Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Known as the Velvet Voice", he sold over 40 million records worldwide and achieved eleven consecutive RIAA-certified Platinum albums. Vandross won eight Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year in 2004 for a track recorded not long before his death, "Dance with My Father". In 2021, he was posthumously inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame. Vandross has been ranked as one of the 200 greatest singers of all time (2023) by Rolling Stone, and was named one of the 50 Great Voices by NPR.
"Endless Love" is a song written by Lionel Richie and originally recorded as a duet between Richie and singer/actress Diana Ross. It is Richie's first single after leaving Commodores. In this ballad, the singers declare their "endless love" for one another. It was covered by Luther Vandross with R&B-pop singer Mariah Carey, and also by country music singer Shania Twain. Richie's friend Kenny Rogers also recorded the song. Billboard has named the original version as the greatest song duet of all time.
"Young Americans" is a song by English singer-songwriter David Bowie from his ninth studio album of the same name. It was mostly recorded in August 1974 at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia and was debuted on the Soul tour the following month. The song featured contributions from then-unknown singer Luther Vandross, who conceived the backing vocal arrangement. An embracement of R&B and Philadelphia soul, the song presents an Englishman's impressionist portrait of America at the time, featuring various characters and allusions to American totems and events.
David Eldon Lasley was an American recording artist, singer, musician and songwriter. He was best known as a touring background singer for James Taylor, as a session singer on recordings by artists including Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, Luther Vandross, Chic, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Bette Midler, Cher, Dusty Springfield and Boz Scaggs; as a songwriter for artists including Bonnie Raitt, Whitney Houston, Anita Baker, Maxine Nightingale, Rita Coolidge, Crystal Gayle, and Luther Vandross; and for his solo albums, albums with his 1970s vocal group Rosie, and for his early years in Detroit with his vocal group The Utopias.
Songs is the ninth studio album by American R&B/soul singer-songwriter Luther Vandross. It was released by Epic Records on September 20, 1994. The album, a collection of cover versions, produced the singles "Endless Love", "Always and Forever", and "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now". According to an interview both Vandross and Mariah Carey gave in Japan following the release of their duet "Endless Love", there was mention that Carey had given advice as to what songs Vandross would cover on this album.
"Love the One You're With" is a song by American folk rock musician Stephen Stills. It was released as the lead single from his debut self-titled studio album in November 1970. The song, inspired by a remark Stills heard from musician Billy Preston, became his biggest hit single, peaking at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1971. David Crosby and Graham Nash, Stills' fellow members of Crosby, Stills & Nash, provide background vocals on the song. Also providing the backups are Rita Cooledge, her sister Priscilla Jones, and John Sebastian. They all sing the "Do Dos" that come before the instrumental portion and the Outro. The song was also recorded by other pop musicians, notably the Isley Brothers, The Meters, Bucks Fizz, Luther Vandross, Bob Seger and Richard Clapton.
"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' father, who used to dance with him and his mother.
Never Too Much is the debut solo studio album by American singer Luther Vandross, released on August 12, 1981, by Epic Records. Composed by Vandross himself, the album reached number 19 on the US Billboard 200 and number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Never Too Much earned Vandross two Grammy Award nominations in 1982, including Best New Artist and Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male.
Forever, for Always, for Love is the second studio album by American R&B singer and songwriter Luther Vandross, released on September 21, 1982, by Epic Records. It became Vandross' second album to chart in the top 20 on the Billboard 200 and was his second album to top the R&B Albums chart where it spent three weeks.
Your Secret Love is the tenth studio album by American R&B recording artist Luther Vandross, released by Epic in October 1996. The album's title track won the Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and was nominated for Best R&B Song at the 39th Grammy Awards in 1997. The album served as his final album under the Epic label after being part of the record label for fifteen years.
"Everybody Dance" is a song by American band Chic. The disco song, which features Norma Jean Wright on lead vocals and Luther Vandross, Diva Gray, Robin Clark and David Lasley on background vocals, was released as the second single from the band's self-titled debut album Chic (1977). According to guitarist Nile Rodgers, it was the first song specifically written for Chic, and, due to its historical status and popularity, is usually played as the opening song of the band's live set. It was later heavily sampled by British group Steps on their song "Stomp" and echoed by the Manic Street Preachers on their single "(It's Not War) Just the End of Love".
"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.
"Always and Forever" is an R&B song written by Rod Temperton and produced by Barry Blue. It was first recorded by the British-based multinational funk-disco band Heatwave in 1976. Released as a single on December 3, 1977, the song is included on Heatwave's debut album Too Hot to Handle (1976) and has been covered by numerous artists, becoming something of a standard.
"Don't Want to Be a Fool" is a song by American recording artist Luther Vandross, released in June 1991 as the second single from his seventh album, Power of Love (1991). The song peaked at No. 4 on the US Billboard R&B Singles chart on September 14. It also peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 2 same year.
"Your Secret Love" is a song by American recording artist Luther Vandross, released in August 1996 as the lead single in support of his tenth studio album, Your Secret Love (1996). The single peaked at No. 5 on the US Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart and No. 14 on the UK Singles Chart.
Diva Gray is an American singer. She is best known as a background vocalist behind the band Chic, as well as in disco groups, including Change, and Lemon with Lani Groves, Gordon Grody, Luther Vandross, David Lasley and Kenny Lehman, and in Bette Midler's female backing group, The Harlettes with Ula Hedwig and Jocelyn Brown. As a solo performer, she recorded the album "Hotel Paradise", produced by Luigi Ojival and released on Columbia Records. Diva Gray & Oyster's "Saint Tropez" was a hit single on the French charts.
Rosie was an American pop group from New York, United States. The group existed from 1975 to 1978 and consisted of David Lasley, Lana Marrano and Lynn Pitney, all of whom were cast members and met during the touring show of "Hair". Lasley wrote all the songs, mostly with Marrano.
"You Bring Me Joy" is a song written by David Lasley originally recorded in 1980 by Norman Connors featuring the vocals of Adaritha for Connors' Take It to the Limit album. It was released as a B-side single in 1980 on Arista Records. American R&B singer and songwriter Anita Baker covered the song for her second studio album, Rapture (1986), produced by Michael J. Powell.
Missin' Twenty Grand is the debut studio album by the American singer and songwriter David Lasley, released in 1982 on EMI Records. It was met with critical acclaim by music journalists including Stephen Holden, Dave Marsh and Don Shewey, among others. Adam Block of The Advocate wrote “In 1982 a little-known album Missin’ Twenty Grand (EMI), cropped up on the year's Top Ten lists of critics for Rolling Stone, The New York Times and The Village Voice.”
"Roll Me Through the Rushes" is a song written by David Lasley and Lana Marrano, originally recorded by Rosie, featuring the vocals of David Lasley and released on their "Better Late Than Never" album by RCA in 1976. American R&B singer and songwriter Chaka Khan covered the song for her debut solo album, Chaka, produced by Arif Mardin and released in 1978 by Warner Bros. Records.
