The passing of Bobby Caldwell last week had us thinking about some of the best white soul singers. We’ve already highlighted songs we mistakingly thought were sung by Black people, but since we felt like there were some we missed, we’re doing it again!
Here are more songs that were sung by white people who sounded Black.
It’s unfortunate that Amy Winehouse died at such a young age. But the one thing she left behind was her amazing voice. This British singer had the soul of some of the greatest R&B singers of all time. If you never got a look at her face, you would think she had a different skin color.
Whenever I think of the 1980s, this is the first song that comes to mind. It’s such a great and timeless song. It always baffled me that a man as white as Rick Astley could sound like Barry White.
This is another song that defines what the 80s. This song was made for the 1984 movie Streets of Fire and performed by a Black group created just for the film. No wonder people thought Dan Hartman was Black.
Seeing a pattern here. These songs from the 1980s had a tendency to be extremely soulful, no matter if you were Black or white. Yazoo was no exception.
Although it shouldn’t be, it was always shocking when a singer from the UK has the soul of a Black-American singer. That’s the case with Culture Club and their lead singer Boy George.
If you’re going to a 70s theme party, this 1978 song from Alicia Bridges will definitely get you in the mood.
I think it’s more baffling that Joss Stone is white and from the UL considering the sound of her voice. Just listen to this 2007 beat. I hear a little bit of Aretha Franklin. Just a bit. Do you?
What is it with these white English singers? I’m starting to think they have more soul than some singers in the United States.
Forget his voice, when the track begins I think I’m listening to a classic song from Earth, Wind & Fire. The soul doesn’t just come out in his voice, it also comes out in the production of this song.
Nobody would think that Steely Dan is a rock band from the 1970s based on this song alone. It sounds more like a jazzy soul than it does a rock track.
If a song like “Never Wanna Give You Up,” defined the 80s, this track defines the 70s. As we all know, it was all about the funk at that time. Even the hairstyles of the group members look like they almost wanted to be Black.
For a 1970s Rock band, they had their fair amount of soulful records, and this track was possibly their best example.
Michael McDonald can blow. Enough said.
Not only does he sound Black, but based on the music video for this track, it looks like he also had an affinity for Black women considering Chaka Khan sang backup vocals on the song and most of the dancers are Black. Good on him.
This song of the 1970s has had a resurgence multiple times in popular culture. I always assumed it was performed by a Black soul group, but I was so wrong.
Michael Bolton is well-known for his popular hard rock and soul-ish voice. You either smile or roll your eyes when listening to him during a dentist visit.
We all know and love this voice master. But did you know people still think this Welsh singer is Black? He even started wondering and recently took a DNA test.
There is so much soul in this classic song that one of editor at the Root said her Black grandfather assumed the singer was a Black woman and she had to tell him it was a little red-haired Irish guy.