Luther 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. Luther Vandross was the youngest of four children,he had two sisters and one brother.
During his lifetime, Luther Vandross' albums were certified for sales of 23-and-a-half-million copies in the U.S. estimates 40 million copies worldwide. 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.
His vocal talent was soon in demand and his session credits with Chaka Khan , Ringo Starr, Barbra Streisand and many more, generated sufficient interest from the Cotillion label to sign him as part of a specially put-together vocal group, Luther. Luther and This Close To You (both 1976) flopped, partly owing to the use of a disco backing in favour of allowing Luther Vandross to express his more romantic, soul style.
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 ever. Luther Vandross will be with us always, his music.
His early career began with performances doing commercials jingles and backup work for other singers. He made his mark on the musical scene with the duties as lead singer of the studio group, Change, in the early 80’s. Two of his top hits while a member of the group were “The Glow of Love†and “Searching.†On both of these songs, he gave the listening audience an early taste of things to come.
It was the success of his work with the group Change that he signed a record deal and produced his debut solo album, “Never Too Much†in 1981. The album spawned another hit, the up-tempo and beautifully orchestrated song of the same name as the album, “Never Too Much.†But it was on the Burt Bacharach penned “A House Is Not A Home,†from the debut album that Vandross really displayed his vocal range and talents at riffing and toying with the notes of the song. His version of this song is now a classic and was one of the most demanded songs at his live concert performances. In 1982, his second album spawned the catchy “Bad Boy/Having A Party.â€
Luther continued to show his mastery of remaking past hits and putting his own touches on them with the song, “Superstar/Until You Come Back To Me,†in 1983, which had been a hit for the Carpenters. He continued to follow-up with hit albums and he had number one R&B chart toppers with the songs “Give Me the Reason†in 1986 and “Any Love†in 1988.
Although many of his other songs were very popular on the R&B charts and did reach the pop charts, it wasn’t until he released “Here and Now†in 1989 did he have his first Top Ten pop hit. This song also secured Vandross his first Grammy award. By now, Luther was becoming a nationwide household name even though most in the black community had recognized his talents years before. During this period, Vandross was lending his talent as a songwriter and backup singer to such stars as Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, Whitney Houston, and BeBe & CeCe Winans.
Vandross spent much of the 90’s touring successfully and thrilling audiences with his multitude of hits and concert favorites. He continued to have several songs that made the charts and kept him in the public consciousness. “Power of Love/Love Power†was another R&B number one hit and it won a Grammy in 1991 for Best R&B song. It was also during this period that Vandross became infamous for his periods of weight loss and subsequent weight gains that made him the subject of comedians and tabloids.
As he moved into the new millennium, Vandross’ hits didn’t come as consistently as they had in the past but he continued to remain a favorite on many urban contemporary and adult format radio stations. His final album produced the similarly titled hit “Dance With My Father†that went on to win the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 2004. This song, released about the same time that Vandross suffered his stroke, seemed to foreshadow the culminating events of his life and serves as a touching epilogue to an extraordinary career.
TOP TEN SONGS BY LUTHER VANDROSS
1. Superstar: This is the easy pick for me and anyone else that is a Luther fan. This is the song you wait to hear him perform when you go to his concert. I remember my mother playing this song over and over again. I loved it then, I love it today.
2. A House Is Not A Home: Another classic. When I was living on the west side of Chicago, I use to sit on the back porch with my friend’s sister and we would play this song and talk for hours.
3. So Amazing: This is a sentimental favorite. I was at a basement party on Augusta and Central (west side Chicago) and I met this girl that went to Flower HS. This song was playing when I experienced my first “squeeze†under the infamous blue light. Do they still have basement parties?
4. If This World Were Mine: Another song my mother use to play all of the time. This was “the song†for every couple. I don’t think a night when by that WGCI didn’t play it during “Quiet Stormâ€.
5. There’s Nothing Better Than Love: This is when I learned that Gregory Hines could sing. I also learned my cousin “Bean†could sing because he sound exactly like Gregory Hines. I was a b-boy when this song came out, but I’d still jam some Luther. I remember the slow song tape I made (everybody made tapes back then), but it had this song and right after “As We Lay†by Shirley Murdock would play. That was a great tape.
6. Searching: This is my feel good song. I don’t know many songs with this tempo.
7. Here and Now: The crossover hit. I think this song was sung at every wedding for two years. It’s a song that makes you think about your nuptials even if you are single.
8. Make Me A Believer: This one would rate higher with a lot of people, but I couldn’t put it any higher that six, but it is a great song.m/P 9. If Only For One Night: This has to be the most romantic begging song ever made. Long gone is the era when the music would do the mackin’ for you.
10. Some Times Its Only Love: I played this song so much when I was in the military. I don’t know how many times it played when I drove from San Diego to Philadelphia in 1993. It’s a sentimental favorite.
Luther Vandross won eight grammys all together, four for the CD "Dance With My Father" wish came out in 2003. All together, Luther Vandross won over 35 music awards, included Grammys, American Music Award, Soul Train Award, NAACP Images Award, and BET Award.
Luther Vandross died on Friday, July 1, 2005. He left us much to early. But he will always be with us. His music and his wonderful voice. Luther Vandross have over 350 songs. Over 20 Albums, and sold over 45 million albums worldwide. The one that everybody is going to always rememeber in "Dance With My Father". It was his last big Albums. It won four grammys in 2004.
Become a friend and look at all of the Luther Vandross Albums with pictures.
1)Luther Vandross Only
2)Luther Vandross and friends
3)Pictures of Luther Vandross Funeral on July 8,2005
4)Some pictures of Luther Vandross things that was Aduit off on 12/07
5)Luther Vandross on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2004.
6)Covers of Luther Vandross CD's
FACTS ABOUT LUTHER VANDROSS:
1) Luther Vandross wanted to be a English Teacher
2) Luther Vandross first hit was "Never Too Much"
3)Luther Vandross first Grammy song was "Here and Now"
4) Luther Vandross received four Grammys for "Dance With My Father" that he wrote for his father.
5) Luther Vandross never won at the Apollo Theater, he try out four times.
Take a look at Luther Vandross Guest Book that been going on for almost three years. Just click on the link below
http://www.legacy.com/GB/GuestbookView.aspx?PersonId=1441161 8
Take a look at my Blog Call Luther Vandross Live - Almost three year. Just click on the webs site!! http://luthervandrossliveon.blogspot.com/