Featuring
LINDA RONSTADT
With over 100 million albums sold, powerhouse singer Linda Ronstadt is one of the most popular recording artists ever! Her iconic hits, including "When Will I Be Loved," You're No Good" and "Blue Bayou," have earned her eleven Grammy Awards and a place in the coveted Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Her distinguished career took an unexpected turn in December 2012, when she was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease and later a brain disorder, which has stripped her of the ability to sing.
Vince Gill
Possessing one of country music’s purest voices, “Vinny” has recorded more than 20 studio albums, charted over 40 singles on the U.S. Billboard charts and has sold more than 26 million albums. He has been honored by the Country Music Association with 18 CMA Awards, and as of 2017, Gill has also earned 21 Grammy Awards, more than any other male country music artist. In 2007, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. In 2017, Vince Gill and Deacon Frey were hired by the Eagles to fill-in for the late Glenn Frey.
Lalah Hathaway
Five-time Grammy Award winner Lalah Hathaway is the daughter of R&B legend Donny Hathaway. Her sultry voice has wowed crowds across the globe and during her storied career, she's collaborated with musical giants, including Mary J. Blige, the Winans, Take 6 and Marcus Miller. In concert, she often performs the songs of her late father, including his soulful rendition of Leon Russell's "A Song for You."
TAKE 6
Ten-time Grammy winners, Take 6 uses their rich, silky voices to reach stratospheric high-note harmonies (they call it "skying") and rhythmic nuances in a unique blend of gospel and jazz. Whether performing as the headliners (we filmed them at the venerable Blue Note Jazz Club in New York) or as collaborators with musical legends like Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles and CeCe Wyans, these a cappella masters have used their voices to thrill and inspire since 1980.
MICHAEL WINSLOW
Billed as the "man of ten thousand sound effects," Michael Winslow has appeared in all seven Police Academy films (as character Larvell Jones) as well as the film comedy Spaceballs. And he does a mean version of the iconic Led Zeppelin hit "Whole Lotta Love," in which he even imitates the pounding electric guitar riffs and the wailing vocals of lead singer Robert Plant! A master of vocal sound effects, Winslow remembers lying in his bed as a child and imitating the sounds of military aircraft from the nearby base flying overhead. He hasn't stopped putting a vocal spin on the sounds he hears since!
BILLY WEST
Voice actor Billy West is best known for his cartoon voicing of both "Ren" and "Stimpy" (The Ren and Stimpy Show) and for multiple characters in the Comedy Central show Futurama. West sprung to fame as a frequent guest on Howard Stern's radio show, where his "interviews" as Johnny Carson, Lucille Ball and Larry Fine of the Three Stooges established him as an edgy comedian. He also recently voiced the characters of Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd for Looney Tunes films and video games.
Andromeda Dunker
To any HGTV fan, the voice of Andromeda Dunker is instantly recognizable. Her silky smooth tones grace the audiences of the House Hunters Franchise, part of the HGTV juggernaut, which drew more than 25 million prime time viewers per month last year. Since Andromeda is heard but not seen, she is widely considered to be the network’s most famous unfamous celebrity!
DR. RUPAL PATEL and VocaliD
In 2013, Dr. Patel began VocaliD—a project aimed at designing personalized synthetic voices so that people with severe speech impairments can use a voice that fits their body and personality. By banking healthy voices from thousands of volunteer recordings, VocaliD is creating a voice match for those who can't speak. By 2020, Dr. Patel hopes to collect one million voice samples, to create the world’s largest repository of voices.
Dr. Michael Johns
“Mike” Johns directs the Voice Center at the University of Southern California’s Keck Medical Center. Dr. Johns is an otolaryngologist, who speaks extensively about voice health and how the voice ages.
DR. ROBERT SATALOFF
Otolaryngologist Dr. Robert Sataloff is a renowned voice performance surgeon and author. Dr. Sataloff has written 48 books on the treatment and care of the voice and has invented more than 100 medical/surgical instruments for the voice. He serves as chairman of the board of directors for The Voice Foundation, a non-profit voice research and treatment organization with members in 59 countries.
ANNE KARPF
Anne Karpf is a regular columnist for The Guardian and the author of The Human Voice. She is reader in writing and cultural inquiry at London Metropolitan University.