Artist Playlists
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Luther Vandross learned from the best. The impressive vocalist wrote for David Bowie and sang background for Chaka Khan, Diana Ross, Bette Midler, and Barbra Streisand before his breakthrough in the early ‘80s. He first gained notoriety by singing lead vocals with the post-disco band Change, but his knack for penning smooth love songs is what quickly made him one of R&B's most beloved solo acts. A slow jam specialist, Vandross' success coincided with the height of the quiet storm era. All but one of his 13 studio albums have gone at least platinum, and he's won eight GRAMMY®s. - Luther Vandross ushered in a golden age for sensuous quiet storm balladry in ‘80s R&B. Freddie Jackson and Will Downing mimicked his honeyed voice and unique phrasing, and he helped mentor and produce artists like Lisa Fischer. Post-millennial stars such as Jaheim, Tank, and Kem have taken cues from his soft-spoken cadences and swooping melisma.
- Luther Vandross drew vocal grace and charisma from ‘60s pop heroines such as Dionne Warwick, and poetic phrasing from Motown ensembles like Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. By the ‘70s, he was writing songs and singing backup vocals for the likes of David Bowie, Chaka Khan, and Chic, learning showmanship and paving the way for his career as a premier vocalist of R&B romance.
- These songs prove Luther Vandross was a master of dance-floor tracks as well as slow jams. “I'll Let You Slide” is a gem of ‘80s synth-funk boogie, “She Won't Talk to Me” wraps its tale of longing in bubbling R&B-pop, and “Shine” reveals his roots in the world of disco. Meanwhile, his cover of Stevie Wonder's “Creepin'” is a marvelous expression of nighttime romance.