Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. 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. Known as the "Velvet Voice", Vandross has been recognized as one of the 200 greatest singers of all time (2023) by Rolling Stone, as well as one of the greatest R&B artists by Billboard. NPR additionally named him one of the 50 Great Voices. He was the recipient of eight Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year in 2004 for a track recorded shortly before his death, "Dance with My Father". In 2021, he was posthumously inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.
Uptown Records is an American record label, based in New York City, founded in 1986 by old school rapper ‘Dr Jekyll’ - Andre Harrell. From the late 1980s into the early 1990s, it was a leader in New Jack Swing, R&B, hip hop., and Hip Hop-Soul
Dwight Arrington Myers, known professionally as Heavy D, was an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Myers was the leader of Heavy D & the Boyz, a group that included dancers/hype men G-Whiz and "Trouble" T. Roy, as well as DJ and producer Eddie F. The group maintained a sizeable audience in the United States through most of the 1990s. The five albums the group released included production mainly by Teddy Riley, Marley Marl, DJ Premier, Myers's cousin Pete Rock, and "in-house" beatmaker Eddie F. Myers also released four solo albums and discovered Soul for Real and Monifah.
"If This World Were Mine" is a 1967 song by soul music duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell from their album United. Written solely by Gaye, it was one of the few songs they recorded without Ashford & Simpson writing or producing. When it was released as a single in November 1967 as the B-side to the duo's "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You", it hit the Billboard pop singles chart, peaking at number sixty-eight, and peaked at number twenty-seven on the Billboard R&B singles chart. Gaye would later put the song into his set list during his last tours in the early-1980s as he performed a medley of his hits with Terrell. The song was covered a year later by Joe Bataan on the 1968 Fania Allstars LP Live at the Red Garter, Vol. 2, and in 1969 by Ambrose Slade (pre-Slade) on their album Beginnings.
Dance with My Father is the thirteenth and final studio album by American singer Luther Vandross. It was released by J Records on June 10, 2003 in the United States and served as the follow-up to his self-titled studio album (2001). The album, especially its title track, was dedicated to Vandross's late father Luther Vandross, Sr. and features production credits from Nat Adderley Jr., Shep Crawford, and Marcus Miller as well as guest appearances by singer Beyoncé, R&B trio Next, and rappers Foxy Brown, Queen Latifah, and Busta Rhymes.
"Never Too Much" is the debut song written, composed, produced, and performed by Luther Vandross. The R&B song was released in 1981, as the lead single from Vandross's debut album of the same name. The title track hit number one on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number four on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. It peaked at #27 in Cash Box and #33 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
"Candy Rain" is a song by American R&B group Soul for Real, released in 1994 through Uptown and MCA Records. The song was written by Jean-Claude Olivier, Samuel Barnes, Heavy D, and Terri Robinson. It spent three weeks at No. 1 on the US Hot R&B Singles chart and peaked at No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and sold 800,000 copies.
"Cry for You" is a song by American R&B group Jodeci recorded for their second album, Diary of a Mad Band (1993). The song was released as the album's lead single in November 1993 by Uptown/MCA. It peaked at numbers fifteen and nineteen on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100. The song also spent four weeks at number one on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart, and number one on the Billboard Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop airplay chart. It was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales in excess of 500,000 units.
"Power of Love/Love Power" is a single by American singer-songwriter Luther Vandross. It was released on April 9, 1991 as the lead single from his 1991 album of the same name. The song spent two weeks at number one on the US R&B chart, and peaked at number four on the US pop chart, becoming his biggest pop solo hit.
"I Can Make It Better" is a song by American recording artist Luther Vandross. It was released in 1996 as the second single from his tenth and platinum album, Your Secret Love (1996). The song reached number 15 on the US Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart and peaked in the top fifty on the UK Singles Chart. A music video was also produced to promote the single.
This Is Christmas is the tenth studio album by American singer Luther Vandross. It was released on October 18, 1995, by LV Records and Epic Records. The follow-up to Songs (1994), it marked the singer's first Christmas album. Produced by Vandross along with Nat Adderley Jr. and Marcus Miller, This Is Christmas consists of ten tracks, featuring seven original songs and three cover versions of Christmas standards and carols, including a duet with Darlene Love.
Luther Vandross is the twelfth studio album by American singer Luther Vandross. It was released by J Records on June 19, 2001 in the United States. His debut with the label after a brief stint with Virgin Records on I Know (1998), it marked a departure for Vandross who reunited with frequent collaborators Nat Adderley, Jr. and Marcus Miller to work on some songs, but also recruited a wider range of contemporary producers such as Warryn Campbell, Shep Crawford, Eddie F., Darren Lighty, Soulshock, and The Underdogs to contribute material.
"The Closer I Get to You" is a romantic ballad performed by singer-songwriter Roberta Flack and soul musician Donny Hathaway. The song was written by James Mtume and Reggie Lucas, two former members of Miles Davis's band, who were members of Flack's band at the time. Produced by Atlantic Records, the song was released on Flack's 1977 album Blue Lights in the Basement, and as a single in 1978. It became a major crossover hit, becoming Flack's biggest commercial hit after her success with her 1973 solo single, "Killing Me Softly with His Song". Originally set as a solo single, Flack's manager, David Franklin, suggested a duet with Hathaway, which resulted in the finished work.
Big Tyme is the second album by American hip hop group Heavy D & the Boyz. It was released on June 12, 1989 through Uptown Records. The production on album was handled by DJ Eddie F, Teddy Riley, Al B. Sure!, Marley Marl, Pete Rock and Heavy D himself. This is also the final album to feature bandmate Trouble T Roy, who died from a fall in 1990.
Nuttin' but Love is the fifth and final studio album by American rap group Heavy D & the Boyz. It was released on May 24, 1994, by Uptown Records and was produced by DJ Eddie F, Teddy Riley, Marley Marl, Erick Sermon, Kid Capri, Easy Mo Bee, Poke of The Trackmasters, and Pete Rock. The first track on the album, "Friends & Respect", featured spoken intros by the likes of LL Cool J, Buju Banton, KRS-One, Kool G Rap, Little Shawn, MC Lyte, Martin Lawrence, Pete Rock, Positive K, Q-Tip, Queen Latifah, Spike Lee and Treach.
"Here and Now" is a 1989 song by American recording artist Luther Vandross, and written by: David L. Elliott, Terry Steele, and Charles “Casino“ White. The single is from the compilation album The Best of Luther Vandross... The Best of Love. "Here and Now" became his fifth single to peak at No. 1 on the Hot Black Singles, and his first single to chart in the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 6.
Crystal Johnson is an American singer and songwriter from Brooklyn, New York. She has performed in a variety of stage productions and has collaborated with a wide array of well-known artists including Anthony Hamilton, Dr. Dre, Heavy D, Mobb Deep, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Angie Stone, Usher and many others.
"Heaven Knows" is a song by American singer-songwriter Luther Vandross, released in September 1993 by Epic and Sony as the second single from his eight studio album, Never Let Me Go (1993). The song was written by Vandross with Reed Vertelney and produced by Marcus Miller. It peaked in the top 30 on both the US Billboard Hot R&B Singles and Hot Dance Club Play charts, and also at thirty-three on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Singles chart. "Heaven Knows" was nominated for Best R&B Song alongside "Little Miracles " at the 36th Annual Grammy Awards in March 1994, losing to "That's the Way Love Goes" by Janet Jackson.
"Nuttin' but Love" is a song by American hip hop group Heavy D & the Boyz and the second single from their fifth studio album of the same name (1994). It features vocals from American singer Vinia Mojica. Produced by Heavy D and Kid Capri, the song samples Bob James' cover of "Take Me to the Mardi Gras", "Ecstasy" by Endgames, "My Love" by Mary J. Blige featuring Heavy D, and "Talk is Cheap" by Heavy D & the Boyz.
"Black Coffee" is a song by American hip hop group Heavy D & the Boyz and the third single from their fifth studio album Nuttin' but Love (1994). Produced by Heavy D, Pete Rock and Easy Mo Bee, it contains a sample of "The Payback" by James Brown.
