Luther Vandross, an American singer, songwriter, and record producer, remains an iconic figure in the realm of R&B and soul music. Born in New York City in 1951, Vandross began his career as a background vocalist and songwriter, contributing to the success of artists like David Bowie and Barbra Streisand. However, it was his solo career that catapulted him to stardom. Vandross' velvety-smooth voice, remarkable vocal range, and emotive delivery made him a distinctive presence in the music industry.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Luther Vandross released a series of critically acclaimed albums, earning him widespread acclaim and numerous awards. His discography includes hits like "Never Too Much," "Here and Now," and "Power of Love/Love Power." Vandross' ability to convey deep emotions and his mastery of love ballads made him a favorite among audiences and established him as a premier balladeer of his time. His contributions to the genre earned him eight Grammy Awards, and he became one of the best-selling R&B artists in the United States.

Luther Vandross' influence extends beyond his chart-topping singles. His impact on contemporary R&B is immeasurable, and his music continues to resonate with fans around the world. Despite his passing in 2005, Luther Vandross's legacy endures through the timeless quality of his recordings, and he remains a celebrated figure whose contributions to soul and R&B are celebrated and remembered fondly.

Luther Vandross (album).

Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) was an American soul and R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer. Throughout his career, he achieved eleven consecutive RIAA-certified platinum albums and sold over 40 million records worldwide.[1] Known as the "Velvet Voice", Vandross has been recognized as one of the 200 greatest singers of all time (2023) by Rolling Stone,[2] as well as one of the greatest R&B artists by Billboard.[3] In addition, NPR named him one of the 50 Great Voices. He was the recipient of eight Grammy Awards,[4] including Song of the Year in 2004 for a track recorded not long before his death, "Dance with My Father".[5] In 2021, he was posthumously inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.

Vandross worked as a backing vocalist in the 1970s, and appeared on albums by artists such as Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway, Todd Rundgren, Judy Collins, Chaka Khan, Bette Midler, Diana Ross, David Bowie, Ben E. King, Stevie Wonder, and Donna Summer. He later became a lead singer of the group Change, which released the Gold-certified album, The Glow of Love, in 1980 on Warner/RFC 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", "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 Things in Life Are Free" with Janet Jackson were all hit songs in his career. The tribute album So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross, was released shortly after his death.