Luther Vandross

Artist Image: Luther Vandross
Attribution
Image Credit: ModernAbolitionist (Own work), CC BY-SA 4.0

Biography

Luther Ronzoni Vandross, Jr. (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter and record producer. Throughout his career, Vandross was an in demand background vocalist for several different artists including Judy Collins, Chaka Khan, Bette Midler, Diana Ross, David Bowie, Barbra Streisand, Ben E. King, and Donna Summer. He later became the lead singer of the group Change, which released its certified gold debut album, The Glow of Love, in 1980 on Warner Bros. Records. After Vandross left the group, he was signed to Epic Records as a solo artist and released his debut solo album, Never Too Much, in 1981. His hit songs include "Never Too Much", "Here and Now", "Any Love", "Power of Love/Love Power", "I Can Make It Better" and "For You to Love". Many of his songs were covers of original music by other artists such as "If This World Were Mine" (duet with Cheryl Lynn), "Since I Lost My Baby", "Superstar" and "Always and Forever". Duets such as "The Closer I Get to You" with Beyoncé, "Endless Love" with Mariah Carey and "The Best Things in Life Are Free" with Janet Jackson were all hits in his career. During his career, Vandross sold over 35 million records worldwide, and received eight Grammy Awards including Best Male R&B Vocal Performance four different times. He won a total of four Grammy Awards in 2004 including the Grammy Award for Song of the Year for a song recorded not long before his death, "Dance with My Father".

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1968
Number of Albums 26
Record Label
Website luthervandross.com
Wikipedia Luther Vandross on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Genres

Trivia

When did Luther's father die?

diabetes

...Luther's father died of diabetes when the singer was just eight years old. In 2003, he wrote the song 'Dance with My Father' as a tribute to him, base...
What song did Luther write as a tribute to his father?

Dance with My Father

...the singer was just eight years old. In 2003, he wrote the song ' Dance with My Father ' as a tribute to him, based on his childhood memories and his mo...
At what age did Luther learn to play the piano by ear?

three

...d dancing in the house. How did he get his start in music? At the age of three , with his own phonograph, Luther taught himself to play the piano by ea...
What group did he perform in?

Shades of Jade

...lub, of which he was president. He also performed in a group called Shades of Jade . As well as performing at amateur nights, he also in several episod...
When did Luther begin providing backing vocals to artists?

early 1970s

...reet in 19691970. He began providing backing vocals to artists in the early 1970s , including Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway, and started writing son...
Who did Luther cowrote Fascination for?

David Bowie

...ted writing songs for other artists. Luther cowrote 'Fascination' for David Bowie and went on tour with him as a backing singer, and wrote the song 'E...
What was Vandross' debut album called?

Never Too Much

...to Epic Records as a solo artist and released his debut solo album, Never Too Much , in 1981. Many of his songs were covers of original music by other ...
In what year did Epic Records release Never Too Much?

1981

...s as a solo artist and released his debut solo album, Never Too Much, in 1981 . Many of his songs were covers of original music by other artists such a...
How many records did Vandross sell worldwide?

over 40 million

... were all hit songs in his career. During his career, Vandross sold over 40 million records worldwide, having eleven consecutive Platinum albums a rec...
How many consecutive platinum albums did he have?

eleven

...ing his career, Vandross sold over 40 million records worldwide, having eleven consecutive Platinum albums a record achieved by a R&B artist at the ti...
What was the name of a duet with Beyonce?

The Closer I Get to You

...tar, I (Who Have Nothing) and Always and Forever. Duets such as The Closer I Get to You with Beyoncé, Endless Love with Mariah Carey and The Best Thin...
Who sang The Closer I Get to You with?

Beyoncé

...ing) and Always and Forever. Duets such as The Closer I Get to You with Beyoncé , Endless Love with Mariah Carey and The Best Things in Life Are Free w...
How many Grammy Awards was he awarded in 2004?

four

... Best Male R&B Vocal Performance four different times. He won a total of four Grammy Awards in 2004 including the Grammy Award for Song of the Year fo...
On what date was Luther Ronaldzoni Vanross Jr. born?

April 20, 1951

...My Father. Early life edit Luther Ronzoni Vandross, Jr. was born on April 20, 1951 , at Bellevue Hospital, in the Kips Bay neighborhood of Manhattan, N...
In what neighborhood of Manhattan is Bellevue Hospital located?

Kips Bay

...rly life edit Luther Ronzoni Vandross, Jr. was born on April 20, 1951, at Bellevue Hospital, in the Kips Bay neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City....
When did R&B music turn from vocals to studio production?

1980s

...In the 1980s as R&B music turned from vocals to the slick styling of studio production that was rampant in the 1990s and the beginning of the 21st cen...
What was Luther's gift?

He made you fall in love with his voice

...oner for his vocals and lyrics. That was Luther's gift: He made you fall in love with his voice . His father, Luther, and his mother, Mary Ida, raised ...
Who raised Luther and his siblings?

His father, Luther, and his mother, Mary Ida

...her's gift: He made you fall in love with his voice. His father, Luther, and his mother, Mary Ida , raised him and his older siblings in a house filled...
What group released 16 Candles?

the Crests

.... When Vandross was older, one of his sisters was a part of the group the Crests , who released the popular song 16 Candles. In high school, Vandross' ...
In what Broadway production was the song 16 Candles used?

The Wiz

...nds, including Carlos Alomar. It was used in the Broadway production of The Wiz , and for the movie version of the musical. His friend, Alomar, had bec...
How tall was Ronnie?

6' 2½

...Nickname Ronnie Height 6' 2½ (1.89 m) Mini Bio (1) Designated the heartbeat of R&B during the 1980s and 1990s, Luther Vandross led a productive singin...
What year did Luther Ronzoni Vandross, Jr. have a stroke?

2003

...sic continued on its Grammywinning course, even after an acute stroke in 2003 left him severely incapacitated and unable to continue public appearance...
What was Luther's father's name?

Luther Ronzoni

...m severely incapacitated and unable to continue public appearances. Luther Ronzoni Vandross, Jr. was born in Manhattan, New York on April 20, 1951, th...
What was Luther's father's occupation?

upholsterer

...951, the baby of four children. His father, also named Luther, was an upholsterer who died of diabetes when the singer was just eight years old. Despi...
How old was Luther when his father died?

eight years old

...r, was an upholsterer who died of diabetes when the singer was just eight years old . Despite this sadness, his mother, a practical nurse, made sure th...
What group did Luther's older sister Patricia join?

The Crests

...s older sister Patricia, who became a member of a doowop group called The Crests , and scored with the 1958 single Sixteen Candles. In high school, Lut...
What was his first big songwriting break?

Everybody Rejoice (Can You Feel a Brand New Day),

...compose. His first big songwriting break came with Everybody Rejoice (Can You Feel a Brand New Day), which was used for the Broadway stage and film pr...
What did he do with most of his songs?

writing or cowriting

...ound the world, but he also took charge of his music creatively, writing or cowriting most of his songs and arranging and producing his records. He al...
What profession did Mary Ida Vanross work as?

nurse

... parents, Luther Vandross, Sr., an upholsterer, and Mary Ida Vandross, a nurse , sang, and they encouraged their children to pursue music as a career. ...
When did his father die?

1959

...r children to pursue music as a career. After the death of his father in 1959 when he was eight years old, he was raised by his mother, who moved the ...
Who were the members of Shades of Jade?

Carlos Alomar, Robin Clark, Anthony Hinton, Diane Sumler, and Fonzi Thornton

... group, Shades of Jade, with friends Carlos Alomar, Robin Clark, Anthony Hinton, Diane Sumler, and Fonzi Thornton . After graduating from high school t...
Which university did Vanross attend after dropping out of high school?

Western Michigan University

...fter graduating from high school that year, Vandross attended Western Michigan University , but dropped out after a year and returned home. He spent th...
Who recorded In This Lovely Hour?

Delores Hall

...In This Lovely Hour and Who's Gonna Make It Easier for Me, recorded by Delores Hall on her album HallMark, singing the latter song with her as a duet....
What theater workshop did Vandloss become a member of?

Listen My Brother

...ed in a number of bands and became a member of a theater workshop, Listen My Brother . In 1970, he dropped out of Western Michigan University to pursue...
In what year did he drop out of Western Michigan University?

1970

...f bands and became a member of a theater workshop, Listen My Brother. In 1970 , he dropped out of Western Michigan University to pursue a fulltime care...
Luther Vandross' sound echoed the smooth soul stylings of what decade?

1960s

...le 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 re...
What is Vandross's style of music modeled after?

Aretha Franklin and Dionne Warwick

... 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, ...
What city was he born?

New York City

...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...
What song was a big hit when it came out?

Sixteen Candles

...er Pat was a member of a doowop group called the Crests, whose song Sixteen Candles was a fairly big hit when it came out. By the time he was 13, Vand...
At what age was the only child still living at home?

13

...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....