One of the most influential musicians of all time, Keith Richards is an important part of The Rolling Stones not only for being the band's rhythm guitar but also the main songwriter alongside Mick Jagger. He had the chance to see the evolution of music up-close since the 60s, meet and see many incredible singers. Rock and Roll Garage selected four female singers that Keith Richards mentioned as the greatest of all time and shows his connection with some of them. The 4 female singers that Keith Richards said are the best of all time Aretha Franklin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQkrLpwj1vk&pp=ygUWYXJldGhhIGZyYW5rbGluIGp1bXBpbg%3D%3D Keith Richards is a huge Aretha Franklin fan and had praised her many times, even placing her on the first position of the lists of the greatest singers of all time he did for Rolling Stone back in 2008. He had the chance to work with her, co-producing and playing the guitar in her cover of Stones' "Jumpin' Jack Flash", which was released on her 1986 album "Aretha". He revealed in an interview in 1989, which was part of the book “Keith Richards on Keith Richards: Interviews & Encounters", that he only accepted to be part of the recording demanding that she would have to sing and play the piano in the track. “If you can get her to play piano and sing at the same time, you get this extra kick. When I worked with her on the ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash’ video, I told her I’d appear. But only if she played piano and sang. She said, ‘Nobody’s asked me to do that for ages’." Keith Richards continued: "Then she said she couldn’t fly anywhere because her fear is too great. I said, ‘That’s OK, you play piano and I’ll bring the band to Detroit. I’ll do it there so this was a 50-50 deal,’” Keith Richards said. Were also part of that version the Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood and their current drummer Steve Jordan. In the following year Keith Richards was the one who inducted her into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage) “The dictionary has been used up. There’s no superlatives left. There’s nothing to read. Anyway, you know, what can I say about Aretha? You’re in, baby! (laughs)” Keith Richard said during his speech. Aretha starded her musical career in 1954 and record 38 studio albums in the following decades. She was Nicknamed “The Queen of Soul” and became one of the best-selling artists of all time. She had sold an estimated amount of more than 75 million records worldwide. Aretha sadly died back in 2018 at the age of 76 after a battle against pancreatice cancer. “It’s a sad day but what a glorious lady. Her voice says it all!” Richards said at the time. Ronnie Spector https://youtu.be/68QRbAg6btI The second best placed female singer on Keith Richards' list for Rolling Stone was Ronnie Spector (Position 11). She was in front of names like Otis Redding, Smokey Robinson and Elvis Presley. Ronnie formed the girl group the Ronettes with her older sister Estelle Bennett and their cousin Nedra Talley. They were famously produced by Phil Spector, being active from 1959 to 1967 and from 1973 to 1974. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007 by Keith Richards. He said during his speech (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage). "Let me take you back to a dark, dank little theater in London or North of England, I think, 1964. On the road as usual, I climbed out of my little cubicle and I'm walking down that corridor and as I get to the stairwell I start to hear this voices (And I think am I high or drunk already?)." Keith Richards continued: "But as I go down the stairwell, I hear it's beautiful little chant set up by Nedra and Estelle, then I realize that I'm listening to The Ronettes and then that pure, pure voice over the top singing 'Be My Baby'. (...) I realized despite Jack Nietzsche's beautiful arrangements that they could sing all their way right through a wall of sound. They didn't need anything, they touched my heart right there and they touch it still," Ketih Richards said. With songs like "Baby I Love You", "Walking In The Rain","Be My Baby" and "Sleigh Ride", they became one of the most influential groups of all time. They were The Rolling Stones opening act in 1964 and on her solo career, Ronnie Spector had the chance to work with Richards. He was part of her album "The Last of the Rock Stars", released in 2006. But some of the recordings were done years before, like one in 2001. In an interview with Rolling Stone, she recalled that when Richards went to record his part Joey Ramone was also there. "Keith Richards was there before I even got there. He’s known to be late. I got to the studio, and then Joey Ramone came in. It’s kind of dim in the studio and Keith is on one mic and I’m on another." "And you can see Joey sitting in the control room, just staring. He looked at Keith; he looked at me. And that was like his dream. To see Ronnie Spector and Keith Richards in one room. He didn’t move when we were in the recording studio. He died shortly after that. That was the last time I saw Joey," Ronnie Spector said. Mavis Staples https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1jGF-6bFpI&pp=ygUpc3RhcGxlcyBzaW5nZXJzIHRoaXMgbWF5IGJlIHRoZSBsYXN0IHRpbWU%3D The third female he listed as one of the greatest of all time was Mavis Staples (Also a member of Staple Singers). He placed her on the position number 13 of his list, right before Ronnie Spector. The first Mick Jagger and Keith Richards writing credit "The Last Time" was curiously inspired by The Staple Singers song "This May Be the Last Time". They are good friends to this day and Richards always wishes her happy birthday on her social media. She started her career being part of the band formed by her family The Staple Singers. They were a Gospel, Soul and R&B band formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1948. The members were the family’s patriarch Roebuck “Pops” Staples” alongside his children. They were: Cleotha, Pervis, Yvonne and Mavis. It was in 1969 that she released her self-titled solo debut album and then released more than 10 records. The most recent one is “We Get By” (2019). She won several Grammy Awards over the years and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. Bonnie Raitt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLPCv0te6pE&pp=ygUbcm9sbGluZyBzdG9uZXMgYm9ubmllIHJhaXR0 The youngest female artist on Keith Richards' list, Bonnie Raitt was born Burbank, California in 1949. She is a blues singer, guitarist, songwriter and activist. It was during the 1970s that she released a series of roots-influenced records. They incorporated elements of Blues, Rock, Folk and Country. She was also a frequent session player and collaborator. She recorded with names like. Warren Zevon, Little Feat, Jackson Browne, The Pointer Sisters, John Prine and Leon Russell. She has recorded 18 solo albums during her career, the most recent one being "Just Like That..." (2022).The post The 4 female singers that Keith Richards said are the best of all time appeared first on Rock and Roll Garage.