The most iconic singers in Bay Area music history

When it comes to nurturing extraordinary, unmistakable voices, the Bay Area’s track record is enduring and unimpeachable.

There’s no single explanation for the glorious profusion of singers who’ve grown up here or gravitated to the region, though it’s been a magnet for ambitious dreamers, seekers, misfits and the creatively inclined since the discovery of gold. The powerful lure of opportunity and discerning audiences have maintained a steady pull for at least a century, but so has the promise of artistic freedom...