  Luther Vandross was born on
April 20, 1951 in New York City and raised
with gospel and R&B music within his
family. His first big break came in the
mid-70s with providing vocals on David Bowie's Young
Americans LP and touring with
Bowie eventually becoming the tour's opening
act. Luther also provided background vocals
for artists such as Barbra
Streisand, Chaka
Khan, and Donna Summer. Luther also led the
group Change before becoming
a successful solo act.
 Luther released his debut LP Never
Too Much described by Amazon.com as
ushering a "...new, lush and shamelessly
romantic era of male R&B..."
Luther hit the Top 40 with
"Never Too Much."
 Never
Too Much was certified platinum.
Luther was nominated for 2 Grammy Awards for Best New Artist and Best R&B Vocal Performance -
Male (Never
Too Much).
 Luther released Forever,
For Always, For Love.
Forever,
For Always, For Love was certified gold.
 Luther released Busy
Body.
Luther was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance -
Male
("Forever, For Always, For Love").
Forever,
For Always, For Love was certified
platinum.
 Luther hit the Top 40 with Dionne Warwick with
"How Many Times Can We
Say Goodbye."
Busy
Body was certified gold.
 # 127
Singles Artist of the Year
Busy
Body was certified platinum.
 Luther released The
Night I Fell In Love.
Luther hit the Top 40 with
"'Til My Baby Comes Home."
The
Night I Fell In Love was certified
platinum.
Luther was nominated for 2 American Music
Awards for Favorite Soul/R&B Male
Artist
and Favorite Soul/R&B
Album
(The
Night I Fell In Love).
Luther was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance -
Male (The
Night I Fell In Love).
 Luther released Give
Me The Reason.
Give
Me The Reason was certified platinum.
 # 86
Singles Artist of the Year
Luther was nominated for 2 Grammy Awards for Best R&B Vocal Performance -
Male
and Best R&B Song (songwriter)
("Give Me The Reason" with Nat
Adderley, Jr.).
Luther won an American Music
Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Male
Artist
and was nominated for Favorite Soul/R&B Album (Give
Me The Reason).
 Luther released Any
Love.
Any
Love was certified platinum.
Luther was nominated for 2 Grammy Awards for Best Male R&B Vocal
Performance (Any
Love) and Best R&B Song (awarded to
songwriter) ("Any Love").
Luther hit the Top 40 with
"She Won't Talk To Me."
 The
Best Of Luther Vandross - The Best Of Love was released.
The
Best Of Luther Vandross - The Best Of Love was certified gold.
 # 56
Singles Artist of the Year
Luther won an American Music
Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Male
Artist.
 Luther hit the Top 40 with
"Here And Now."
Luther was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance -
Male
("She Won't Talk To Me").
The
Night I Fell In Love was certified 2x
platinum.
Luther hit the Top 10 with "Here And Now."
The
Best Of Luther Vandross - The Best Of Love was certified
platinum.
Give
Me The Reason was certified 2x platinum.
 # 24
Singles Artist of the Year
Luther won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance -
Male
("Here And Now").
 Luther released Power
Of Love.
Luther hit the Top 40 with
"Power Of Love / Love
Power."
Luther hit the Top 10 with "Power Of Love / Love
Power."
Power
Of Love was certified platinum.
 Luther hit the Top 40 with
"Don't Want To Be A Fool."
Luther hit the Top 10 with "Don't Want To Be A Fool."
 # 74
Singles Artist of the Year
Luther won 2 American Music
Awards for Favorite Soul/R&B Male
Artist
and Favorite Soul/R&B
Album
(Power
Of Love).
Luther won 2 Grammy Awards for Best R&B Vocal Performance -
Male (Power
Of Love) and Best R&B Song (songwriter)
("Power Of Love/Love Power" with
Marcus Miller and Teddy Vann), and was
nominated for Best R&B Vocal
Performance by a Duo or Group ("Doctor's
Orders" with Aretha Franklin).
 Luther hit the Top 40 with the
huge dance duet with Janet
Jackson, "The Best Things In Life
Are Free" from the Mo'
Money soundtrack.
Luther hit the Top 10 with Janet
Jackson with "The Best Things In Life
Are Free."
Luther topped the Billboard
R&B Singles chart for 1 week with Janet
Jackson with "The Best Things In Life
Are Free."
The
Best Of Luther Vandross - The Best Of Love was certified 2x
platinum.
Luther was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal
Performance by a Duo or Group ("The Best Things In Life
Are Free" with Janet
Jackson).
Power
Of Love was certified 2x platinum.
 Luther released Never
Let Me Go.
Never
Let Me Go was certified gold.
Never
Let Me Go was certified platinum.
Luther teamed up with Mariah
Carey on the remake
of "Endless Love" - the single hit
the Top 10 after 2 weeks on the
chart.
Luther hit #1 for a week with Mariah
Carey with "Endless Love."
 # 73
Singles Artist of the Year
Luther won an American Music
Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Male
Artist.
 Luther was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance -
Male
("How Deep Is Your Love").
Luther released Songs.
 Luther hit #1 for a week with Mariah
Carey with "Endless Love."
Songs was certified
platinum.
Luther hit the Top 40 with his
cover of "Always And Forever."
Luther was nominated for 4 Grammy Awards for Best Pop Vocal Performance -
Male
("Love The One You're With"), Best Pop Collaboration with
Vocals
("Endless Love" with Mariah
Carey), Best R&B Vocal Performance -
Male
("Always And Forever"), and Best R&B Album (Songs).
Luther
released the holiday LP This
Is Christmas.
This
Is Christmas was certified gold.
Luther won an American Music
Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Male
Artist.
Songs was certified 2x
platinum.
 Luther released Your
Secret Love,
Your
Secret Love was certified platinum.
Never
Too Much was certified 2x platinum and The
Best Of Luther Vandross - The Best Of Love was certified 3x
platinum.
Luther won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance -
Male
("Your Secret Love") and was
nominated for Best R&B Song (songwriter)
("Your Secret Love" with Reed
Vertelney).
Luther was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance -
Male
("When You Call On Me / Baby That's When
I Come Runnin'").
 Luther released I
Know.
I
Know was certified gold.
Luther appeared on the
soundtrack for Down
In The Delta with the track,
"I'm Only Human."
 Luther was nominated for 2 Grammy Awards for Best R&B Vocal Performance -
Male
("I Know") and Best Traditional R&B Vocal
Performance (I
Know).
Greatest
Hits was released.
Smooth
Love was released.
 # 170
Singles Artist of the Year
 Luther released Luther
Vandross.
Luther
Vandross was certified gold.
Luther
Vandross was certified platinum.
Luther won an American Music
Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Male
Artist.
This
Is Christmas was certified platinum and Greatest
Hits was certified gold.
 # 151
Singles Artist of the Year
Luther was
nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal
Performance ("Any Day Now").
April 16: Luther suffered a
severe stroke that left him struggling
recuperating for many months to come and
confined to a wheelchair.
Luther released Dance
With My Father.
June 10: The
Essential Luther Vandross was released.
Dance
With My Father was certified platinum.
Luther hit the Top 40 with
"Dance With My Father."
Live
2003 At Radio City Music Hall was released.
 Luther won 2 American Music
Awards for Favorite Soul/R&B Male
Artist
and Favorite Soul/R&B
Album
(Dance
With My Father).
Luther won 4 Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Best R&B Vocal Performance -
Male
(songwriting with Richard Marx) ("Dance With My Father"), Best R&B Vocal
Performance by a Duo or Group ("The Closer I
Get To You" with Beyoncé
Knowles), and Best R&B Album (Dance
With My Father), and was also nominated for Best R&B Song (songwriter) ("Dance With My Father").
Dance
With My Father was certified 2x platinum.
# 112 on the Top Pop Artists
of the Past 25 Years chart.
 Luther died at the age of 54 on
July 1st. Roberta Flack,
Luther's friend and the catalyst for his solo
career, said of the loss of her friend:
"He was a musician who couldn't help but
give you all he had. He was the kind of guy
who was born to do what he did musically and
let the world know about it. He was not born
to keep it smothered in the chest."
The tribute compilation LP So
Amazing... An All-Star Tribute To Luther
Vandross was released.
December 6: The
Essential Luther Vandross was certified
gold.
 Greatest
Hits was certified platinum.
The
Ultimate Luther Vandross was released.
Luther was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance -
Male
("Got You Home").
 The box set Love,
Luther was released.
The
Ultimate Luther Vandross was certified gold.
Rolling Stone:
'The Greatest Singers' includes Luther at # 54.
 Hidden
Gems was released.
|
Never Too Much
Released: 1981
US: 2x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 19
Tracks: "Never Too Much" -
"Sugar And Spice (I Found Me A
Girl)" - "Don't You Know
That?" - "I've Been
Working" - "She's A Super
Lady" - "You Stopped Loving
Me" - "A House Is Not A
Home" |
|
Forever, For Always, For
Love
Released: 1982
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 20
Rolling Stone: 
Tracks: "Bad Boy /
Having A Party" - "You're The
Sweetest One" - "Since I Lost
My Baby" - "Forever, For
Always, For Love" - "Better
Love" - "Promise Me" -
"She Loves Me Back" -
"Once You Know How" |
|
Busy Body
Released: 1983
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 32
Rolling Stone:
Tracks: "I Wanted
Your Love" - "Busy Body" -
"I'll Let You Slide" -
"Make Me A Believer" -
"For The Sweetness Of Your
Love" - "How Many Times Can
We Say Goodbye" - "Superstar /
Until You Come Back To Me (That's What
I'm Gonna Do)" |
|
The Night I Fell In Love
Released: April, 1985
US: 2x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 19
Tracks: "'Til My Baby Comes
Home" - "The Night I
Fell In Love" - "If Only For
One Night" - "Creepin'" -
"It's Over Now" - "Wait
For Love" - "My Sensitivity
(Gets In The Way)" - "Other
Side Of The World" |
|
Give Me The Reason
Released: December, 1986
US: 2x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 14
Tracks: "Stop To
Love" - "See Me" - "I
Gave It Up (When I Fell In Love)" -
"So Amazing" - "Give Me
The Reason" - "There's Nothing
Better Than Love" - "I Really
Didn't Mean It" - "Because It's
Really Love" - "Anyone Who Had
A Heart" |
|
Any Love
Released: October, 1988
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 9
Rolling Stone: 
Tracks: "I
Wonder" - "She Won't Talk To
Me"
- "I Know You Want To" -
"Come Back" - "Any
Love" - "Love Won't Let Me
Wait" - "Are you Gonna Love
Me" - "For You To Love" -
"Second Time Around" |
|
The Best Of Luther
Vandross - The Best Of Love
Released: October, 1989
US: 3x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 26
Tracks:
"Searching" - "The Glow Of
Love" - "Never Too Much" - "If
This World Were Mine" - "A
House Is Not A Home" - "Bad Boy
/ Having A Party" - "Since I
Lost My Baby" - "Promise
Me" - "'Til My Baby Comes
Home" - "If Only For
One Night / Creepin'" -
"Superstar / Until You Come Back To
Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)" -
"Stop To Love" - "So
Amazing" - "There's Nothing
Better Than Love" - "Give Me
The Reason" - "Any Love" -
"I Really Didn't Mean It" -
"Love Won't Let Me Wait" -
"Treat You Right" - "Here And Now" |
|
Power Of Love
Released: 1991
US: 2x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 7
Rolling Stone: - Entertainment
Weekly: A-
Tracks: "She Doesn't
Mind" - "Power Of Love /
Love Power" - "I'm Gonna
Start Today" - "Rush" -
"I Want The Night To Stay" -
"Don't Want To Be A
Fool" - "I Can Tell
You That" - "Sometimes It's
Only Love" - "Emotional
Love" - "I (Who Have
Nothing)" |
|
Never Let Me Go
Released: June, 1993
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 6
Rolling Stone:  - Entertainment
Weekly: B+
Tracks: "Little
Miracles (Happen Every Day)" -
"Heaven Knows" - "Love Me
Again" - "Can't Be Doin' That
Now" - "Too Far Down" -
"Love Is On The Way (Real
Love)" - "Hustle" -
"Emotion Eyes" - "Lady,
Lady" - "How Deep Is Your Love
/ Love Don't Love Nobody" -
"Never Let Me Go" |
|
Songs
Released: September, 1994
US: 2x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 5
Rolling Stone: - Entertainment
Weekly: C
Tracks: "Love The
One You're With" - "Killing Me
Softly" - "Endless Love"
(with Mariah Carey) -
"Evergreen" -
"Reflections" -
"Hello" - "Ain't No
Stoppin' Us Now" - "Always And Forever" -
"Going In Circles" -
"Since You've Been Gone" -
"All The Woman I Need" -
"What The World Needs Now" -
"The Impossible Dream" |
|
This Is Christmas
Released: October, 1995
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 28
Tracks: "With A
Christmas Heart" - "This Is
Christmas" - "Mistle Toe Jam
(Everybody Kiss Somebody)" -
"Every Year, Every Christmas" -
"My Favorite Things" -
"Have Yourself A Merry Little
Christmas" - "I Listen To The
Bells" (with Darlene Love) -
"Please Come Home For
Christmas" - "Kiss For
Christmas" - "O' Come All Ye
Faithful" |
|
Your Secret Love
Released: October, 1996
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 9
Tracks: "Your Secret
Love" - "Love Don't Love You
Anymore" - "It's Hard For Me To
Say" - "Crazy Love" -
"I Can Make It Better" -
"Too Proud To Beg" - "I
Can't Wait No Longer (Let's Do This) -
"Nobody To Love" -
"Whether Or Not The World Gets
Better" (with Lisa Fischer) -
"This Time I'm Right" -
"Knocks Me Off My Feet" -
"Goin' Out Of My Head" |
|
I Know
Released: August, 1998
US: Gold
Billboard
peak:
# 26
Entertainment
Weekly: B-
Tracks: "Keeping My
Faith In You" - "Isn't There
Someone" - "Religion" -
"Get It Right" - "I
Know" - "I'm Only Human" -
"Nights In Harlem" -
"Dream Lover" - "When I
Need You" - "Are You Using
Me?" - "Are You Made At
Me?" - "Now That I Have
You" - "Nights In Harem"
(A Darkchild Extended Remix) |
 |
Always And Forever: The
Classics
Released: September, 1998
Tracks: "A House Is
Not A Home" - "Since I Lost My
Baby" - "Superstar / Until You
Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna
Do)" - "Creepin'" -
"Anyone Who Had A Heart" -
"I (Who Have Nothing) - "If
This World Were Mine" - "Goin'
Out Of My Head" - "Going In
Circles" - "Knocks Me Off My
Feet" - "Love Won't Let Me
Wait" - "Always And Forever" |
 |
Greatest Hits
Released: November, 1999
US: Platinum
Tracks: "Never Too Much" - "Don't Want To Be A
Fool" - "Here And Now" - "Love
The One You're With" - "Any
Love" - "Superstar / Until You
Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna
Do)" - "A House Is Not A
Home" - "Give Me The
Reason" - "There's Nothing
Better Than Love" -
"Creepin'" - "So
Amazing" - "Stop To Love"
- "Power Of Love /
Love Power" - ""How Many Times Can
We Say Goodbye" " (with Dionne
Warwick) |
|
Smooth Love
Released: November, 2000
Tracks: "Forever,
For Always, For Love" - "Give
Me The Reason" - "Once You Know
How" - "There's Nothing Better
Than Love" - "Night I Fell In
Love" - "So Amazing" -
"If Only For One Night" -
"You Stopped Loving Me" -
"A House Is Not A Home" -
"Anyone Who Had A Heart" |
|
Luther Vandross
Released: June, 2001
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 6
Rolling Stone:  - Entertainment
Weekly: A-
Tracks: "Take You
Out" - "Grown Things" -
"Bring Your Heart To Mine" -
"Can Heaven Wait" - "Say
It Now" - "Heart Get Broken All
The Time (But The Problem Is, This Time
It's Mine)" - "I'd Rather"
- "How Do I Tell Her" -
"Any Day Now" - "If I Was
The One" - "Let's Make Tonight
The Night" - "Like I'm
Invisible" - "Are You There
(With Another Guy)" - "Love
Forgot" |
 |
Home For Christmas
Released: 2002
Tracks: "With A
Christmas Heart" - "My Favorite
Things" - "Have Yourself A
Merry Little Christmas" - "I
Listen To The Bells" - "Please
Come Home For Christmas" - "O
Come All Ye Faithful" - "What
The World Needs Now" - "Little
Miracles (Happens Every Day)" |
iTunes
Amazon.mp3 |
Dance With My Father
Released: June, 2003
US: 2x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 1 (for 1 week)
Rolling Stone: - Entertainment
Weekly: B
Tracks: "If I Didn't
Know Better" - "Think About
You" - "If It Ain't One
Thing..." (with Foxy Brown) -
"Buy Me A Rose" - "The
Closer I Get To You" (with Beyoncé
Knowles) - "Lovely Day" (with
Busta Rhymes) - "Dance With My
Father" - "She Saw
You" - "Apologize" -
"Hit It Again" (with Queen
Latifah) - "Right In The
Middle" - "Once Were
Lovers" - "Lovely Day"
(Remix) - "They Said You Needed
Me" |
 |
The Essential Luther
Vandross
Released: June 10, 2003
US: Gold
Billboard
peak:
# 154
Tracks: "Any
Love" - "So Amazing" -
"Wait For Love" - "For You
To Love" - "I (Who Have
Nothing) - "Anyone Who Had A
Heart" - "A House Is Not A
Home" - "Never Too Much" -
"Since I Lost My Baby" -
"Stop To Love" - "It's
Over Now" - "Your Secret
Love" - "Superstar" -
"Here And Now" -
"Knocks Me Off My Feet" -
"Goin' Out Of My Head" -
"If Only For One Night" -
"Creepin'" - "She's So
Good To Me" - "Give Me The
Reason" - "She Loves Me
Back" - "The Night I Fell In
Love" - "If This World Were
Mine" - "Don't Want To Be A
Fool" - "There's
Nothing Better Than Love" -
""How Many Times Can
We Say Goodbye" " - "Love
The One You're With" - "Endless
Love" (with Mariah Carey) - "I
Want The Night To Stay" |
|
Live 2003 At Radio City
Music Hall
Released: October, 2003
Billboard
peak:
# 22
Live Tracks: "Never Too Much" - "Here And Now" - "Take
You Out" - "Love Won't Let Me
Wait" - "Superstar" -
"Stop To Love" - "If Only
For One Night" -
"Creepin'" - "I'd
Rather" - "A House Is Not A
Home" - "Glow Of Love" |
|
The Ultimate Luther
Vandross
Released: August, 2006
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 9
Tracks: "Shine"
- "Got You Home" - "Never Too Much" - "Take
You Out" - "Superstar / Until
You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm
Gonna Do)" - "Here And Now" - "Dance With My
Father" - "A House Is
Not A Home" - "Give Me The
Reason" - "I'd Rather" -
"Any Love" - "Power Of Love /
Love Power" - "Think About
You" - "Wait For Love" -
"The Closer I Get To You" (with
Beyoncé Knowles) - "Buy Me A
Rose" - "Endless Love"
(with Mariah Carey) - "Shine"
(The Freemasons Mix) - "Power Of Love /
Love Power" (The Dance Radio Mix)
- "Can Heaven Wait" (David
Harness Soulful Club Mix) - "Take
You Out Tonight" (Allstar Remix) -
"I'd Rather" (Mike Rizzo Global
Mix) - "'Til My Baby Comes
Home" (Dance Version) -
"Stop To Love" (12" Mix) |
|
Love, Luther
Released: October, 2007 |
|
Hidden Gems
Released: April, 2012 |
| Note: Song title and
position links lead you to the song's Top
40 chart run (from the ARC Weekly Top
40)
and LP links take you to Amazon.com for that LP (often
including track listings and sound
samples). |
|
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