Luther Vandross

Luther Vandross (born April 20, 1951, New York, New York, U.S.—died July 1, 2005, Edison, New Jersey) was an American soul and pop singer, songwriter, and producer whose widespread popularity and reputation as a consummate stylist made him a leading recording artist beginning in the early 1980s.

Early life and career

While growing up in a public housing project in New York City on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, Vandross was encouraged to pursue music by his widowed mother. He began his professional career singing commercial jingles and background vocals and worked as a vocal arranger and songwriter, contributing “Everybody Rejoice” to the Broadway musical The Wiz in 1972. He also contributed vocals to David Bowie’s 1975 album Young Americans and received a writing credit on the track “Fascination.” Among the other artists he provided background vocals for were Bette Midler, Quincy Jones, Carly Simon, and Roberta Flack. Notably, Vandross was the vocal arranger on the 1979 chart-topper “No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)” by Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand.

Breakthrough and success

As a featured vocalist on the album The Glow of Love (1980) by the disco group Change, Vandross came to the attention of record executives and signed with Epic, which allowed him to write and produce his own material. In 1981 Vandross’s first album for that label, Never Too Much, sold more than one million copies, and its title song was a number-one rhythm-and-blues (R&B) hit. So began a long string of million-selling albums that featured Vandross’s distinctive baritone, precise phrasing, and unabashedly romantic songs, including “Here and Now,” for which he won his first Grammy Award in 1990.

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Vandross’s 1991 album Power of Love and the eponymous song “Power of Love/Love Power” both received Grammys, as did the song “Your Secret Love” (1996). In the process, Vandross became one of the most popular artists in the crossover genre called urban contemporary music. As a producer, Vandross was responsible for successful albums for Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin, who, along with the Supremes, influenced his music.

Dance with My Father and death

In 2003 Vandross suffered a debilitating stroke shortly before the release of what proved to be his last studio album, Dance with My Father, which earned four Grammy Awards, including best R&B album, while the title track took the award for song of the year. Vandross also struggled with diabetes, weight management, and hypertension, and he did not attend the Grammy ceremony to receive his awards in person. He died in 2005 at age 54.

Legacy

In 2024 the documentary film Luther: Never Too Much, directed by Dawn Porter, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Two years later Vandross was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. That same year the song “Luther” by rapper Kendrick Lamar and SZA—which is named for Vandross and features a sample of his 1982 duet with Cheryl Lynn, “If This World Were Mine”—won the Grammy for record of the year.