Rhythm and blues singer and songwriter, Luther Vandross came on the music scene in 1975, singing back-up for David Bowie, and co-writing his hit single, "Fame." Going on to sing back-up for several other popular singers, Vandross released his own album, "Never Too Much," in 1981, and it immediately went to the top of the R&B charts. Each of his next five albums sold more than a million copies, and Vandross won his first Grammy Award in 1990, for best R&B male vocal performance. He went on to record many more hit albums, and won several more Grammys.
Born in New York in 1951, Vandross began his career writing and performing jingles for television commercials.
In April, 2003, Vandross suffered a stroke that left him in a coma for nearly two months. In June, he came out of the coma, and a week later his final album, Dance With My Father, was released, debuting at number one on the pop charts. The album won four Grammys, including Song of the Year for the title song.
Never having fully recovered from the stroke, and suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure, Vandross died in July 2005.
Best Known As: The R&B singer of Dance With My Father
Luther Vandross was one of the most successful R&B vocalists of the late 20th century, famous for his lush voice, soulful and romantic ballads, and his many collaborations with such stars as Dionne Warwick, Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson. Luther Vandross got his big break in the 1970s, as a back-up singer and then session musician and producer with the likes of David Bowie, Bette Midler and Barbra Streisand. His debut solo album, Never Too Much (1981), was the first of many successes, and during the 1980s and '90s he was the dominant male vocalist on the R&B charts, with hits that included the duets "How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye" (1983,with Warwick) and "Endless Love" (1994, with Mariah Carey). Vandross was a big man, and his struggles with his weight were well-known to his fans; later in life he also had diabetes. On April 16, 2003, Luther Vandross suffered a stroke and lapsed into a coma; he had recently completed the album Dance With My Father, which included collaborations with Queen Latifah, Beyoncé Knowles, Foxy Brown and Busta Rhymes. Vandross came out of the coma in June and the album went on to win four Grammys in 2004. Vandross died the next year.
Luther Vandross sold 25 million albums during his lifetime, according to his 2005 obituary in The Independent.
Singer Luther Vandross (1951 - 2005), best known for his soulful love songs, was one of the most respected R&B singers of the late twentieth century. With multiple Grammy Awards, 14 platinum-selling albums, and over 25 million total albums sold, Vandross rode high from 1980 until his death. Having worked with artists as diverse as David Bowie and Beyoncé Knowles, Vandross has an assured place in the pantheon of genuine R&B superstars.
A New York Upbringing
Born on April 20, 1951, in New York City, New York, Vandross was the youngest child of Luther Vandross, Sr., and Mary Ida Vandross. Musical talent ran in the Vandross family; when Vandross was only a child, his oldest sister Patricia joined a singing group called The Crests, who would go on to find success with the release of "Sixteen Candles." Unfortunately for Vandross, not everything from his child was as pleasant. At the age of eight, Vandross lost his father when Vandross Sr. fell into a diabetic coma and did not wake.
Mary Ida Vandross, a practical nurse, became the head of the family, and aside from a brief stint in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Vandross family remained in New York City. When Vandross was 14, he attended a concert in Brooklyn that would influence him for the rest of his life. There, he first saw Dionne Warwick perform the Burt Bacharach song "Anyone Who Had a Heart;" quoted in Craig Seymour's biography Luther, Vandross recalled that "what she did to me just pierced me to the core … I decided right then and there that that's what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to do to somebody what she did to me." Vandross admired other female singers during the 1960s, including The Supremes and Patti LaBelle. Labelle recalled in Entertainment Weekly shortly after Vandross's death that "[when I] first met Luther [in the mid-1960s] … I knew he was just a kid trying to get backstage so I let him come and meet us. After that, he became our fan club president."
Made First Recording
Vandross became a part of the Apollo Theater's 16-person high school musical theater group, Listen, My Brother, with whom he cut his first record, a fairly unsuccessful 45 single. The group also provided Vandross with the opportunity to perform on some of the first episodes of Sesame Street. After high school Vandross briefly attended Western Michigan University, but dropped out to pursue his musical ambitions. Back in New York, Vandross wrote and sold songs, much to his delight. His big break did not come until 1974, however, when Vandross began working with David Bowie. After helping the singer with the arrangement for "Young Americans," Vandross set out on tour with Bowie as one of his backing singers. Soon, he was opening for the British star, although his performances were often spectacular failures.
When Bowie's American tour ended, Vandross returned to New York, where he continued to work steadily arranging songs for rising stars like Bette Midler and singing backing vocals for artists as diverse as Peabo Bryson and Gary Glitter. Deciding to form his own band, Vandross called up friends from his Listen, My Brother days as well as more recent acquaintances. Together, this group, called Luther, scored a minor hit with the song "It's Good for the Soul," although their two albums did not fare as well. In 1977, Vandross formed a professional relationship with disco hit makers Chic, appearing as a vocalist on two Chic albums. He was by then increasingly in demand as a session singer, and was also working as a vocalist for commercial jingles. In 1980, an album by dance act Change contained two songs featuring Vandross's vocals: "The Glow of Love" and "Searching." These songs garnered Vandross several offers of a record contract; however, he wanted to have creative control. Encouraged by longtime friend and associate Roberta Flack, he decided to use some of his savings to make an album.
Succeeded as a Solo Performer
Soon after completing his album Never Too Much, Vandross signed with Epic Records. Epic provided him with the artistic license he craved, and the professional relationship was a good one. His first single, the album's title track, quickly rose to the top of the R&B charts. He went out on tour, opening for acts like Chaka Khan, Kool and the Gang and even Aretha Franklin. In 1982, Vandross was nominated for, but did not win, the Grammy Award for Best New Artist. That same year, however, he released his second solo album Forever, For Always, For Love to great R&B success. By 1983, when Vandross released his third platinum album, Busy Body, he had become one of the most successful African-American solo artists of all time.
Vandross's next album The Night I Fell in Love, was released in 1985. This album also achieved million-selling, platinum status, although Vandross's success remained confined to the R&B charts; unlike other successful R&B artists like Lionel Richie, Vandross had not had a crossover hit gain recognition with pop audiences. Vandross's 1985 tour featured an opening act performer who would also make that leap into pop, a young singer named Whitney Houston. Much of Vandross's little time away from his solo career in the early 1980s was spent producing comeback albums for such respected soul singers as Aretha Franklin and Dionne Warwick, the very woman who had inspired Vandross to pursue a singing career as a teenager.
Endured Through Controversy
In 1985, Vandross experienced for the first time one of the negative aspects of celebrity: gossip. Always closemouthed about his personal life Vandross, who never married and had no children, refused to name anyone with whom he had been romantically involved or even their genders. Throughout his life, Vandross battled weight problems, sometimes weighing over 300 pounds on his six-foot, two-inch frame; when he lost a significant amount of weight and rumors began to circulate that he had AIDS, Vandross found it hard to provide a believable denial. In the mid-1980s, AIDS was a mysterious disease associated at the time with a homosexual lifestyle. Fortunately for him, most people accepted his denials and he emerged essentially unscathed from the controversy. However, his personal reticence would fuel potentially harmful rumors regarding his sexuality for the rest of his life.
In January 1986, misfortune struck Vandross again when he caused a serious automobile accident in Los Angeles, California, where he had recently relocated. His convertible crossed the center line and struck two oncoming cars; Vandross suffered broken ribs and minor cuts and bruises, but his two passengers had far more serious injuries. Teenaged singer Jimmy Salvemini, whose debut album Vandross had just finished producing, had a collapsed lung; his older brother and manager, Larry Salvemini, died as the result of his injuries. Due to the tragedy, Salvemini's album was never released.
To distract himself from recent unpleasant events, Vandross returned to work. His fifth album, Give Me the Reason, although containing two more singles that reached the top of the R&B charts - "Stop to Love" and "There's Nothing Better than Love" - did not produce any songs that received attention from a pop audience. The year concluded on a dismal note, when Vandross faced civil charges stemming from the automobile accident that January. He pleaded no contest to reckless driving, was placed on probation for a year's time and directed to perform a benefit concert for a scholarship in the deceased passenger's name within the year. Shortly after the trial, Vandross reached an out-of-court settlement with the Salvemini family, avoiding wrongful death charges. In 1987, Vandross garnered two more Grammy nominations, for Best R&B Male Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song for "Give Me the Reason," although he failed to win either award. Death struck close to home again that summer, when Vandross's drummer Yogi Horton committed suicide.
Succeeded in Main stream "Pop"
By 1988, Vandross had completed his sixth album, Any Love, but the events of the past two years had taken their toll on him physically, and he had regained over 100 pounds. Although Any Love was predictably successful on the R&B charts, it took a song co-written by Dionne Warwick's son, David Elliott, to finally bring Vandross the pop success that he long desired. Recorded as a new single for Vandross's 1990 greatest hits album, The Best of Luther Vandross…. The Best of Love, "Here and Now" became his first Top 10 pop success. The song also won Vandross his first Grammy Award, in 1991, for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.
When Vandross' next album, Power of Love, was released, further pop success seemed imminent: MTV placed his video for "Power of Love/Love Power" in rotation and the song climbed to number four on the pop charts. However, it quickly dropped out of the Top 10, and Vandross, disappointed and angry, filed suit to be released from his contract with Sony. The record company ultimately renegotiated with him, promising to promote his albums more aggressively. In 1992, Vandross received his second Grammy, again in the Best Male R&B Vocal Performance category, for "Power of Love/Love Power." His 1993 follow-up album, Never Let Me Go, was not critically well-received and not did match the pop success of his previous effort.
By 1994, Vandross had become increasingly upset by his failure to have a number one pop hit. The head of Sony Music, Tommy Mottola, suggested Vandross work with respected pop producer Walter Afansieff on a cover album; Vandross, despite never having had a producer on his solo albums, agreed. The result, Songs, managed to produce a number two hit, a duet with Mariah Carey called "Endless Love." However, the top spot continued to elude Vandross and critics hated his newly-produced sound. Trying to reconnect with his original fans, Vandross released a holiday album, This is Christmas, in late 1995, and the following year, an album of new material, Your Secret Love. The album went platinum and the title track reached the R&B charts, but music was changing rapidly; as Seymour noted in Luther, "the cool, never-break-a-sweat vibe of folks like Luther … seemed more dated every day."
In 1997, Vandross completed his contract with Sony with the release of a second greatest hits compilation, One Night With You. He signed with Virgin Records and began work on a new album, released in 1998 as I Know. This album - the first to miss platinum status - was a crushing disappointment. He left Virgin and took a break from recording. In 2000, Vandross signed with new label, J Records, and the following year commenced work on a new album.
Hit High Notes at the End
The self-titled release in 2001 was much more successful than I Know, bringing back his streak of platinum records. The following year, he returned to the studio; seeking to put some contemporary edge on his sound, he invited rappers Busta Rhymes, Queen Latifah and Foxy Brown, as well as pop star Beyoncé Knowles, to appear on the album. With the help of songwriter Richard Marx, Vandross had written the song he believed would define his career, "Dance with my Father." In the midst of album release preparation, Vandross unexpectedly suffered a stroke and spent weeks in the hospital followed by months at a rehabilitation center. The release of his album, Dance With My Father, went ahead as scheduled and debuted at number one on the pop charts, at last garnering Vandross the long wished-for accolades. Vandross received five Grammy nominations, winning four including the prestigious Song of the Year. Still at a rehabilitation center from his stroke, Vandross was unable to attend the ceremony.
Vandross never fully recovered from his 2003 stroke. His long-time battle with his weight added stresses of diabetes and high blood pressure to his body. On July 1, 2005, Vandross died from a heart attack. Hundreds of people, including many of the musical luminaries he had worked with, came to pay their respects at his funeral. In September 2005, J Records released a tribute album, So Amazing, featuring well-known artists singing many of Vandross's most enduring songs.
Books
Seymour, Craig, Luther: The Life and Longing of Luther Vandross, HarperCollins, 2004.
Periodicals
Entertainment Weekly, December 20, 2005; January 6, 2006. Jet, July 25, 2005.
Born Luther Ronzoni Vandross on April 20, 1951, in New York, NY; son of Mary Ida (a licensed practical nurse) Vandross Education: Attended Western Michigan University, 1970.
Career
Professional singer and songwriter, 1972-. Wrote the song "Everybody Rejoice" for the Broadway musical The Wiz, 1972; toured with David Bowie, 1974; sang and arranged on albums by numerous performers, including Chaka Khan, Bette Midler, Average White Band, and Roberta Flack, 1974-; sang commercial jingles, c. 1970s-1981; solo performer and record producer, 1981-.
Life's Work
For many years, Luther Vandross was the vintage Cadillac among the banged-up jalopies in the used car lot of male pop singers. With a sound that echoed the smooth soul stylings of the 1960s, Vandross was a fixture on the rhythm and blues charts from his solo recording debut in 1981 until his tragic stroke in 2003. Over the course of his career he has released a string of platinum albums and established himself as one of the leading romantic singers of his generation. Much of his appeal comes from his emotional approach to music, which is modeled after great female vocalists such as his friends Aretha Franklin and Dionne Warwick.
Came from Musical Family
Born in New York City in 1951, Vandross was the youngest of four children. His father, an upholsterer, died when Luther was only eight years old, leaving his mother, Mary Ida Vandross, to support the family through her job as a licensed practical nurse. They lived in the Alfred E. Smith housing project in lower Manhattan. The Vandross family was a musical one, and from an early age Luther was exposed to the black pop music of the day. His first piano lessons came at the age of three. His sister Pat was a member of a doo-wop group called the Crests, whose song "Sixteen Candles" was a fairly big hit when it came out.
By the time he was 13, Vandross was the only child still living at home. He and his mother moved to the Bronx. As a senior at William Howard Taft High School, Vandross became obsessed with the girl groups of the Motown label, as well as the gospel-based soul sounds being produced by the likes of Aretha Franklin and Cissy Houston. He was part of a crowd that liked to hang out in the school hallways and sing doo-wop. As he immersed himself more deeply in music, his interest in school waned. His grades plummeted, and he became increasingly certain that his future was in the music industry.
After high school, Vandross enrolled at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. He quit after two miserable semesters, more determined than ever to pursue his dream of becoming a professional singer. In 1972 a song written by Vandross, "Everybody Rejoice," was chosen for the Broadway musical The Wiz. Although he received substantial royalties for the composition, the money was not enough to support him completely, and Vandross continued to work at a variety of "day jobs" while he continued in his pursuit of fame.
Entered the Music Industry through the Back Door
In 1974, Vandross received his first real professional break. A childhood friend, guitarist Carlos Alomar, had landed a job backing British singer David Bowie, and he invited Vandross to accompany him to a recording session during the making of Bowie's album Young Americans. During the session, Bowie overheard Vandross mentioning some background vocal arrangement suggestions to Alomar. Bowie loved the ideas, and he immediately hired Vandross to sing and arrange backup vocals for the album. He also recorded a Vandross-penned song, "Fascination." When the album was finished, Vandross joined the Bowie tour as a backup singer. Through Bowie, Vandross made many important connections in the music industry, laying the groundwork for his own budding career.
One of the musicians to whom Bowie introduced Vandross was Bette Midler. Impressed with his voice and ideas, she hired Vandross to sing backup vocals on her next two albums. Vandross soon became much sought after for singing and arranging work, and was finally able to concentrate on music full-time. Among the artists whose recordings his voice appeared on during the next few years were Chaka Khan, Carly Simon, Ringo Starr, the Average White Band, Barbra Streisand, and Donna Summer. He also became one of Madison Avenue's favorite voices for commercial jingles. During the late 1970s, Vandross's anonymous voice was used to sell everything from fried chicken to long-distance telephone service, not to mention as a recruiting tool for the U.S. Army.
Through this combination of commercial and backup work, Vandross was earning a more-than-comfortable living from music by the end of the 1970s. Artistically, however, those jobs did not satisfy him, and he continued to try to break out as a solo act. He formed or joined several groups, with such names as Luther, Bionic Boogie, and Change, but none proved commercially viable. He also sang the lead vocal on Chic's song "Dance, Dance, Dance."
Hit the Big Time
Part of the problem in landing a solo recording contract was Vandross's insistence on total creative control of the recording process. Another problem was the prevalence of disco, a musical form antithetical to Vandross's lyrical approach. Finally, in 1980, Vandross used his own money to rent a studio and began recording. He took the resulting handful of songs to Epic Records, and he was immediately given a contract. Epic released Vandross's first solo album, Never Too Much, in 1981. The album sold more than one million copies, cracked the top ten on black pop charts, and effectively launched Vandross's career as a solo superstar.
Vandross released his follow-up album, For Ever, For Always, For Love, one year later. It, too, sold more than one million copies and cemented Vandross's growing reputation as a first class love balladeer. His third LP, Busy Body, likewise sold more a million copies. All three of those albums, and the next three as well, reached number one on the R&B charts. In fact, it was not until 1989, with The Best of Luther, The Best of Love, that a Vandross LP failed to make it to the top of the R&B charts. Each of those albums also included at least one single that made it into the R&B top ten. Meanwhile, his talent as a producer was also gaining recognition. In 1982, Vandross produced Cheryl Lynn's hit album Instant Love, and over the years, he has produced songs and/or albums for such stars as Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, and Whitney Houston.
As Vandross's career expanded, so did his waistline. At times his weight soared to well over 300 pounds. Angered by the constant mention of his size in the press, where he was tagged with such nicknames as the "heavyweight of soul," Vandross shed 120 pounds, only to seesaw back and forth between weight extremes for the next several years. In a number of interviews, Vandross has attributed this yo-yoing to his love life. When things are going well, he loses weight; when he is heartsick, he overcompensates with food.
Achieved Crossover Stardom
In spite of the success of his first several albums, by the late 1980s Vandross was vexed by his failure to produce a major crossover hit--one that would be as popular among white audiences as it was with black buyers. He finally cracked the pop top ten in 1989, with the single "Here and Now." From that point on, Vandross became the kind of fixture on the pop charts that he had been on the R&B lists for nearly a decade. In 1991, his gospel medley "Power of Love/Love Power" reached number four on the pop charts. In addition to his own albums, Vandross continued to produce recordings for other artists on occasion, and, in 1993, he made his motion picture acting debut in Robert Townsend's Meteor Man.
In 1994 Vandross released the album Songs, which consisted of remakes of hits from the past. "Endless Love," a duet with pop star Mariah Carey from the album, soared to number two on the pop charts. That same year he was spotlighted in a PBS television special, In the Spotlight, recorded at the Royal Albert Hall in London. He released a Christmas album in 1995, featuring seven new co-written songs, along with a variety of classic carols. And in 1997 Vandross sang the national anthem at the 1997 NFL Super Bowl, a sure sign of his crossover success.
Vandross's string of successes and his high public profile allowed him to experiment musically, and to seek new freedom with a new label. In 1998 ended his 16-year partnership with the Epic label, a partnership that had produced 12 hit albums and sent 22 singles onto the R&B charts. Vandross soon signed with Virgin Records, and in 1998 he released I Know, featuring such stars as Stevie Wonder, Cassandra Wilson, and Bob James. The album received generally excellent reviews, but Vandross soon left Virgin. He released Smooth Love on the AMW label in 2000, then found a more stable home with J-Records, where released three albums between 2001 and 2003, including Luther Vandross, Dance with My Father, and Live 2003 at Radio City Music Hall. Each of the albums was well received by fans and critics alike, and Vandross continued to attract adoring fans at his concert. Explaining his success to Jet, Vandross said: "It's a really good feat at this point in my career. That's what makes it so special. I don't even try to figure it out or analyze it. I just go ahead and do what feels good and that seems to work."
By 2003 Vandross was at the peak of his career. Though considered one of the enduring artists of the late twentieth century, he continued to release vibrant, meaningful music. Sadly, in April of 2003 Vandross suffered a debilitating stroke that left him temporarily in a coma; the stroke was likely caused by a combination of his recent weight gain and his ongoing struggle with diabetes. Vandross's recovery has been slow and difficult. Six months after his stroke he was just regaining the ability to speak and sing, yet he was still confined to a wheelchair and remained weak. As a result of the stroke Vandross was unable to attend the 2003 Grammy Awards (held in early 2004), where Dance with My Father was honored with four Grammys, including the award for Song of the Year. The Grammy ceremony included a tribute to Vandross performed by Alicia Keys and Celine Dion. In a taped appearance, Vandross made his first public statement, telling fans: "I wish I could be with you there tonight. I want to thank everyone for your love and support. And remember, when I say goodbye it's never for long, because I believe in the power of love."
Awards
Selected: National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Most Valuable Player-Best Male Vocalist, 1979; Grammy Awards, 1979, 1990, 1991 (2), 1996, 2003 (4); NAACP Image Awards, 1990, 2003.
Works
Selected discography
Never Too Much, Epic, 1981.
Forever, For Always, For Love, Epic, 1982.
Busy Body, Epic, 1983.
The Night I Fell in Love, Epic, 1985.
Give Me The Reason, Epic, 1986.
Any Love, Epic, 1988.
The Best of Luther Vandross, The Best of Love, Epic, 1989.
Power of Love (includes "Power of Love"/"Love Power"), Epic, 1991.
Never Let Me Go, Epic, 1993.
Songs (includes "Endless Love"), Epic, 1994.
This Is Christmas, Epic, 1995.
Your Secret Love, Sony, 1996.
I Know, Virgin, 1998.
Greatest Hits, Epic, 1999.
Smooth Love, AMW, 2000.
Luther Vandross, J-Records, 2001.
The Ultimate Luther Vandross, Epic, 2001.
The Very Best of Luther Vandross, Sony, 2002.
Dance with My Father, J-Records, 2003.
Live 2003 at Radio City Music Hall, J-Records, 2003.
The Essential Luther Vandross, Epic/Legacy, 2003.
Further Reading
Periodicals
Ebony, December 1985, pp. 83-87; December 1991, pp. 93-98; December 18, 1995, pp. 32-37.
Entertainment Weekly, October 17, 2003, p. 34.
Jet, June 28, 1993, pp. 34-36; October 24, 1994, pp. 36-39; July 16, 2001, p. 12; January 19, 2004, p. 58.
New York, February 15, 1982, pp. 45-49.
New York Times Magazine, September 22, 1991, pp. 53-63.
People, February 28, 1983, pp. 101-102; September 7, 1998, p. 121; June 16, 2003, p. 101; October 20, 2003, p. 95.
Rolling Stone, September 6, 1990, pp. 76-81.
On-line
"Luther Vandross," Biography Resource Center, www.galenet.com/servlet/BioRC (October 28, 2004).
Born on April 20, 1951, in New York, NY; son of an upholsterer and Mary Ida Vandross; youngest of four siblings. Education: Attended Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI.
Wrote "Everybody Rejoice" for The Wiz, 1972; backup singer on David Bowie's Young Americans; toured with David Bowie, 1974; Atlantic Records, backup vocalist for Bette Midler, Carly Simon, Barbra Streisand, Roberta Flack, and others, 1974-81; singer/songwriter of commercial jingles, started group, Bionic Boogie and sang with Change, 1974; signed group, Luther, with Cotillion records, 1975; signed with Sony's Epic Records, released 13 consecutive platinum selling albums, 1981-1997; performed "In the Spotlight" from Royal Albert Hall for Public Broadcasting System, 1994; moved to Virgin Records in 1998; released I Know on Virgin, 1998; released Smooth Love on AMW label, 2000; moved to J-Records, released Luther Vandross, 2001; released J-Records albums Dance With My Father and Live 2003 at Radio City Music Hall, 2003.
Awards: Grammy Awards, Best Male Vocalist, 1979; Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Here and Now," 1990; Best R&B Song for "Power of Love," 1991; Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Power of Love," 1991; Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for Your Secret Love, 1996; Song of the Year for "Dance With My Father," 2003; Best R&B Album for Dance With My Father, 2003; Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Dance With My Father," 2003; Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals (with Beyoncé Knowles) for "The Closer I Get to You," 2003.
Rhythm and blues singer Luther Vandross is best known for his soulful renditions of emotionally charged love ballads. Vandross' wide singing range runs from lush tenor to robust baritone and represents only one of his various talents. He has won numerous Grammy awards, while maintaining complete artistic control of his work. His musical compositions and arrangements have been recorded by many of the greatest American pop singers. Vandross, in addition to his fame as a solo artist, gained notoriety as one of the most talented backup singers in modern music. He released an astonishing 13 platinum albums in succession, beginning with his first major release.
Vandross was born in New York on Manhattan's Lower East Side on April 20, 1951. The youngest of four siblings, he was the son of an upholsterer who died from diabetes when Vandross was just eight. As a result, Vandross developed a close relationship with his mother, Mary Ida Vandross. The Vandross children were musically inclined, a trait that was encouraged by their parents. His mother recognized Vandross' particular musical bent and saw to his musical education when he was still very young, beginning his piano lessons at age three.
One of Vandross' older sisters sang with the Crests as a teenager, and although she left home while Vandross was still a child, he cultivated a particular love and respect for the female singing styles. He was drawn in particular to the late 1960s moods of Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, and Aretha Franklin. Vandross saw that the unrestrained emotion of female singers was a magnificent faculty rarely found in the work of male pop vocalists. When Vandross was 13 he moved with his mother to the South Bronx in New York where he attended Taft High School. His interest in music became overpowering by his senior year, and although he enrolled at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan, he abandoned his formal education after by the end of his second semester, opting instead to embark on a musical career.
Luck and Talent From that point Vandross achieved prominence through a delicate combination of talent and luck. One of his compositions, "Everybody Rejoice," was incorporated into the score of the Broadway musical The Wiz in 1972. Two years later he attended some taping sessions for rock star David Bowie in the company of a friend who worked as part of the Bowie entourage. As Vandross observed the taping sessions he expressed personal observations about Bowie's musical arrangements. Vandross used his own voice to illustrate his ideas, and his comments were taken seriously by Bowie, who encouraged Vandross to join the company as a backup artist on Bowie's album Young Americans.
Eventually Vandross was invited to tour with Bowie, as a warm up for Bowie's act. Vandross accepted the offer, but soon complained that the experience was exhausting, and expressed apprehension. The stress of performance caused him to be nervous and overwrought. He felt anxious at the thought of facing an audience of strangers. Bowie, convinced of Vandross' potential, influenced Vandross to persevere, emphasizing to Vandross that the experiences of live performance would be critical to his future success as an entertainer.
In time Bowie referred Vandross to Bette Midler who arranged to hire Vandross as a backup singer. Vandross embarked on a career as a backup singer for many popular artists including Carly Simon, Barbra Streisand, and the Average White Band. He also made a lucrative living singing jingles for television commercials. During this time Vandross sang with the disco band Change and created a group called Bionic Boogie, a studio production of sound mixes, all performed by Vandross—a virtual one-man band.
Began Solo Career Vandross formed his own R&B group, Luther, in 1975. With the influence of Arif Mardin the group Luther signed to record with Cotillion Records. Luther was a short-lived enterprise, their records falling well short of expectations. Vandross, meanwhile, aspired to a recording contract that would allow him complete creative control over his recordings. Vandross signed with Epic Records in 1981 and his popularity, both as a singer and a songwriter, flourished steadily from that point forward.
Over the years Vandross wrote songs for other artists such as Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, and Dionne Warwick, while his own singing career blossomed steadily. By 1991 his double album, The Best of Luther Vandross, The Best of Love, became a double platinum seller, and Vandross' success was assured. In 1991-92 Vandross embarked on a tour of the United States that culled a total attendance of 650,000 spectators nationwide and earned $15 million in box office receipts. In 1994 he performed a television special for the Public Broadcasting System called In the Spotlight, at Royal Albert Hall in London. He released a Christmas album in 1995, featuring seven new co-written songs, along with a variety of classic carols. In 1996 Vandross performed at the Essence Music Festival. He received the honor of singing the national anthem at the 1997 NFL Super Bowl, and that same year went on a five-city tour beginning in Las Vegas and culminating in Washington D.C.
Ended Epic Partnership Vandross parted ways with Epic in 1998, after a 16-year partnership during which Vandross released 12 hit albums and sent 22 of singles into the top ten of the R&B charts. The separation from Epic's parent company, Sony, attributed to a dispute over artistic freedom, led to a new contract for Vandross with Virgin Records. His debut with Virgin, 1998's I Know, featured
a bevy of stars including Stevie Wonder, Cassandra Wilson, and Bob James. The album received generally excellent reviews. Despite achieving super-stardom as a solo artist, Vandross continued to sing as a back up from time to time for a number of notable singers.
Vandross received four Grammy awards from 1990-98, including two for "Power of Love." All together he received three Grammy nominations in 1994, four nominations in 1995; three nominations in 1996, and three in 1997. Vandross made an acting debut in 1993 in the Robert Townsend film The Meteor Man and co-hosted the Soul Train Music Awards.
I Know turned out to be Vandross's last, as well as first, album for Virgin. After cutting 2000's Smooth Love with the AMW label, he moved to J-Records, where he found a more permanent home. He debuted on that label with a self-titled album in 2001. The new label proved to be a good match for Vandross, and he hit the road for a highly successful concert tour following the release of Luther Vandross. The album went platinum, and Vandross sold out Radio City Music Hall for eight nights.
Taking advantage of his new-found artistic freedom at his new label, Vandross released the very personal Dance With My Father, in whose title cut he wishes for one last chance to spend time with his father. Said Vandross of this album on the J-Records website, "I wrote the songs as we went along so it's definitely fresh and reflects where I'm at musically, lyrically and creatively."
Vandross suffered a debilitating stroke in early 2003, and spent the next several months slowly recovering away from the public eye. Dance With My Father was nominated for five Grammy Awards in 2003, and though Vandross was still too ill to attend the ceremony in early 2004, he was there in spirit as he took home four Grammys, including the award for Song of the Year. The Grammy ceremony also included a tribute to Vandross perfomed by Alicia Keys and Celine Dion. In a taped appearance, Vandross made his first public statement since his stroke to the Grammy audience and home viewers. "I wish I could be with you there tonight. I want to thank everyone for your love and support. And remember, when I say goodbye it's never for long, because I believe in the power of love."
Selected discography
Albums Never Too Much, Epic, 1981. Forever, For Always, For Love, Epic, 1982. Busy Body, Epic, 1983. The Night I Fell in Love, Columbia, 1985. Any Love, Epic, 1988. Power of Love, Epic/Legacy, 1991. Never Let Me Go, Epic, 1993. Songs, Epic, 1994. This is Christmas, Sony, 1995. Your Secret Love, Sony, 1996. I Know, Virgin, 1998. Smooth Love, AMW, 2000. Luther Vandross, J-Records, 2001. Home for Christmas, Sony Special, 2002. Stop to Love, Sony Special, 2002. Dance With My Father, J-Records, 2003. Live 2003 at Radio City Music Hall, J-Records, 2003.
EPs and Singles Give Me the Reason, Epic/Legacy, 1986. Power of Love, Sony, 1991. Don't Want to Be a Fool, Sony, 1991. Never Too Much, Sony, 1991. The Rush, Sony, 1991. May Christmas Bring You Happiness, Atlantic, 1991. Best Things in Life Are Free, A&M, 1992. Sometimes It's Only Love, Sony, 1992. Heaven Knows, Sony, 1993. Never Let Me Go, Sony, 1993. Always & Forever/Power of Love, Sony, 1994. Always & Forever/Here & Now, Sony, 1994. Endless Love, Sony, 1994. Love the One You're With, Sony, 1995. Going in Circles, Sony, 1995. Your Secret Love, Sony, 1996. I Can Make It Better, Sony, 1996. Are You Using Me, EMI, 1998. Heart of a Hero, Sony, 1999. Take You Out, J-Records, 2001. Can Heaven Wait?, J-Records, 2001.
Compilations The Best of Luther Vandross, The Best of Love, Epic, 1989. Best Remixes, Alex, 1991. To Love, AMW, 1995. Never Too Much/Forever, For Always, For Love/Busy Body, Sony, 1995. Luther Vandross 1981-1995 Greatest Hits, Epic, 1996. One Night With You: The Best of Love II, Epic, 1997. Love Is on the Way, One Way, 1998. Night I Fell in Love/Give Me the Reason/Power of Love, Sony, 1998. Always & Forever: The Classics, LV/Epic, 1998. Greatest Hits, Epic, 1999. Super Hits, Sony, 2000. The Ultimate Luther Vandross, Epic, 2001. The Very Best of Luther Vandross, Sony, 2002. The Very Best of Love, Madacy, 2002. The Essential Luther Vandross, Epic/Legacy, 2003.
Sources
Books Clarke, Donald, editor, The Penguin Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Viking, 1989.
Stambler, Irwin, editor, Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock & Soul, St. Martin's, 1989.
Periodicals Arizona Republic, December 19, 1997. Baltimore Afro-American, November 30, 1996. Detroit News, September 1, 1998. Gannett News Service, November 27, 1994. Independent, March 7, 1997, p. 10(2). Rocky Mountain News, September 5, 1997, p. 18D. St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 4, 1997, p. 5. Sacramento Observer, January 22, 1997. Tulsa World, August 7, 1998.
Luther Vandross was one of the most successful R&B artists of the 1980s and '90s. Not only did he score a series of multi-million-selling albums containing chart-topping hit singles and perform sold-out tours of the U.S. and around the world, but he also took charge of his music creatively, writing or co-writing most of his songs and arranging and producing his records. He also performed these functions for other artists, providing them with hits as well. He was, however, equally well known for his distinctive interpretations of classic pop and R&B songs, reflecting his knowledge and appreciation of the popular music of his youth. Possessed of a smooth, versatile tenor voice, he charmed millions with his romantic music.
Vandross was born in New York City on April 20, 1951, and grew up in the Alfred E. Smith housing projects in lower Manhattan. Both of his parents, Luther Vandross, Sr., an upholsterer, and Mary Ida Vandross, a nurse, sang, and they encouraged their children to pursue music as a career. Vandross Sr.'s older sister Patricia Van Dross was an early member of the Crests in the mid-'50s (appearing on their early singles, but leaving before they achieved success with "Sixteen Candles"), and Vandross himself began playing the piano at the age of three and took lessons at five, although he remained a largely self-taught musician. After the death of his father in 1959 when he was eight years old, he was raised by his mother, who moved the family to the Bronx. While attending William Howard Taft High School, he formed a vocal group, Shades of Jade, with friends Carlos Alomar, Robin Clark, Anthony Hinton, Diane Sumler, and Fonzi Thornton. All five, along with 11 other teenage performers, were also part of a musical theater workshop, Listen, My Brother, organized by the Apollo Theater in Harlem that recorded a single, "Listen, My Brother"/"Only Love Can Make a Better World," and appeared on the initial episodes of the children's television series Sesame Street in 1969. After graduating from high school that year, Vandross attended Western Michigan University, but dropped out after a year and returned home. He spent the next few years working at odd jobs while trying to break into the music business.
In 1973, Vandross got two of his compositions, "In This Lovely Hour" and "Who's Gonna Make It Easier for Me," recorded by Delores Hall on her album Hall-Mark, singing the latter song with her as a duet. In 1974, though uncredited, he sang background vocals on Maggie Bell's Queen of the Night, and in August of the same year Carlos Alomar, who had become David Bowie's guitarist, invited him to attend a Bowie recording session at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia. He quickly became more than an observer, singing background vocals, serving as a vocal arranger, and co-writing the song "Fascination" with Bowie. The session resulted in the album Young Americans, released in March 1975, and Vandross also went on tour with Bowie in September 1974 as both backup singer and opening act. Meanwhile, Vandross' 1972 composition "Everybody Rejoice (A Brand New Day)" was featured in the Broadway musical The Wiz, which opened a run of 1,672 performances on January 5, 1975. (It was later made into a 1978 film.) The show starred Stephanie Mills, who used Vandross as a background singer on her 1975 album Movin' in the Right Direction. (He also sang, uncredited, on Gary Glitter's self-titled 1975 album.)
Through Bowie, Vandross met Bette Midler, who hired him to arrange vocals for her Broadway revue Bette Midler's Clams on the Half Shell, which played ten weeks at the Minskoff Theater starting on April 14, 1975. Midler also introduced him to her record producer, Arif Mardin, at Atlantic Records, and Vandross began to get steady work as a background singer and vocal arranger. In 1976, he appeared on albums by Midler (Songs for the New Depression), the Brecker Brothers Band (Back to Back), Roy Buchanan (A Street Called Straight), Andy Pratt (Resolution), and Judy Collins (Bread and Roses). He also put together a vocal quintet called Luther, consisting of himself, former Shades of Jade members Anthony Hinton and Diane Sumler, Theresa V. Reed, and Christine Wiltshire, which signed to Atlantic's Cotillion Records subsidiary. Their self-titled debut album was released in June 1976. It did not sell well enough to reach the charts, but the tracks "It's Good for the Soul," "Funky Music (Is a Part of Me)," and "The Second Time Around" reached the R&B Top 40. Reed and Wiltshire dropped out, and the remaining trio made a second Luther album, This Close to You (April 1977), with Vandross given top billing, while Hinton and Sumler were credited as featured soloists. The title song reached the R&B charts, but that wasn't enough to keep Cotillion from dropping the group, which then broke up. (Vandross acquired the rights to the Luther recordings and saw to it that they remained out of print.)
Meanwhile, Vandross continued doing sessions. In 1977, he appeared on albums by Nils Lofgren (I Came to Dance), Geils (aka the J. Geils Band; Monkey Island), the Average White Band and Ben E. King (Benny and Us), Andy Pratt (Shiver in the Night), Ringo Starr (Ringo the 4th), and Chic (Chic). He also entered the lucrative world of writing and singing commercial jingles, and before long was the musical voice of everything from telephones, fast food, and beverages to various branches of the U.S. military on radio and television. And the recording sessions continued. In 1978, he appeared on albums by Garland Jeffreys (One Eyed Jack), Carly Simon (Boys in the Trees), Roy Buchanan (You're Not Alone), Quincy Jones (Sounds...and Stuff Like That!!), Norma Jean (Norma Jean), T. Life (That's Life), Roberta Flack (Roberta Flack), Odyssey (Hollywood Party Tonight), the soundtrack to the movie version of The Wiz, Chic (C'est Chic), Cat Stevens (Back to Earth), David Spinozza (Spinozza), Carole Bayer Sager (Too), Sean Delaney (Highway), the Good Vibrations (I Get Around), and Lemon (Lemon). And he was the uncredited lead singer on the song "Get on Up (Get on Down)," by Roundtree, an R&B chart entry that fall.
Vandross began to gain greater attention in 1979. During the year, he appeared on albums by Sister Sledge (We Are Family), the Average White Band (Feel No Fret), Chic (Risqué), Bette Midler (Thighs and Whispers), Jay Hoggard (Days Like These), Revelation (Get in Touch), John Tropea (To Touch You Again), the Charlie Calello Orchestra (Calello Serenade), Charme (Let It In), Cher (Prisoner), Roberta Flack (Featuring Donny Hathaway), Delores Hall (Delores Hall, Evelyn "Champagne" King (Music Box), Ben Sidran (The Cat and the Hat), and Soirée (Soirée), and on the soundtracks to the films Sunnyside and The Warriors. Especially on the jazz and disco recordings, he was just as likely to be a featured vocalist as a background singer. And he got a prominent credit when he arranged the background vocals for Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer's duet "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)," which became a number one pop hit in November 1979. He gained even more recognition in 1980, a year in which he appeared on studio albums by Chaka Khan (Naughty), Melba Moore (Closer), Mtume (In Search of the Rainbow Seekers), Dave Valentin (Land of the Third Eye), the Brecker Brothers (Detente), Terumasa Hino (Daydream), Cissy Houston (Step Aside for a Lady), Jimmy Maelen (Beats Workin'), the Jess Roden Band (Stonechaser), and the Michael Zager Band (Zager), as well as live albums by Bette Midler (Divine Madness) and the duo of Roberta Flack and Peabo Bryson (Live & More), and on the soundtrack to the film Fame. But the most important credit for him that year was his work as lead vocalist of the studio group Change. He sang on the band's tracks "Searching," a Top 40 R&B hit, and "The Glow of Love," which also reached the R&B charts, and his name was listed prominently on the discs. This increased his profile even more, and he began circulating a demo tape to recording companies, seeking a solo deal that would allow him to write and produce his own records. On April 21, 1981, he signed with the Epic Records subsidiary of the major label CBS Records.
Vandross immediately began work on his debut album, cutting down on sideman sessions, although during 1981 he appeared on albums by Bob James (All Around the Town), Bernard Wright ('Nard), Change (Miracles), the J. Geils Band (Freeze Frame), Hi Gloss (You'll Never Know), the Brooklyn, Bronx & Queens Band (The Brooklyn, Bronx & Queens Band), Stephanie Mills (Stephanie), and the Spinners (Can't Shake This Feelin'), and in June 1981 his composition "You Stopped Loving Me" was sung by Roberta Flack, with him arranging and singing background vocals, on the soundtrack to the film Bustin' Loose and became a Top 40 R&B hit for her. (Damaris revived the song for an R&B chart entry in 1984.) Vandross' own version was included on his debut solo album, Never Too Much, released in August. The LP was a tour de force for him; he produced it and wrote six of its seven songs, the exception being a cover of Burt Bacharach and Hal David's Dionne Warwick hit "A House Is Not a Home." Vandross expressed his musical vision on Never Too Much, and that vision was of a smooth neo-soul style that recalled the pop/R&B of his youth, particularly the music of such predecessors as Warwick, Aretha Franklin, the softer Motown artists, like Smokey Robinson, and some of the girl groups of the early '60s, such as the Shirelles.
To those influences, Vandross added some contemporary elements of jazz and disco. But his approach was steeped in tradition; he was a stylist, harking back to the past, yet pointing to a possible post-disco future for R&B music. And R&B fans responded warmly. The title song, "Never Too Much," topped the R&B charts; second single "Don't You Know That?" reached the R&B Top Ten; and third single "Sugar and Spice (I Found Me a Girl)" also charted R&B. The album hit number one R&B in November and was certified gold in December. (It went platinum five years later and double platinum in 1997.) But Vandross encountered more resistance in the pop realm, where the album reached only the Top 20 and the single "Never Too Much" only made the Top 40. Artistically and commercially, these results set a pattern for Vandross' career. Appearing regularly, his albums showed great consistency in style and content, even to the point of featuring a cover of a classic pop/R&B song on each disc. And while they also sold consistently to the R&B audience, they rarely received equal support from pop fans.
Having successfully launched his solo career, Vandross might have been expected to abandon session work; certainly, he had less time for it. But he still enjoyed working as a background singer, so he still did it selectively. In 1982, for example, he appeared on albums by Irene Cara (Anyone Can See), Michael Franks (Objects of Desire), Kleeer (Taste the Music), Bob James (Hands Down), Linda Clifford (I'll Keep on Loving You, and Ullanda McCullough (Watching Me, Watching You). At the same time, Vandross' demonstrated abilities as songwriter, producer, and vocal arranger opened up to him the opportunity to work in these capacities with some of the artists he had grown up idolizing, as well as his contemporaries. He first turned his attention to Cheryl Lynn, producing her R&B Top Ten album Instant Love (June 1982); writing the title song, which became a Top 20 R&B hit; and singing a duet with her on a revival of the 1968 Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell hit "If This World Were Mine," which reached the R&B Top Five. ("Look Before You Leap," from the album, also made the R&B charts.)
Next, he turned to Aretha Franklin, producing her July 1982 LP Jump to It, and writing or co-writing four of its eight songs, including the title track, an R&B number one; "Love Me Right," which went Top 40 R&B; and "This Is for Real," an R&B chart entry. Topping the R&B chart, it was her first gold album in six years. He also sang on Diana Ross' October 1982 LP Silk Electric. Somehow, he found time to make his second solo album, Forever, for Always, for Love, released in September, again serving as his own producer and writing or co-writing all the tracks except for covers of Smokey Robinson's 1965 hit for the Temptations "Since I Lost My Baby" and, in a medley with his own "Bad Boy," Sam Cooke's "Having a Party." Vandross' co-writers on some of the songs were bassist Marcus Miller and keyboard player Nat Adderley, Jr. (a former member of Listen, My Brother), musical associates who would work with him throughout his career. A musical complement to Never Too Much, Forever, for Always, for Love was another R&B chart-topper for Vandross, throwing off three singles, the Top Five "Bad Boy/Having a Party," the Top 20 "Since I Lost My Baby," and the chart entry "Promise Me." That, of course, was as far as the R&B charts were concerned. On the pop side, the album went Top 20 and only "Bad Boy/Having a Party" charted. Nevertheless, the LP was certified gold in two months and platinum in six.
Vandross' multiple career tracks continued apace in 1983. He sang on albums by David Sanborn (Backstreet), James Ingram (It's Your Night), former Shades of Jade member Fonzi Thornton (The Leader), Linda Lewis (A Tear and a Smile), Stephanie Mills (Merciless), and Betty Wright (Back at You). He produced Aretha Franklin's next album, Get It Right, composing the title song, which hit number one R&B, with Marcus Miller, and its follow-up, "Every Girl (Wants My Guy)," a Top Ten R&B hit. Then, he turned to another idol of his youth, Dionne Warwick, producing her album How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye. He and Warwick sang the title song as a duet that became her first R&B Top Ten hit in eight years; it also made the pop Top 40. "Got a Date," the Vandross/Miller composition released as a second single from the album, also made the R&B charts. And, although it took until December, Vandross managed to come up with his third solo album, the aptly titled Busy Body. On this album, he co-produced several of the tracks with Miller, also writing most of the material with Miller and Nat Adderley, Jr., the exceptions being "How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye" and a medley of the Leon Russell/Bonnie Bramlett standard "Superstar" with Stevie Wonder's "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)." As usual, there were three singles: "I'll Let You Slide" and "Superstar/Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)" made the R&B Top Ten, and "Make Me a Believer" was a chart entry (of the three, only the medley scraped into the pop chart); as usual, the album hit number one R&B, but only the Top 40 of the pop chart; and as usual, sales certifications poured in, the album going gold in two months and platinum in January 1985.
Vandross finally eased off on his recording schedule during 1984, if only because he was now a major concert attraction and toured in both North America and Europe. His only credit for the year was his composing (with Marcus Miller), arranging, producing, and singing background vocals on the song "You're My Choice Tonight (Choose Me)" for Teddy Pendergrass, a Top 20 R&B hit. Vandross thus was able to lavish more time on his fourth album, The Night I Fell in Love, released in March 1985. Overall producer credit again went to him, with three of the eight tracks co-produced by Miller. Six of the songs were written by Vandross alone or co-written with Miller or Nat Adderley, Jr., the exceptions being covers of Brenda Russell's "If Only for One Night" and Stevie Wonder's "Creepin'." The album spawned four R&B single hits: "'Til My Baby Comes Home" (Top Ten and a Top 40 pop hit); "It's Over Now" (Top Five); "Wait for Love" (Top 20); and "If Only for One Night." The album spent seven weeks atop Billboard's R&B LP list, going gold and platinum simultaneously as soon as it was eligible for certification in May and double platinum in 1990. It also reached number 14 in the pop charts, Vandross' best showing yet. With his own album out of the way, he made some selected appearances on other albums during 1985, contributing a song, "She's So Good to Me," to the soundtrack of the film The Goonies and singing on albums by Carly Simon (Spoiled Girl), Patti Austin (Gettin' Away with Murder), and Wonder (In Square Circle). He also sang background vocals on the Temptations' "Do You Really Love Your Baby," a song he co-wrote with Miller that peaked in the R&B Top 20 in early 1986.
Vandross spent much of 1986 working on his own material, only pausing to contribute background vocals on David Bowie's soundtrack to the film Labyrinth. The results of his efforts were first heard in June when "Give Me the Reason" was included on the soundtrack to the film Ruthless People and released as a single that went Top Five R&B and reached the pop chart. Vandross' fifth album, also titled Give Me the Reason, followed in September. His fifth consecutive R&B chart-topper, it included additional singles "Stop to Love" (number one R&B and his first Top 20 pop hit); the duet with Gregory Hines "There's Nothing Better Than Love," co-written with John "Skip" Anderson, a synthesizer player in Vandross' band (also number one R&B and a pop chart entry); "I Really Didn't Mean It" (Top Ten R&B); and "So Amazing" (an R&B chart entry of a Vandross song previously recorded by Dionne Warwick, whose Burt Bacharach/Hal David hit "Anyone Who Had a Heart" was revived on the LP). Simultaneous gold and platinum certifications in December were followed by a double-platinum award in 1990.
In 1987, Vandross contributed a song, "It's Hard for Me to Say," which he co-wrote with John "Skip" Anderson and co-produced, to Diana Ross' album Red Hot Rhythm & Blues, and worked as a background singer and arranger on Ava Cherry's Picture Me and Cheryl Lynn's Start Over. He also appeared on Irene Cara's Carasmatic, Nick Kamen's self-titled album, and Doc Powell's Love Is Where It's At. Meanwhile, Gerald Albright covered "So Amazing" and took it into the R&B Top 20. In 1988, Vandross sang background vocals on Patti Austin's The Real Me and Barbra Streisand's Till I Loved You, and he wrote "The Girl Wants to Dance with You," which became a Top Ten R&B hit for Gregory Hines. The song appeared on Hines' self-titled album, which Vandross produced. Otherwise, he spent the two-year interval between his fifth and sixth albums doing shows and working on that sixth album, Any Love, which appeared in October 1988 and was supported by a three-month U.S. tour. By now, Marcus Miller had been promoted to full co-producer, and other co-writers had joined the team, but the approach was still the same. And so was the success. Any Love topped the R&B charts and gave Vandross his first Top Ten pop album, with the usual simultaneous gold and platinum certifications two months after release. The title song topped the R&B list and penetrated the pop chart; second single "She Won't Talk to Me" went Top Five R&B and made the pop Top 40; and "For You to Love" was another Top Five R&B hit.
Vandross had by now become an international success, and a record-breaking ten-night stand at London's Wembley Arena in March 1989 was commemorated with a home video, Live at Wembley. At the close of an enormously successful decade, Vandross and Epic determined to sum things up, and in October 1989 issued the two-LP greatest-hits compilation The Best of Luther Vandross: The Best of Love, which included two new tracks, "Here and Now" and "Treat You Right." With those additions, the collection didn't just summarize Vandross' career, it finally gave him his long-sought major crossover hit, as "Here and Now," a song co-written by Dionne Warwick's son David L. Elliott with Terry Steele, not only topped the R&B chart but also hit the pop Top Ten, going gold in the process. It also won Vandross his first Grammy Award, for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male. "Treat You Right" went Top Five R&B, and the set was a million seller by March 1990. (By 1997, it was triple platinum.) Between the release of the hits album and his next regular studio album, Power of Love, which appeared in April 1991, Vandross as usual lent his talents to other artists' recordings. He sang background vocals for Quincy Jones (Back on the Block), Paul Jackson, Jr. (Out of the Shadows), and David Lasley (Soldiers on the Moon). He contributed a song, "There's Only You," to the soundtrack of the 1990 film Made in Heaven. He wrote and produced the song "Who Do You Love" for Whitney Houston's album I'm Your Baby Tonight. And he served as an arranger, producer, and background vocalist on Lisa Fischer's So Intense, released the same day as Power of Love.
Vandross' seventh album, Power of Love suggested that the pop breakthrough he had achieved with "Here and Now" would be sustained. The advance single, a medley of Vandross and Marcus Miller's song "Power of Love" with the Sandpebbles' 1967 hit "Love Power," not only topped the R&B charts, but also went Top Five pop, and the LP, Vandross' seventh R&B number one, was his second to penetrate the pop Top Ten. A million seller by June 1991, it went double platinum two years later in the wake of the further singles "Don't Want to Be a Fool" (Top Five R&B, Top Ten pop), "The Rush" (Top Ten R&B and a pop chart entry), and "Sometimes It's Only Love" (Top Ten R&B). Vandross' national tour to support the album began in September 1991 and included four sold-out nights at Madison Square Garden in October as it ran through January 1992. "Power of Love/Love Power" was named Best R&B Song at the 1991 Grammys, and the Power of Love album won Vandross another trophy for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male.
One might have supposed that all was well in the world of Luther Vandross, but on January 2, 1992, he filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court against Sony Music Entertainment (which had acquired CBS Records), citing California Labor Code Section 2855, which limits personal service contracts to seven years. By then, he had been with CBS/Sony for nearly 11 years, fulfilling a ten-album contract that still had three albums to go. Vandross was not the first or the last recording artist to file such a suit, and whether he really wanted to void his contract, believing that Epic still hadn't done enough to sell his records to the pop audience, or simply intended to use the suit to induce the record company to renegotiate his deal on more favorable terms, is unclear. Not for the first or last time, the record company in question settled quietly, not wishing to test the law. The terms of the settlement were not reported, but thereafter, Vandross had his own vanity label, his records going out under the Epic/LV imprint.
As usual, following the release of Power of Love, Vandross found the time to work with other artists. He appeared on 1991 albums by BeBe & CeCe Winans (Different Lifestyles), Patti LaBelle (Burnin'), Richard Marx (Rush Street), and Kevin Owens (That Time Again), and he co-wrote and produced the song "Doctor's Orders" on Aretha Franklin's What You See Is What You Sweat. In 1992, without a new album out, he kept his name before the public with special appearances, starting with the soundtrack to the film Mo' Money, released in June, which featured a song called "The Best Things in Life Are Free" (not the 1927 standard by Buddy DeSylva, Lew Brown, and Ray Henderson, but a newly written composition) that he performed with Janet Jackson, Bell Biv DeVoe, and Ralph Tresvant (which is to say, four of the five members of New Edition). It hit number one on the R&B chart and went Top Ten pop. Next, Vandross wrote and performed the theme song "Heart of a Hero" for the soundtrack of the movie Hero, released in October 1992, and the same month he contributed a performance of "The Christmas Song" to the seasonal charity album A Very Special Christmas, Vol. 2. He made more modest contributions to two albums released in the first quarter of 1993, Dionne Warwick's Friends Can Be Lovers and Eddie Murphy's Love's Alright.
Never Let Me Go, Vandross' eighth album, was released on June 1, 1993, prefaced by the single "Little Miracles (Happen Every Day)." Maybe the promotional staff at Epic Records was demoralized by the recent lawsuit, or perhaps changing musical styles, notably the rise of hip-hop, were affecting matters, but the commercial response to Vandross' new music was slightly disappointing. The single reached the R&B Top Ten but was only a minor pop chart entry, and Never Let Me Go, despite marking a new pop chart peak for Vandross at number six, stayed in that chart less than half the tenure enjoyed by Power of Love; on the R&B chart, it crested at number three, Vandross' first new album not to reach number one. Three further singles charted -- "Heaven Knows," a cover of the Bee Gees' "How Deep Is Your Love," and "Never Let Me Go" -- but none was a substantial hit. The falloff in sales was actually minor; the album took one month longer to go platinum than Vandross albums usually did. But for the first time, the singer's momentum was slowing. Despite this, he continued his usual round of activities, initially touring Europe to promote the album; appearing in the small part of a hitman in the film The Meteor Man in August; launching a U.S. arena tour that began in September and ran through November; and, in November, singing a duet with Frank Sinatra of Rodgers & Hart's "The Lady Is a Tramp" as the leadoff track on Sinatra's celebrated Duets album. Then it was back to Europe for another round of dates.
Vandross also paid visits to his friends in recording studios, resulting in appearances on the 1994 albums Paid Vacation by Richard Marx, Restless by Bob James, and World Tour by Jason Miles. But he clearly knew something had to be done to revitalize his own recording career. An idea came from Sony president Tommy Mottola and his then-wife, superstar Mariah Carey. Vandross had put at least one oldie on every one of his albums: why not do an all-covers album? For most other artists, this would have seemed like a typically clichéd record company concept, commercial but artistically stifling. For Vandross, who was steeped in pop music history and who had done some of his best work reimagining the music of others, it was a natural. He even agreed to give up the production reins to a Sony stalwart, the commercially savvy Walter Afanasieff, whose recent clients included Carey, Michael Bolton, and Celine Dion. The result was the modestly titled Songs, released September 27, 1994. The album was prefaced by a cover of the 1981 Lionel Richie/Diana Ross hit "Endless Love," on which Vandross sang a duet with Carey. The single peaked at number two on the pop charts, a new high for Vandross, even outpacing its number seven showing on the R&B charts. The album went to number two R&B and number five pop, another crossover high for the singer. With follow-up singles in revivals of Heatwave's 1978 hit "Always and Forever" (Top 20 R&B and a pop chart entry) and the double-sided "Going in Circles"/"Love the One You're With" (the former previously a hit for both the Friends of Distinction and the Gap Band; the latter the Stephen Stills hit), which went Top 40 R&B and was another pop chart entry, the album was an immediate million-seller and went double platinum within 18 months.
His commercial status restored, Vandross undertook his usual pursuits, singing background vocals on the occasional album (Cindy Mizelle's Cindy Mizelle [1994], Naomi Campbell's Babywoman, Yvonne Lewis' No Strangers in Paradise [both 1995]) and undertaking a tour that began on May 31, 1995, in San Diego, CA. For his next album, he tried another favorite record company concept, the holiday collection. This Is Christmas, which contained seven originals along with only three traditional Christmas songs and restored the production team of Vandross, Nat Adderley, Jr., and Marcus Miller, was released October 24, 1995. It went Top Five R&B (with the track "Every Year, Every Christmas" making the R&B Top 40) and peaked at number 28 in the pop charts. An immediately certified gold album, it became a perennial seller and went platinum in 2002. Also in the 1995 holiday season, Vandross contributed a track, "The Thrill I'm In," to the soundtrack of the film Money Train.
Vandross did some touring during the summer of 1996, and he contributed a cover of the Peter, Paul & Mary hit "If I Had a Hammer" to the benefit album For Our Children Too, released in September, but he spent most of the year working on Your Secret Love, the album that would complete his Epic Records contract. It was released on October 1, following the title song, which came out as an advance single that made the R&B Top Five and was a pop chart entry. (The track went on to win Vandross another Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male.) The album itself spent a week at number two in the R&B charts and made the pop Top Ten, as second single "I Can Make It Better" hit the R&B Top 20, also making the pop chart, and third single "Love Don't Love You Anymore" became a minor R&B hit. Simultaneous gold and platinum certifications arrived in December.
Vandross spent much of 1997 touring, beginning with an appearance at Superbowl XXXI on January 26 to sing the national anthem. He did take time out to sing background vocals on Richard Marx's April release, Flesh & Bone, however. On September 30, Epic/LV released his valedictory collection, One Night with You: The Best of Love, Vol. 2, which began with four new recordings, none of them written or produced by him, but instead contributed by such usually reliable hitmakers as Diane Warren, R. Kelly, and the team of Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. Understandably, Epic didn't do much of a promotional job on this contractual obligation release, which nevertheless reached the R&B Top 40 and the pop Top 50, spawning a Top 40 R&B hit in R. Kelly's "When You Call on Me/Baby That's When I Come Runnin'" and an R&B chart entry in Jam & Lewis' "I Won't Let You Do That to Me," with a gold-disc certification in December.
While weighing offers from different record companies, Vandross made some guest appearances, turning up on BeBe Winans' self-titled album in October 1997, on Jimmy Reid's Forever Loved in March 1998, and on his associate Marcus Miller's Suddenly in June. On April 8, he performed at a Burt Bacharach tribute concert at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, singing "Windows of the World" and "What the World Needs Now." The show was filmed for television and taped, resulting in a soundtrack album, One Amazing Night, released in November. Vandross also paid tribute to Patti LaBelle at the same venue on June 2 for a PBS special. Deciding on Virgin Records, a subsidiary of the major label EMI, he presented a new album, I Know, on August 11. He had already begun to introduce contemporary elements of rap and hip-hop on Your Secret Love, and I Know continued this trend, but it was a commercial disappointment, only going gold and generating just one Top 40 R&B hit in "Nights in Harlem." As a result, he left Virgin after only this one release.
During 1999 and 2000, Vandross kept his hand in with soundtrack and session work. He co-wrote and co-produced "When You're a Woman" for Lisa Fischer and Masters at Work, featured on the soundtrack of the film 24 Hour Woman, released in March 1999; contributed background vocals to Natalie Cole's Snowfall on the Sahara in June 1999; sang and arranged for Dave Koz's The Dance in September 1999; and sang background vocals and did vocal arrangements on BeBe Winans' Love & Freedom in August 2000. That same month, he ended his search for a new record company affiliation, becoming the first act signed to veteran record executive Clive Davis' new startup label, J Records. He made his label debut with the track "If I Was the One," included on the soundtrack of Dr. Doolittle 2 on June 5, 2001. The song also appeared on Luther Vandross, which was released two weeks later. Vandross and Davis served as co-album producers, with individual tracks produced by others, and new songwriters were brought in to give Vandross a new, current sound. The makeover was largely successful. Leadoff single "Take You Out" became a Top Ten R&B and Top 40 pop hit, followed by the R&B chart entry "Can Heaven Wait" and the R&B Top 40 and pop chart entry "I'd Rather," as the album made the pop Top Ten and just missed topping the R&B chart, reaching platinum status by November.
His career revitalized once again, Vandross toured in early 2002, then began work on a second album for J, taking time out to sing Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" on Doc Powell's album 97th and Columbus and to contribute background vocals to "Load Is Lifted" on Suzanne Couch's In the Rhythm (not released until 2005). He co-wrote the title song for his new album, "Dance with My Father," with Richard Marx, and they combined for a heartfelt tribute to Vandross' father. The album was finished by the spring of 2003, and Vandross was preparing for a round of publicity work when he collapsed in his New York apartment on April 16, 2003, the victim of a serious stroke, apparently brought on by his diabetes and the physical strain of his lifelong struggles with his weight. Despite his illness, J released "Dance with My Father," which became an R&B and pop Top 40 hit and a gold record, introducing the album, which hit number one on both charts, a first for him. Over the next year, "Smooth Love," "Think About You," "Buy Me a Rose," and "The Closer I Get to You" (a duet with Beyoncé Knowles re-creating the original version by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway) figured in the pop, R&B, and/or adult contemporary (AC) charts, as the album sold over two million copies. Vandross was a sentimental favorite at the 2003 Grammy Awards, and his career total of trophies doubled from four to eight as he won Song of the Year and Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male, for "Dance with My Father," Best R&B Album, and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "The Closer I Get to You." He made an appearance via videotape to accept his awards and promised to return to action soon.
Meanwhile, J Records had kept his name before the public by releasing the concert collection Live Radio City Music Hall 2003, recorded in February 2003, on October 14, 2003; it reached number six in the R&B charts and number 22 in the pop charts. By all reports, Vandross continued his recovery during 2004 and into 2005; he even appeared on Oprah Winfrey's television show in May 2005. But on July 1, 2005, it was announced that he had died, having "never really recovered" from his stroke.
During his lifetime, Luther Vandross' albums were certified for sales of 23-and-a-half-million copies in the U.S.; estimates of his total worldwide record sales were as high as 40 million. Sales, of course, tell only part of the story, but it is notable that, in the precarious world of popular music, and in particular of the notoriously fickle genre of R&B and the difficult category of crossover pop, Vandross sold records in the millions consistently for over two decades. It is even more notable that, although he certainly molded his music to a certain extent to meet the marketplace, he also imposed his own direction on R&B. Prior to him, the popular music of African-Americans tended to jump from one style to another with nary a look backward. But Vandross, coming along in the wake of disco and while rap/hip-hop was in its infancy, insisted on reverence for the soul music of the recent past and deliberately reformulated it in an "old-school" approach that came to be known as the black AC radio format "quiet storm." Even as rap dominated the charts in the early years of the 21st century, he maintained his passion for romantic, melodic music, and he drew listeners along with him. His early death at the age of 54 robbed American popular music of one of its more consistent and compelling voices, and it is only a partial comfort that he left behind a substantial body of work. ~ William Ruhlmann, Rovi
Born on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City in the NYCHAAlfred E. Smith Housespublic housing development, Vandross began playing the piano at the age of three. He grew up in a musical family that moved to the Bronx when he was thirteen. His sister, Patricia, sang with the vocal group The Crests, who had a number two hit in 1958 with "16 Candles", though she left the group before the recording. Vandross's father died of diabetes when Vandross was eight years old. Luther Vandross was in a high school group, Shades of Jade, that once played at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. He was also a member of a theater workshop, "Listen My Brother" who released the singles "Only Love Can Make a Better World" and "Listen My Brother", and appeared on the second and fifth episodes of Sesame Street in November 1969.
Vandross attended Western Michigan University for a year before dropping out to continue pursuing a career in music.
His next hit credit was on an album by Roberta Flack in 1972. He was the founder of the first-ever Patti LaBelle fan club. Luther also sang on Delores Hall's Hall-Mark album from 1973. He sang with her on the song "Who's Gonna Make It Easier for Me", which he wrote. He also contributed another song, "In This Lonely Hour." Having co-written "Fascination" for David Bowie's Young Americans, he went on to tour with him as a back-up vocalist in September 1974. Vandross wrote "Everybody Rejoice" for the 1975 Broadway musical The Wiz and appeared as a choir member in the movie.
Before his breakthrough, Vandross was part of a singing quintet in the late '70s named Luther, consisting of former Shades of Jade members Anthony Hinton and Diane Sumler, Theresa V. Reed, and Christine Wiltshire, signed to Cotillion Records. Although the singles "It's Good for the Soul", "Funky Music (Is a Part of Me)", and "The Second Time Around" were relatively successful, their two albums, the self-titled Luther (1976) and This Close to You (1977), didn't sell enough to make the charts. Vandross bought back the rights to these albums after Cotillion dropped the group, preventing their later re-release.
Vandross also wrote and sang commercial jingles during the late 1970s and early 1980s, and continued his successful career as a popular session singer during the late 1970s.
In 1978, Luther sang lead vocals for a disco band called Greg Diamond's Bionic Boogie on the song titled "Hot Butterfly." Also in 1978, he appeared on Quincy Jones's Sounds...and Stuff Like That!!, most notably on the song "I'm Gonna Miss You In The Morning" along with Patti Austin. Luther also sang with the band Soirée, where he was the lead vocalist on the track "You Are the Sunshine of My Life", and contributed background vocals to the album along with Jocelyn Brown and Sharon Redd, each of whom also saw solo success. He also sang the lead vocals on the group Mascara LP title song "See You in L.A." released in 1979. Luther shines with his impeccable singing supported by his group's co-members David Lasley and Ula Hedwig. Luther also appeared on the group Charme's 1979 album Let It In, most notably on a remake of Toto's hit single Georgy Porgy.
1980–2003: Career success
Luther Vandross finally made his long desired career breakthrough as a featured singer with the vaunted pop-dance act Change, a studio concept created by French-Italian businessman Jacques Fred Petrus. Their 1980 hits, "The Glow of Love" (by Romani, Malavasi and Garfield) and "Searching" (by Malavasi), both featuring Vandross as lead singer, opened up the world for Vandross. And there was no doubt about whether Vandross liked the song "The Glow of Love". In an interview that Vibe Magazine did with him in 2001 Vandross said, "This is the most beautiful song I've ever sung in my life." Vandross was also originally intended to perform on the second and highly successful Change album "Miracles" in 1981, but declined the offer as Petrus didn't pay enough money. Vandross' decision rapidly led to a recording contract with Epic Records that same year but didn't stop him from doing some background vocals on "Miracles" and on the new Petrus created act, The B. B. & Q. band in 1981. During that hectic year Vandross jump-started his second attempt at a solo career with his debut album, Never Too Much. In addition to the hit title track it contained a version of the Burt Bacharach / Hal David song "A House Is Not a Home". The song "Never Too Much", written by himself, reached number-one on the R&B charts. This period also marked the beginning of frequent songwriting collaboration with bassist Marcus Miller, who played on many of the tracks and would also produce or co-produce a number of tracks for Vandross. The Never Too Much album was arranged by high school classmate Nat Adderley, Jr., a collaboration that would last through Vandross's career.[6]
Vandross released a series of successful R&B albums during the 1980s and continued his session work with guest vocals on groups like Charme in 1982. Many of his earlier albums made a bigger impact on the R&B charts than on the pop charts. During the 1980s, Vandross had two singles that reached #1 on the Billboard R&B charts: "Stop to Love", in 1986, and a duet with Gregory Hines—"There's Nothing Better Than Love."[7] Vandross was at the helm as producer for Aretha Franklin's Gold-certified, award-winning comeback album Jump to It. He also produced the disappointing follow-up album, 1983's Get It Right. In 1983, the opportunity to work with his main music influence, Dionne Warwick, came about with Vandross producing, writing songs, and singing on How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye, her fourth album for Arista Records. The title track duet reached #27 on the Hot 100 chart (#7 R&B/#4 Adult Contemporary),[8] while the second single, "Got a Date" was only a moderate hit (#45 R&B/#15 Club Play).
In 1985, Luther Vandross first spotted the talent of Jimmy Salvemini, 15 at the time, on Star Search. He thought Salvemini had the perfect voice for some of his songs. He contacted Salvemini, who was managed by his brother Larry. A contract was negotiated with Elektra records for $250,000 and Luther agreed to produce the album. Luther even contacted old friends to appear on the album, Cheryl Lynn, Alfa Anderson (Chic), Phoebe Snow and Irene Cara. After the album was completed, Luther, Jimmy, and Larry decided to celebrate. On January 12, 1986, they were riding in Luther's convertible Mercedes when it crossed the yellow lines of the two lane street and smashed into two vehicles. All three men were rushed to the hospital. Larry Salvemini died during surgery, and Vandross and Jimmy Salvemini survived. At first, the Salvemini family was supportive of Luther. In 1986, Luther faced vehicular manslaughter charges as a result of Larry's death. Vandross pled no contest to reckless driving. The Salvemini family filed a wrongful death suit against Vandross. The case was quietly settled out of court with a payment to the Salvemini family for $700,000. The album called "Roll With It" was released later that year.
In 1986, Vandross voiced a cartoon character named Zack for three Saturday morning animated PSA spots for ABC Television called 'Zack of All Trades'.
The 1989 compilation The Best of Luther Vandross... The Best of Love included the ballad "Here and Now", his first single to chart in the Billboard pop chart top ten, peaking at number six. He won his first Grammy award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance in 1991.
In 1993, Vandross had a brief non-speaking role in the Robert Townsend movie The Meteor Man. He played a hit man who plotted to stop Townsend's title character.
Vandross hit the top ten again in 1994, teaming with Mariah Carey on a cover version of Lionel Richie and Diana Ross's duet "Endless Love". It was included on the album Songs (Luther Vandross album), a collection of songs which had inspired Vandross over the years. He also appears on Frank Sinatra's posthumous Duets album. At the Grammy Awards of 1997, he won his third Best Male R&B Vocal for the track "Your Secret Love". A second greatest hits album, released in 1997, compiled most of his 1990s hits and was his final album released through Epic Records. After releasing I Know on Virgin Records, he signed with J Records. His first album on Clive Davis's new label, entitled Luther Vandross, was released in 2001, and it produced the hits "Take You Out" (#7 R&B/#26 Pop), and "I'd Rather" (#17 Adult Contemporary/#40 R&B/#83 Pop) Vandross scored at least one top 10 R&B hit every year from 1981-1994.
In September 2001, Luther Vandross performed a rendition of Michael Jackson's hit song "Man in the Mirror" at Jackson's 30th Anniversary special, alongside Usher.
In 2002, he gave some of his final concerts during his last tour, The BK Got Soul Tour starring Luther Vandross featuring Angie Stone and Gerald Levert.
In 2003, Vandross released the album Dance With My Father. The title track, which was dedicated to Vandross' memory childhood dances with his father, won Luther and his co-writer, Richard Marx, the 2004 Grammy Award for Song of the Year. The song also won Vandross his fourth and final award in the Best Male R&B Vocal Performance category. The album was his first to reach number one on the Billboard album chart. The video for the title track features various celebrities alongside their fathers and other family members. The 2nd single released from that album, "Think About You" was the Number One Urban Adult Contemporary Song of 2004 according to Radio & Records.
In 2003, after the televised NCAA Men's Basketball championship, CBS Sports gave "One Shining Moment" a new look. Luther, who had been to only one basketball game in his life, was the new singer, and the video didn't have any special effects like glowing basketballs and star trails like it did in previous years. This song version is in use today.[9]
2003–2005: Illness and death
Vandross suffered from diabetes and hypertension, both of which ran in his family.
On April 16, 2003, Vandross suffered a stroke at his home in Manhattan, New York. At the time of his stroke, he had just finished the final vocals for the album Dance With My Father. His collaborator on the album was pop star Richard Marx, whom Vandross had met in 1989 and been friendly with since. The two worked together on numerous projects over the years, with Vandross appearing on three of Marx's albums. Upon its release, Dance With My Father became the first and only Luther Vandross record to hit #1. It was also his biggest-selling studio album ever, selling nearly 3 million copies in the United States alone. The title track was also a hit, and won the 2004 Grammy Award for Song of the Year.
He appeared briefly on videotape at the 2004 Grammy Awards to accept his Song of the Year Award, where he said, "Whenever I say goodbye it's never for long because I believe in the power of love". Other than an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, he was never seen in public again.
Vandross died on July 1, 2005 at John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey at the age of 54. The apparent cause of his death was a heart attack.
In 2008, Vandross was ranked #54 on Rolling Stone's Magazine's List of 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.[10]
Tribute
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On July 27, 2004, GRP Records released a smooth jazz various artists tribute album, Forever, For Always, For Luther, with ten popular songs written by Luther. The album featured vocal arrangements by Luther, and was produced by Rex Rideout and Bud Harner. Rideout had co-authored songs and contributed arrangements and played keyboards on Luther's final three albums. The tribute album was mixed by Ray Bardani, who recorded and mixed most of Luther's music over the years. It featured an ensemble of smooth jazz performers, many of whom had previously worked with Luther.[11]
On November 21, 2006, saxophonist Dave Koz released a followup to the earlier smooth jazz GRP tribute album, this time on his own Rendezvous Entertainment label, an album called Forever, For Always, For Luther Volume II, also produced by Rex Rideout and Bud Harner. Dave Koz played on all the featured Luther Vandross tracks, which were recorded by various smooth jazz artists.[12]
In 2007, Deniece Williams included "Never Too Much" on her Love, Niecy Style CD. Williams said that she recorded the song to say "I love you" to her old friend.
The music video "Bye Bye" from Mariah Carey sees Vandross' picture appear in the closing images. His image was included as a tribute along with various other deceased people with whom Carey had collaborated.
Guitarist Norman Brown did a rendition of "Any Love" on his 1994 album After The Storm.
R&B band 112 sampled Vandross' "Don't You Know That" to make their song "Love Me" on their second album Room 112.
Saxophonist Boney James covers his rendition on his final track "The Night I Fell In Love" on Backbone in 1994.
Author Craig Seymour wrote a book about Vandross called Luther: The Life and Longing of Luther Vandross. The book includes numerous interviews with Vandross.
In 2009, Jadakiss sampled Vandross' "Promise Me" to make his song "The Things I've Been Through" on his album, "The Last Kiss".
In 1998, well-known guitarist Peter White covered the Vandross song "Don't Want to Be a Fool", from the album Perfect Moment.
In November 2006, Korean singer K included a cover of the Vandross song "Every Year, Every Christmas" on his Christmas single, ファースト・クリスマス ("First Christmas"), released in Japan. It was also later added to his tribute album, The Timeless Collection Vol. 1.
Tribute artists include FiL Straughan, a singer based in London and New York, and Harry Cambridge.
In 2010, NPR included Vandross in its 50 Greatest Voices in recorded history, saying Vandross represents "the platinum standard for R&B song stylings." The announcement was made on NPR's All Things Considered on November 29, 2010.
In late 2010, rapper Battman D.E. GannaBanna sampled Vandross' "Make Me A Believer" for his song "Wanna Luv U" on his debut album The World Is A MothaF**kin' Ghetto.
Jacob Lusk performed "Dance With My Father" on American Idolseason 10 as a tribute to his late father Gregory Lusk and as a tribute to Vandross on April 20, 2011.
Smooth jazz urban saxophonist Alfonzo Blackwell covered the song on his 2001 Reflections CD, just two months after Vandross' self-titled release.
Teddy Riley's protege rapper Queen Pen has been sampled on her song "All My Love" which based on Vandross' song of the same name that was produced by Riley on her 1997 debut release, My Melody.
New releases
J Records released a song "Shine"—an upbeat R&B track that samples Chic's disco song "My Forbidden Lover"—reaching #31 on the R&B chart. The song was originally slated to be released on the soundtrack to the movie The Fighting Temptations, but it was shelved. This is evidenced by a reference to "fighting temptation" in two of the verses. A later remix of the song peaked at #10 on the Club Play chart. "Shine" and a track entitled "Got You Home" were previously unreleased songs on The Ultimate Luther Vandross, a greatest hits album on Epic Records/J Records/Legacy Recordings that was released August 22, 2006.
On October 16, 2007, Epic Records/J Records/Legacy Recordings released a 4 disc box set entitled Love, Luther. It features all of Vandross' R&B and pop hits throughout his career, as well as unreleased live tracks, alternate versions and outtakes from sessions that Vandross recorded. The set also includes "There's Only You", a version of which had originally appeared on the soundtrack to the 1987 film Made in Heaven.[13]
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