There are only a handful of superstars whose first name alone brings instant recognition. Luther is one of them. Luther Vandross was and will always be one of the most influential black male voices in music. It was his voice and distinct singing style that led to his monumental success. Without a doubt, you know a Luther song, when you hear one. And you know that a slow jam playlist is incomplete without some Luther on it. The magic was in the combination of that voice coupled with Luther’s unique ability to write and sing about love and the shared emotions we all feel in the search for love.
Luther departed this life in 2005 after giving us 35 years of unmatched musical majesty. With songs about love of family, friends, romance, making up, and breaking up, Luther’s catalog contains the right song for whatever the occasion. From his humble beginnings as a singer on the first season on PBS’s in 1969 to worldwide recognition. Over his career, Vandross received eight Grammy Awards:
- 1991: Best R&B Vocal Performance-Male “Here and Now”
- 1992: Best R&B Vocal Performance-Male “Power of Love”
Best R&B Song “Power of Love/Love Power” - 1997: Best R&B Vocal Performance-Male “Your Secret Love”
- 2004: Song of the Year “Dance With My Father”
Best R&B Album “Dance With My Father”
Best R&B Vocal Performance by Duo or Group “The Closer I Get to You” (duet w/Beyonce)
Best R&B Vocal Performance-Male “Dance With My Father”
He was also won 9 awards from American Music Awards, 4 NAACP Awards, recognized as #54 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of 100 Greatest Singers of All Time, Named one of NPR’s (National Public Radio) 50 Greatest Voices, and in 2014 he posthumously received a Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame.
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