Luther Vandross  20 April  1951 -1 juli 2005 ( R.I.P.)

"quote"

"I'd like to be remembered as a premier singer of songs, not just a popular act of a given period.""
- Luther Vandross

Luther Ronzoni Vandross is geboren op 20 April  1951, in New York City. Growing up in a family steeped in gospel and soul music, Vandross took to music early on. While still in school, he started his own group, and then moved on to join the musical theater workshop, Listen My Brother. He performed at Harlem's Apollo Theater, and went on to contribute to the Broadway show The Wiz.

Trivia: Luther Vandross got his first big break

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"To me, the album is a blueprint of what the songs can be. You get the real thing live."
- Luther Vandross

An accomplished singer, songwriter, producer, and arranger, Luther Vandross has won countless awards -- most recently, two 2003 American Music Awards for his new album, Dance With My Father. He's worked with just as many top talents in the music industry over a three-decade career of classic songs, from "Never Too Much" to "Your Secret Love

 

Throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, Vandross built on this success, collaborating with such diverse talents as Dionne Warwick, Gregory Hines, Janet Jackson, and Mariah Carey.

Over the course of more than a dozen records, Vandross would rack up an impressive 22 singles on the R&B top 10, six of which hit number one, while seven albums hit number one. To date, he has won five Grammy Awards: three for Best R&B Male Vocal Performance (on "Here And Now," "Power of Love/Love Power," and "Your Secret Love") and one for Best R&B Song ("Power of Love/Love Power.

Acclaimed as some of his finest work to date, Vandross outdid with his next effort, Dance With My Father.

Sadly, Vandross pushed himself too far. On April 16th, 2003, he suffered a severe stroke, and weeks would pass before he showed signs of recovery. Over the next few months, while Vandross underwent physical rehabilitation, Dance With My Father climbed the charts, and another album, Luther Vandross Live at Radio City Music Hall 2003 -- recorded shortly before his stroke -- was released in October 2003.

In November 2003, Vandross won two American Music Awards for Soul/R&B Favorite Male Artist and Favorite Album (Dance With My Father). While Vandross may not be appearing in public for a while yet, he is reportedly singing again -- it seems to be his therapy on the road to recovery.

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