Best San Diego Singer?

SoundDiego picks 11 of the top singers to hail from San Diego

If you haven’t noticed, SoundDiego has caught list fever lately. We’ve prepared have a fresh batch for you, and this time we’re going to dig up some of the finest vocalists to ever call San Diego home. Some are legends, some have golden voices and some are just downright cool. Here’s a brief look at 11 of the most captivating singers with SD connections (in alphabetical order). 
 
  • Ann Wilson: The frontwoman of the classic rock heavyweight Heart was born in San Diego.
  • Dee Dee Penny: The backbone of the  garage-rock breakouts Dum Dum Girls, aka Kristin Gundred, got her start in the local indie-rock oufit Grand Ole Party. 
  • Eddie Vedder: Before relocating to the grunge capital of the world, the voice of Pearl Jam played in such San Diego bands as Bad Radio.  
  • Jason Mraz: Before he was a household name, Mraz did his time on the coffeeshop circuit. His first release, Live at Java Joe’s, was recorded in Ocean Beach.  
  • Jewel: This pop star isn’t a stranger to San Diego’s coffeeshop, scene either. Some say she was "discovered" while playing gigs at Inner Change Coffeehouse in Pacific Beach. 
  • Jim Croce: The FM R&B great died in a tragic plane crash in 1973 while living in San Diego with his family. His widow operates the popular restaurant and jazz club Croce’s in the Gaslamp District. 
  • Jim Morrison: The Door’s provocative frontman wrote his first poems at Longfellow Elementary School in Clairemont. 
  • Kyle McDonald: Hailing from the sunny beaches of Point Loma, Slightly Stoopid’s singer is one of the most recognized voices in reggae these days. 
  • Scott Weiland: Before they were Stone Temple Pilots, Weiland and Co. performed as Mighty Joe Young while residing in Point Loma. 
  • Sonny Sandoval: After emerging from Chula Vista, belting hits like “Alive” and “Youth of a Nation” for P.O.D, made Sandoval a genuine alt-rap sensation.  
  • Tom Waits: Waits’ unmistakable drawl was developed in our neck of the woods. He graduated from Hilltop High School in Chula Vista in 1968. 
Don’t get mad, get even. We want to know who you think we missed  -- let us know on Facebook and Twitter.  
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