Along the lines of that bizarre "female vocalist" category (why do we seem to have that, but no "male vocalist" category? Female vocalists are way too diverse to lump together, but somehow the media has done it), I would strongly suggest Carol Noonan. She used to be the lead singer for Knots + Crosses, a New England-based folk outfit, but has since gone off into solo recordings in a folk-influenced, but definitely also soul + rock-influenced, style. Her songs tend to be very dramatic, and most of that is probably due to the fact that she has a voice that could knock over a large building. Good stuff, on Philo records. Any album's good, though "The Only Witness" has an excellent cover of "Taillights Fade" by Buffalo Tom.

keep the suggestions coming, I'm loving this.
-Scott