Here and Now (Luther Vandross song)

"Here and Now"
Single by Luther Vandross
from the album The Best of Luther Vandross... The Best of Love
B-side	"Come Back"
Released	September 1989 (1989-09)
Recorded	1989
Genre	R&B, soul, adult contemporary
Length	5:20
Label	Epic
Songwriter(s)	David L. Elliott, Terry Steele, Charles White
Producer(s)	Luther Vandross, Marcus Miller
Luther Vandross singles chronology
"For You to Love" (1989) "Here and Now" (1989) "Treat You Right" (1990)
Music video
"Here and Now" on YouTube

"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. ^[1]

Critical reception

David Giles from Music Week wrote, "Vandross diehards will happily lap this up — it's already put in a showing in the lower reaches of the chart — but this typically dreamy, sensual ballad hardly represents a quantum leap in style for the romantic soul maestro." ^[2]

Personnel

• Luther Vandross – lead vocals, producer
• Nat Adderley Jr. – keyboards, synthesizers, string arrangements
• Jason Miles – synthesizer programming
• Paul Jackson Jr., Doc Powell – guitar
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion
• Ivan Hampden Jr. – drum overdubs
• Cissy Houston, Tawatha Agee, Brenda White, Lisa Fischer, Fonzi Thornton, Paulette McWilliams – background vocals
• Joseph Soldo – string contractor
• Marcus Miller – producer
• Ray Bardani – engineer, mixing

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1989–1990) Peak position Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [3] 100 UK Singles (OCC) [4] 43 US Billboard Hot 100 [5] 6 US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [6] 3 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [7] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1990) Position US Billboard Hot 100 [8] 43 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) [9] 36

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [10]	Platinum	1,000,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Accolades

"Here and Now" also earned Vandross his first Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance in 1991.

Popular culture

• Vandross performed the song on an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show
• Vandross also performed the song in the two-part "Do Not Pass Go" (season 5) of 227 , where he performed during Rose and Warren's wedding ceremony in early 1990.

Renditions

• American singer Patti LaBelle recorded a version of the song for the 2005 album So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross.
• In 1997, saxophonist Richard Elliot covered the song on the soprano saxophone for his album "Jumpin' Off." ^[11]

References

1. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 601.
2. Giles, David (January 13, 1990). "Singles" (PDF). Music Week . Retrieved October 29, 2020.
3. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . January 20, 1990. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
4. Vandross - UK Singles Chart history. Chart Archive
5. "Luther Vandross Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
6. "Luther Vandross Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
7. "Luther Vandross Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
8. "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
9. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1990". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
10. "American single certifications – Luther Vandross – Here and Now". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved October 25, 2021.
11. "Jumpin' Off overview". Allmusic.com .