Some of the best female singers of the 70s were black. One of the most famous of these was Diana Ross, who was a member of the group The Supremes before going solo in 1969. Although she never won a Grammy, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016. Another notable black singer of the 70s was Cher. She was a popular singer before and during the 70s and dabbled in acting during her career.
Anne Murray
Anne Murray was a Canadian singer who became a household name during the 1970s. She was a regular on the syndicated television show of Glen Campbell. Despite her popularity, she disliked the California lifestyle and returned home to perform in Canada. She was a huge hit in Canada with songs like Danny’s Song and Cotton Jenny. One of her songs, “A Love Song,” won the Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance in the 1970s.
Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline’s popularity grew as the 70s wore on, and she was no stranger to the music industry. Her early days in the music business included a stint on the road, performing on the road as a singer and songwriter. Despite this rough start in life, she found a way to make it work and continue to write great music. Ultimately, she became a household name, becoming an icon and the voice of country music. She was born and raised in a poor household in Winchester, VA, and her father left the family when she was a teenager. But Patsy Cline never wallowed in self-pity, and her mother was always there for her. Her mother would take her to local singing gigs and would drop her off at home by 3 AM. Even after a late night
Dame Shirley Bassey
Born in Wales, Dame Shirley Bassey was a famous female singer of the 70s. Her mother was English and her father was Nigerian, and she was the youngest of six children. At an early age, she began performing in pubs and clubs, and at sixteen, she was selected to join a touring revue called Memories of Jolson. When she turned 18, she became pregnant and left the revue. After that, she worked in a factory and sang in local clubs.
Nancy Sinatra
The 70s were a time of female empowerment, and Nancy Sinatra was the ultimate female role model. As the oldest child of Rat Pack king Frank Sinatra, Nancy grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles. This helped to prepare her for the showbiz life that she’d soon embark on.
Bonnie Rait
Bonnie Rait was a popular female singer of the 1970s who gained popularity through her slide guitar and acoustic guitar playing. Her early hits included “Love Me Like a Man” and “Stairlights.” She went on to receive three Grammy nominations in the 1980s for her albums The Glow, Green Light, and Nine Lives. In the late 1970s, Bonnie Rait released the acclaimed album Sweet Forgiveness, which featured the single “Two Lives” and a cover version of Del Shannon’s “Runaway.”
Carly Rae
The 1970s saw the rise of female singers from the South and the influence of female soul singers such as Diana Ross. Many of her albums tried to modernize the sound, but were largely unsuccessful. In fact, most of her albums were a mishmash of covers of popular 60s songs. Despite this, she stayed active and performed in a number of shows, including a film version of The Wiz and the Broadway show Lena: The Lady and Her Music. She eventually retired in the mid-to-late 1990s.
Stevie Nicks
Although there were many female singers in the 1970s, Stevie Nicks was unique among her peers in that she was a solo artist and not a frontwoman of a rock and roll band. Although she was not as strong vocally as Janis Joplin or Grace Slick, Nicks’s persona and music reflected her gender identity. She succeeded in creating an image that was universally accepted by audiences.
Cher
Cher was a gifted comedienne and a conduit for emerging feminism. She went on to become a noted actress, businesswoman, producer, and designer. She has won numerous awards and accolades for her work in several fields. She has been called the ultimate modernist, and has sold more than 100 million albums around the world.