Who was your favorite vocalist?

[Cookie fan]

There were quite a number of great vocalists (for lack of a better term) that passed on Sesame Street. I consider Olivia (Alaina Reed), Marilyn Sokol and Bob (Bob McGrath) to be some of the finest vocalists ever to be on Sesame Street.
Marilyn's voice is so versatile. I loved her performance on the skit "Numerical Correspondence".

 

[redBoobergurl]

I just saw an old clip with Olivia today and wow, she had some awesome pipes! I also always loved her singing on "One Little Star" in Follow that Bird. She was just amazing. I agree that Bob is quite the singer as well.

 

[BEAR]

Tough choice between Alaina Reed and Bob McGrath, but then I say, "Wait! They are both so amazing, yet so different too!"

 

[Son of Enik]

I agree that Bob and Alaina were the best singers, but who could forget Will Lee singing "When I Was Young" ? I loved the line where he sings about playing marbles with his friends. You guys and gals remember the song I'm talking about?

 

[Cookie fan]

That was a good song that Will Lee sang, I forgot about it until you brought it up. I remember one time Bob and Olivia (Alaina) sang a song about names, that song was perfect with their vocals. I called it the "Name Song", where Olivia would sing peoples names in the chorus and Bob would chime in. I really miss those times, really wish it would pop up in youtube one day.

 

[mikebennidict]

I agree that Bob and Alaina were the best singers, but who could forget Will Lee singing "When I Was Young" ? I loved the line where he sings about playing marbles with his friends. You guys and gals remember the song I'm talking about?

He didn't just sing it. But he showed these old pictures which had to have been old NYC photos.

 

[fuzzygobo]

Susan (Loretta Long) had a good set of pipes too. She got quite a bit of exposure on the first two Sesame albums:

I Got Two
One of These Things (Is Not Like the Others)
Nearly Missed
Picture A World
The Garden
and my all-time fave rave, Someday Little Children

She also got to sing as Roosevelt Franklin's mother. And in 1970 she got to record her own album (with Joe Raposo's help) called "Susan Sings From Sesame Street". Not all the songs were featured on the show, but Susan's voice shines on every song.

Back in the late 60's, when she still lived in Michigan, Loretta Long did try auditioning for Motown, but nothing came of it (Berry Gordy's loss, Joan Ganz Cooney's gain!)
and just prior to Sesame, she hosted a very-short-lived PBS program called SOUL! which dealt with Black issues, civil rights, and music of the day.

 

[Son of Enik]

He didn't just sing it. But he showed these old pictures which had to have been old NYC photos.

That's right...I do remember that!!

 

[fuzzygobo]

That's right...I do remember that!!

I remember too, if vaguely. I remember the line about shooting marbles called "aggies" (with colored swirls in them)

and "A pickle for a nickel was a treat!" (Personally, I'd spend the nickel on a Hershey bar and a Coke).

Let's hope someday youtube or a future Old School box set revives this one.

 

[BEAR]

I can't believe we're forgetting Alan Muraoka! He has a wonderful voice. Well, he comes from a musical theatre background and has done a lot of work on Broadway. I feel he's brought more of a Broadway theatrical vibe to Sesame Street in the last decade.