Mark Lanegan

In the mid to late '80s Mark Lanegan was instrumental in helping define a style of music that arose out of the Seattle area, later called grunge. Singing lead vocals with the band The Screaming Trees gave Lanegan an opportunity to immerse himself in music, learn instrumental tricks and schmooze with other musicians. After the Trees broke up, Lanegan went on to collaborate with other prominent bands and musicians, including the Southern California stoner rock outfit Queens of the Stone Age. Lanegan's voice kinda sounds like someone rubbed 50 grain sand paper against his throat and to say that he sounds gruff would be an understatement, but his gritty voice is Lanegan's defining characteristic and helps lend resonance to his slightly cryptic music.