Luther Vandross

Luther Vandross (born Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr.) (April 20, 1951 ? July 1, 2005) was an African-American R&B singer. During his career, Vandross sold 25 million albums and won eight Grammy awards including Best Male R&B Vocal Performance four times. He won four Grammy awards in 2004 including the Grammy Award for Song of the Year for the track "Dance With My Father", co-written with Richard Marx.

Early life and career 1951-1980

Born on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City, Vandross grew up in a musical family that moved to the Bronx when he was 13. His sister sang with vocal group The Crests who had a number one hit in the early 1960's with "Sixteen Candles." Vandross' father died of diabetes when Vandross was eight years old. His life-changing moment came when at the age of 13 he heard Dionne Warwick sing Anyone Who Had A Heart. It was then and there he knew he wanted to be a singer.

Related Topics:
Lower East Side - Manhattan - New York City - The Bronx - The Crests - Dionne Warwick

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Vandross formed a vocal group in high school which once played at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem. His first recording credit was as producer of the album Soul Christmas in 1968 and appeared as a vocalist on a Quincy Jones album Best in 1969. He was also a member of a theater workshop at the time and appeared on the first episode of Sesame Street in October 1969.

Related Topics:
Apollo Theatre - Quincy Jones - Sesame Street

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His next recording credit was on an album by Roberta Flack in 1972. Vandross wrote "Everybody Rejoice," for the 1972 show The Wiz. However, Vandross had dropped out of the music scene when a friend from theater workshop invited him to sing in David Bowie's soul-influenced Diamond Dogs tour and appear as the opening act with the Mike Garson Band in 1974. He ended up singing background vocals on Bowie's album Young Americans.

Related Topics:
Roberta Flack - The Wiz - David Bowie - Diamond Dogs - Mike Garson - 1974 - Young Americans

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Vandross also sang backing vocals for Roberta Flack, Carly Simon, Chaka Khan, Bette Midler, Chic, and Barbra Streisand. During the beginning of his career, Vandross was content to remain mostly in the background, as a producer and backup singer for other artists. Roberta Flack decided to push Vandross into starting his own career because she believed that he was an incredible talent who deserved to be heard for his singing in addition to his songwriting and production.

Related Topics:
Roberta Flack - Carly Simon - Chaka Khan - Bette Midler - Chic - Barbra Streisand

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Before his breakthrough, he released two albums on Cotillion Records, the self-titled "Luther" in 1976 and "This Close to You" in 1977. He also wrote and sang commercials jingles during the late 1970s & early '80s earning upwards of $600,000 per year around the New York area. Well known advertising campaigns he wrote and/or sang jingles for include Kentucky Fried Chicken's "We Do Chicken Right," NBC's "Proud As A Peacock" & The US Army's "Be All You Can Be." Vandross continued his successful career as a popular session singer during the late 70's. His lead vocals can be heard on the Gregg Diamond produced single "Hot Butterfly" from Bionic Boogie in 1978 which gained moderate nightclub success.

Related Topics:
Cotillion Records - New York - Kentucky Fried Chicken - NBC - US Army - 1978

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