I’ve always been fascinated by r&b singer Luther Vandross.
I love love looooove his songs and his robust, rich voice.
There’s not been a better male vocalist since he passed on in 2005 from diabetes complications.
However, his story is filled with sadness and causes feelings of grief and sorrow.
Firstly, Luther’s personal life was a mystery before and after his death.
He maintained a very private life.
Journalists suggest that he was a sad and lonely man behind the scenes.
His three elder siblings and dad died before him.
In fact, his mother witnessed all of their deaths. I can’t imagine how she dealt with that.
It’s also said that Luther was super private because he didn’t want to be defined by his rumoured s£xuality.
He never used pronouns in his songs, and they are mostly about yearning for love and not being loved back.
Lying low and allowing his music to be the only thing people knew about him may have been the best way to live, as living his truth wouldn’t have favoured his r&b singing career back in the day. His biggest fans were women.
Plus, in his time, AIDS was such a big topic.
When he lost weight drastically the media falsely reported that he had the disease.
So the man just couldn’t really be out and open, the stigma would’ve been heavy on him.
He navigated the times. And I feel like he poured his personal feelings into his many sad-themed songs in a subtle way.
But anyway, talents like Luther’s are once in a lifetime.
Although he didn’t have a major crossover appeal like some of his peers from the 80s like MJ and Stevie Wonder, I daresay none of the greats could hold a candle to his singing ability.
When it came to covers, his renditions were not mere imitations; he had a way of transforming it into something entirely his own.
Examples: Endless Love ft Mariah Carey, Love Won’t Let Me, Lovely Day ft Busta Rhymes, The Closer I Get To You ft Beyonce.
Over the course of Luther’s illustrious career, he was honored with 8 Grammy Awards and 33 Grammy nominations.
His top songs (IMO)
Here and Now
Superstar
Dance With My Father
Secret Love ❤❤❤ (this one is my fave)
If Only For One Night
A House Is Not A Home
Buy Me A Rose
BTV reporting
