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.
SWV is an American R&B vocal trio from New York City whose members are Cheryl (Coko) Gamble,Tamara (Taj) George,and Leanne (Lelee) Lyons. Formed in 1988 as a gospel group,SWV became one of the most successful R&B groups of the 1990s. They had a series of hits,including "Weak","Right Here ","I'm So into You",and "You're the One". The group disbanded in 1998 to pursue solo projects and reunited in 2005.
Thomasina Winifred Montgomery,professionally known as Tammi Terrell,was an American singer-songwriter,widely known as a star singer for Motown Records during the 1960s,notably for a series of duets with singer Marvin Gaye.
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is a song written by Nickolas Ashford &Valerie Simpson in 1966 for the Tamla label,a division of Motown. The composition was first successful as a 1967 hit single recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell,and became a hit again in 1970 when recorded by former Supremes frontwoman Diana Ross. The song became Ross's first solo number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
"Your Precious Love" is a popular song that was a 1967 hit for Motown singers Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. The song was written by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson,and produced by Harvey Fuqua and Johnny Bristol. The doo-wop styled recording features background vocals by Fuqua,Gaye,Terrell and Bristol,and instrumentals by The Funk Brothers with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. The song peaked at #5 on Billboard Pop Singles chart,#2 on Billboard's R&B Singles chart,and the top 40 on Billboard's Easy Listening survey. The song was later sampled by Gerald Levert on the song,"Your Smile",on his 2002 album,The G Spot.
"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" is a 1968 single released by American R&B/soul duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell,on the Tamla label in 1968. The B-side of the single is "Little Ole Boy,Little Ole Girl" from the duo's United LP. The first release off the duo's second album:You're All I Need,the song—written and produced by regular Gaye/Terrell collaborators Ashford &Simpson—became a hit within weeks of release eventually peaking at number eight on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart,the first of the duo's two number-one R&B hits. In the UK "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" reached number 34.
Cheryl Lynn is an American singer and songwriter. She is best known for her songs during the late 1970s through the mid-1980s,including the 1978 R&B/disco song "Got to Be Real".
"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.
"Dance with My Father" is a song by Luther Vandross and the title track to his thirteenth studio album. It was released in May 2003 as the album's lead single. With Richard Marx,Vandross wrote the song based on his personal experience. The lyrics recall childhood memories with Vandross's father,who used to dance with him and his mother.
"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.
"Superstar" is a 1969 song written by Bonnie Bramlett and Leon Russell,that has been a hit for many artists in different genres in the years since. The best-known versions are by the Carpenters in 1971,Luther Vandross in 1983,and Sonic Youth in 1994.
Give Me the Reason is the fifth studio album by American R&B/soul singer-songwriter Luther Vandross,released on September 26,1986,by Epic Records. The album earned Vandross an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist and a nomination for "Favorite Soul/R&B Album" in 1988,while the title track was nominated for Best R&B Song and Best R&B Vocal Performance,Male at the 29th Grammy Awards.
The Best of Luther Vandross... The Best of Love is the first compilation album by American singer Luther Vandross,released on October 4,1989. It contains two previously unreleased songs,"Here and Now"—which became Vandross' first top ten pop hit and won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance,Male in 1991—and the 1990 US #5 R&B single "Treat You Right".
Cheryl Elizabeth Gamble,known professionally as Coko,is an American singer-songwriter best known as the lead singer of the R&B vocal trio Sisters With Voices (SWV). Aside from her R&B career,Gamble also has a solo gospel career. As a member of SWV,Coko has sold 10 million records in the US,and 25 million records worldwide,and is a four-time Grammy Award nominee.
Jeremiah Jermaine Paul is an American R&B singer-songwriter. He is best known for his backing vocals on Alicia Keys' singles "Diary","Unbreakable",and her cover of Marvin Gaye's "If This World Were Mine". The former of which received a nomination for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards. Paul was initially a member of the short-lived R&B group 1 Accord,who signed with Shaquille O'Neal's T.W.Is.M. Records in 1994.
"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.
"So Amazing" is a 1983 song by Dionne Warwick. It was written by Luther Vandross and Marcus Miller and produced by the former for her studio album How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye (1983). Three years later,Vandross himself covered the song for his fifth studio album Give Me the Reason (1986). Released as a single,it entered the top 40 on the UK Singles Chart and earned a Soul Train Music Award nomination in 1988.
The Rush is a song by American recording R&B artist Luther Vandross',released as the third single from his 1991 album,Power of Love. It reached number six on the US R&B Singles chart and peaked at number 73 on Billboard's Hot 100 in January 1992. The next single to follow was "Sometimes It's Only Love".
Instant Love is a 1982 album by American singer Cheryl Lynn,released on Columbia Records. Luther Vandross produced the album and also performed a duet with Lynn on "If This World Were Mine",a cover of the original recording by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. The arrangements were by Luther Vandross,Marcus Miller and Nat Adderley,Jr. The album peaked at No. 7 on the R&B album charts and No. 133 on The Billboard 200.
Hot Coko is the debut solo studio album by American R&B singer Coko. It was released by RCA Records on August 10,1999.Hot Coko served as the singer's debut effort following the release of her band SWV's third album Release Some Tension (1997),which led towards the group's first disbandment in 1998. Guest appearances on the album are made by rapper Eve and singer Tyrese. Hot Coko features production from the likes of Damon Thomas,Rodney Jerkins,Marc Anthony,Missy Elliott,Timbaland and Brian Alexander Morgan,whom Coko worked with while a member of SWV earlier in the decade.
