is an American singer-songwriter whose music combines elements of indie folk and indie rock. Known......
Brooks, Garth
Garth Brooks is an American country music singer-songwriter whose crossover appeal to the pop market made him the......
Browne, Jackson
Jackson Browne is a German-born American singer, songwriter, pianist, and guitarist who helped define the singer-songwriter......
Cara, Irene
Irene Cara was an American singer-songwriter and actress who achieved popular and critical acclaim for her performance......
Carlile, Brandi
Brandi Carlile is an American musician and singer-songwriter known for her powerful voice and distinctive blend......
Carlos, Roberto
Roberto Carlos is a Brazilian singer-songwriter who was at the forefront of the 1960s rock-and-roll movement in......
Carnes, Kim
Kim Carnes is an American pop rock and country singer-songwriter known for her raspy, husky voice and her prolific......
Carpenter, Sabrina
Sabrina Carpenter is an American singer and actress. She first gained recognition for her role as Maya Hart on......
Cash, June Carter
June Carter Cash was an American singer, songwriter, and actress who was a leading figure in country music, especially......
Cash, Rosanne
Rosanne Cash is an American singer-songwriter who was noted for her clear ringing voice and for often deeply personal......
Cave, Nick
Nick Cave is an Australian singer-songwriter, actor, novelist, and screenwriter who played a prominent role in......
Chapman, Tracy
Tracy Chapman is an American singer-songwriter who quickly rose to fame in the late 1980s as a result of the phenomenal......
Charli XCX
Charli XCX is a British singer and songwriter who was known to fans for her experimental electro-pop music for......
Chilton, Alex
Alex Chilton was an American singer and songwriter who, as frontman of the seminal power pop band Big Star, crafted......
Clapton, Eric
Eric Clapton is a British rock musician who was a highly influential guitarist in the late 1960s and early ’70s......
Clarkson, Kelly
Kelly Clarkson is an American singer, songwriter, and TV personality who emerged as a pop-rock star after winning......
Clegg, Johnny
Johnny Clegg was a South African musician, popularly called the “White Zulu.” His innovative, ethnically integrated......
Cockburn, Bruce
Bruce Cockburn is a Canadian singer, songwriter, guitarist, and activist best known for music blending folk, rock,......
Cohen, Leonard
Leonard Cohen was a Canadian singer-songwriter whose spare songs carried an existential bite and established him......
Connick, Harry, Jr.
Harry Connick, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor who was known musically for his explorations......
Cross, Christopher
Christopher Cross is an American singer and songwriter best known for his eponymous debut album (1979), which featured......
Crow, Sheryl
Sheryl Crow is an American singer known for her raspy voice, rock-and-roll rhythm, and country-styled guitar playing.......
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Diamond, Neil
Neil Diamond is an American singer-songwriter known for his charismatic performance style and prolific songwriting......
Drake, Nick
Nick Drake was an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist known for emotive vocals, sombre lyrics, and rich melodies.......
Earle, Steve
Steve Earle is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist who bridged the genres of rock and country music.......
Etheridge, Melissa
Melissa Etheridge is an American musician known for her raspy-voiced rock-and-roll singing. She also was noted......
Frizzell, Lefty
Lefty Frizzell was a U.S. singer and songwriter. He was a fan of Jimmie Rodgers from childhood. Also a semiprofessional......
Gil, Gilberto
Gilberto Gil is a Brazilian multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter who was one of the leading names in Brazilian......
Green, Al
Al Green is an American singer-songwriter who was the most popular performer of soul music in the 1970s. By further......
Harris, Emmylou
Emmylou Harris is an American singer and songwriter who ranged effortlessly among folk, pop, rock, and country-and-western......
Harry, Debbie
Debbie Harry is an American singer-songwriter who fronts the new wave band Blondie, which gained prominence in......
Harvey, PJ
PJ Harvey is a British singer-songwriter and guitarist whose mythically pitched, fanatically intense recordings......
Hayes, Isaac
Isaac Hayes was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and actor who was a pioneering figure in soul music. His......
Ian, Janis
Janis Ian is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who wrote multiple popular soft rock songs in the late......
Ingram, James
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Jackson, Alan
Alan Jackson is an American country music singer-songwriter who was one of the most popular male country artists......
Juanes
Juanes is a Colombian guitarist, singer, songwriter, and activist who had an absorbing stage presence and gained......
Keita, Salif
Salif Keita is a Malian singer-songwriter known for blending elements of a wide range of local African—especially......
Kelly, R.
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Keys, Alicia
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King, Carole
Carole King is an American songwriter and singer (alto) who composed a string of hit songs in the 1960s and ’70s......
Kravitz, Lenny
Lenny Kravitz is an American musician known for his unique blend of rock, psychedelia, soul, funk, and hip-hop.......
Kristofferson, Kris
Kris Kristofferson was an American singer-songwriter and actor known for his gravelly voice and rugged good looks......
K’Naan
K’Naan is a Somali-born Canadian hip-hop musician of the early 21st century whose brightly melodic songs and clever......
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga is an American singer-songwriter and performance artist, known for her flamboyant costumes, provocative......
Lambert, Miranda
Miranda Lambert is an American country music singer-songwriter who crafted a repertoire in the early 21st century......
Lavigne, Avril
Avril Lavigne is a Canadian singer and songwriter who achieved great success as a teenager. She is known for a......
Lee Hazlewood
The inspired use of an empty silo helped put Phoenix, Arizona, on the rock-and-roll map during the late 1950s.......
Lee, Peggy
Peggy Lee was an American popular singer and songwriter, known for her alluring, delicately husky voice and reserved......
Legend, John
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Lightfoot, Gordon
Gordon Lightfoot was a Canadian singer and songwriter who was known for his folk-oriented pop singles of the 1960s......
Marley, Bob
Bob Marley was a Jamaican singer-songwriter whose thoughtful ongoing distillation of early ska, rock steady, and......
Mars, Bruno
Bruno Mars is an American singer and songwriter known for both his catchy pop music—which often features upbeat......
Mayer, John
John Mayer is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist whose melodic, often soft rock earned him a wide audience......
McDonald, Michael
Michael McDonald is an American singer-songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and keyboardist for the rock......
McLean, Don
Don McLean is an American singer-songwriter who achieved international fame with his 1971 song “American Pie,”......
Mitchell, Joni
Joni Mitchell is a Canadian experimental singer-songwriter and one of the foremost folk music artists of the late......
Morrison, Jim
Jim Morrison was an American singer, songwriter, and poet who was the charismatic front man of the California-based......
Morrison, Van
Van Morrison is an Irish singer-songwriter and occasional saxophonist who played in a succession of groups, most......
Newman, Randy
Randy Newman is an American composer, songwriter, singer, and pianist whose character-driven, ironic, and often......
Nicks, Stevie
Stevie Nicks is an American singer-songwriter known for her work with the pop-rock band Fleetwood Mac beginning......
Nilsson, Harry
Harry Nilsson was an American singer-songwriter of immense talent. A self-taught musician who rose from working......
Ochs, Phil
Phil Ochs was an American folksinger and songwriter best remembered for the protest songs he wrote in the 1960s......
Owens, Buck
Buck Owens was an American singer-songwriter-guitarist who helped popularize the “Bakersfield sound,” which reinvigorated......
Paisley, Brad
Brad Paisley is an American country music singer-songwriter and guitarist who was one of the genre’s most popular......
Parton, Dolly
Dolly Parton was an American country music singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actress who pioneered the interface......
Paxton, Tom
Tom Paxton is an American folk singer-songwriter who was especially prominent in the folk music revival of the......
Pink
Pink is an American singer and songwriter known for her rock-influenced pop songs, powerful voice, and gymnastics-filled......
Pitney, Gene
Gene Pitney was an American singer and songwriter known for dramatic pop balladry. Pitney first gained success......
Prince
Prince was an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, producer, dancer, and performer on keyboards, drums, and......
Reddy, Helen
Helen Reddy was an Australian-born American singer-songwriter, the first Australian-born pop singer to win a Grammy......
Reed, Lou
Lou Reed was a singer-songwriter whose place in the rock pantheon rests primarily on his role in guiding the Velvet......
Roan, Chappell
Chappell Roan is an American singer-songwriter known for song lyrics that embrace queer culture and for her bold......
Rodriguez, Sixto
Sixto Rodriguez was an American singer-songwriter known for his genre-defying music that combines folk, rock, jazz,......
Rogers, Kenny
Kenny Rogers was an American country music singer known for his raspy voice and multiple hits such as “Lady,” “The......
Rosalía
Rosalía is a Spanish singer and songwriter known for popularizing flamenco for a contemporary audience. A classically......
Sainte-Marie, Buffy
Buffy Sainte-Marie is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, political activist, and visual artist known especially......
Sanz, Alejandro
Alejandro Sanz is a Spanish guitarist and singer-songwriter who soared to international stardom in the late 20th......
Sebastian, Joan
Joan Sebastian was a Mexican singer and songwriter who wrote, performed, and recorded songs in regional Mexican......
Seger, Bob
Bob Seger is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist who achieved great popularity in the 1970s and ’80s......
Shelton, Blake
Blake Shelton is an American singer-songwriter and television personality who first garnered attention as a popular......
Simon, Paul
Paul Simon is an American singer-songwriter who brought a highbrow sensibility to rock music. One of the most paradoxical......
Simpson, Sturgill
In 2013 American singer, songwriter, and musician Sturgill Simpson released his debut album, the fiercely traditionalist......
Slim Dusty
Slim Dusty was an Australian country music singer and songwriter who epitomized an idealized image of rural Australia—a......