11 Jul 05

UK Black Out salutes legendary R&B artist Luther Vandross, whose smooth, silky voice gave soul to songs about life, love and relationships. Luther died on Friday 1 July. He was 54 years old.

Luther Ronzoni Vandross, the silky-voiced R&B crooner who spun romance into hits like "Here and Now" and "Any Love," died on Friday, July 1st, 2005 at John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Edison, NJ.

With a smooth yet soulful delivery, the highly admired singer/songwriter/producer has sold in excess of 30 million records worldwide, winning eight Grammy Awards, numerous Soul Train, BET, NAACP Image and American Music Awards.

He ranked as one of the most successful R& B singers of the 1980's and broke through to even wider commercial success in 1989 with the Best of Luther Vandross, the Best of Love, which included the new song "Here and Now," his first Grammy winning hit which became a signature wedding song.

Born in New York City in 1951, Luther was the youngest of four children. In 1972, a song Vandross wrote, "Everybody Rejoice," was included in the Broadway musical "The Wiz."But his biggest early break came when he landed a job as a backup singer for David Bowie and created vocal arrangements for the hit album Young Americans.

Luther soon became a sought-after backup vocalist and arranger, working for artists from Bette Midler to Barbra Streisand, and he helped pay the bills as one of the most popular jingle singers of the time. His 1981 debut, Never Too Much, reached the top of the R&B charts and sold more than one million copies. Through the 1980's, he recorded a string of platinum albums, including Forever, For Always, For Love, Busy Body and The Night I Fell in Love. His last album, Dance With My Father received 4 Grammy Awards (including Song of the Year for the title song "Dance With My Father") and has generated worldwide sales exceeding 3 million copies.

Luther was also a prolific writer and producer for such musical icons as Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Whitney Houston and Dionne Warwick thereby fulfilling a lifelong dream. "When history books are written, I'd like it to be said that I am one of the premiere singers of our time," said Vandross in an interview with BET.

The popular crooner suffered a debilitating stroke in April 2003. Even so, his album "Dance With My Father," co-written with Richard Marx, sold nearly a million copies in its first month of release that June. The following year, that album won three Grammy Awards, including song of the year.

His eighth and final Grammy came for best R&B performance by a duo -- the remake of "The Closer I Get to You," sung with Beyonce Knowles.

He leaves to cherish and celebrate his life, legacy, and wonderful memories a loving and devoted mother, Mary Ida Vandross, nine nieces as well as eight great nephews, three great nieces and a circle of close friends and colleagues, his musical family and millions of loyal, supportive fans.

The funeral service hit just the right notes that Friday: soulful, joyful and powerful, an echo of the late singer's unforgettable voice.

Family, friends and fans filled The Riverside Church for a celebration of Vandross' too-short life, a memorial service that morphed into a revival meeting before ending with an all-star rendition of his hit single "Power of Love/Love Power."

"There are no sad faces here today," said longtime friend LaBelle, resplendent in a bright yellow dress with a diamond necklace and earrings. "It's not a mournful service. I'm celebrating because Luther would want us too."

As Vandross' gold coffin sat at the foot of the altar, LaBelle read a poem written by the R&B icon's mother, Mary Ida, who was seated in the front row. Vandross' other family members, nine nieces and their 11 children, filled in the seats around the family matriarch to remember the man known to them as "Uncle Ronnie."

The altar bore just a single, simple floral arrangement, with white lilies rising from a collection of white and yellow roses.

Mourners lined up for two city blocks in a driving rain before the church opened. Once inside, they were brought to their feet and moved to cheers repeatedly as Vandross favorites Wonder, Franklin and Cissy Houston sang in tribute.

Houston performed the gospel standard "Deep River," while Wonder left the crowd breathless with his version of the gospel song "I Won't Complain."

But it was Franklin, brushing aside a slight sore throat, who sent choir and clergy dancing on the altar with her version of "Amazing Grace." Franklin began to ad-lib at song's end, addressing the Vandross family and congregation as the music swelled and the crowd clapped along.

"There's healing in the name of Jesus!" she sang before returning to her seat, where Franklin raised her hands and waved along with the rest of the church as the organ music pulsated.

Before the funeral service, a hearse carrying the native New Yorker's remains took Vandross on one final tour of Harlem, pausing outside the Apollo Theater before heading west to the church. Before achieving stardom, Vandross had twice finished second at the Harlem theater's famed amateur night.

Singer Gladys Knight, another Vandross friend and admirer, sent along a faxed message that referred to the singer's last hit, "Dance with My Father." Luther Vandross Sr. died when his son was still a child.

"We should be happy for Luther," her message said. "He made a difference in this world, and now he has the extraordinary chance to dance with his father again."

Pictures from the funeral can be found here.