![]() In 2003, he wrote the song 'Dance with My Father' as a tribute to him, based on his childhood memories and his mother's stories of the family singing and dancing in the house.Īt the age of three, with his own phonograph, Luther taught himself to play the piano by ear.Īt high school, Luther founded the first Patti LaBelle fan club, of which he was president. Luther's father died of diabetes when the singer was just eight years old. His father was an upholsterer and singer, while his mother was a nurse. He was the fourth child and second son of parents Mary Ida Vandross and Luther Vandross, Sr. Luther Vandross was born on April 20, 1951.įull name Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr, he was born in the Kips Bay area of Manhattan, New York City. Robertson is West Coast Editor for ESSENCE.But where was Luther Vandross born and was he ever married? Here's all the important facts about the legendary artist: When I hear his voice, I think back to the night that I brought my grandmother as my date to his show at Madison Square Garden. At one point, I looked over at her and she was beaming up at him, singing along to every word. That was such a great night and as always, Luther was in amazing voice. Next Thursday would have been his 61st birthday, and as much as I wish he were still here, he’s always around, in song and intertwined in our memories. His voice was golden, his smile infectious, and while he is truly missed, the majesty of his music continues to endure. ![]() ![]() Many have paid tribute and covered his songs (Lalah Hathaway’s version of “Forever, for Always, for Love” is especially gorgeous), but the fact remains that there was – is – only one Luther. He wrote and sang of, and with, love, and since his passing in 2005, there’s been such a void. Vandross recorded countless classics, sold more than 30 million records worldwide, and won eight Grammys during his career. He also touched the world and moved our hearts. The album, which was compiled with the help of his niece and cousin, features 15 under-the-radar songs from his platinum albums and movie soundtracks, many of which may have slipped off your radar over the years (think “You Stopped Loving Me,” from his 1981 solo debut Never Too Much, or “The Thrill I’m In,” from the Money Train soundtrack). But as his longtime friend and collaborator Fonzi Thornton writes in the album’s liner notes, Luther treated each of his creations with precious care. “The song was always the main thing,” Thornton says, “thus, nothing ever recorded was just an ‘album filler’ or ‘throwaway.’ He wrote and chose songs carefully, crafting them like mini-operas to interpret what the lyrics and arrangements made him feel.” On Tuesday, a new collection of Luther Vandross songs will be released under the fitting title Hidden Gems. Oh, and then there’s “Since I Lost My Baby” and “There’s Nothing Better Than Love.” The list just goes on and on… Sometimes it’s “The Glow of Love” (from his early days with Change) and other times, it varies between “Busy Body” and “Creepin’” and his chill-inducing, live version of “Superstar.” When I’m in a good mood, it’s “Bad Boy” or “Take You Out,” but when I’m feeling somber, I think of his rendition of “The Impossible Dream.” That last one usually brings me to tears. The songs that sit atop my list of Luther favorites shift, constantly.
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