Luther Vandross was one of the most influential R&B singers of his time. He was born in New York City and came from a musical family. His older sister was a member of a high school singing group. Luther began playing the piano at three and also sung in a group in high school called Shades of Jade.
Vandross went off to college at Western Michigan University but dropped out to pursue music after one year. He started his career behind the scenes of the music industry. He sang backup for successful ‘80s artists like Roberta Flack, Diana Ross, Carly Simon, Chaka Khan, Donna Summer, Bette Midler, and David Bowie. He also started writing songs, including “Everybody Rejoice” for the Broadway musical The Wiz.
In the ‘70s , Vandross and several other former Shades of Jade members formed another singing group called Luther. The group had two fairly successful singles but didn’t sell albums. Luther was eventually dropped from its record label.
Vandross went on to write and sing jingles for commercials. He also sang lead in a disco band called Greg Diamond’s Bionic Boogie and sang with the band Soiree.
In 1980, Vandross became a featured singer with a group called Change. The group had several successful singles, and after he left the group, Vandross got a solo record deal with Epic Records. He released his debut album, Never Too Much. The title track became a hit as did a remake of a song called “A House is Not a Home” that became one of Vandross’ biggest hits.
He also continued to write and produce for other artists, including Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. He produced Franklin’s “comeback album” Jump to It. The CD sold 500,000 copies and won several awards. In 1991, he released Power of Love and had his first two top ten hits on the pop charts. He went on to record “Endless Love” with Mariah Carey.
During his career, he sold more than 25 million albums. Vandross also won eight Grammy Awards, including four for Best Male R&B Performance and Song of the Year. He was nominated for a staggering 31 Grammys during his 20-year solo career.
After Vandross passed away from a heart attack in 2005, several tribute albums were released in his honor. One of the most successful tributes was So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross. It included artists like Stevie Wonder, Mary J. Blige, Usher, Alicia Keys, Beyoncé, Elton John, and John Legend. Beyoncé and Stevie Wonder won a Grammy award for their cover of Vandross’ “So Amazing.” Aretha Franklin also won an award for her version of his “A House is Not a Home.”
3
Which example best supports the idea that Vandross is respected by his peers?
A.
a successful career singing and writing jingles
B.
several tribute CDs were released in his honor
C.
his successful solo debut, Never Too Much
D.
becoming lead singer in a number of groups