Luther Vandross

Luther Vandross had a voice smoother than butter melting on a hot skillet. Born on April 20, 1951, Luther was a New Yorker through and through.

He grew up in a musical family and began his journey by playing the piano. But then his angelic voice kicked in and it was clear – dude was meant to sing. Luther’s vocals were so good that even before he released his own stuff, he was a highly sought after background singer and vocal arranger for big artists. I’m talking David Bowie, Bette Midler, and Barbra Streisand. No biggie, right?

But don’t get it twisted, Luther wasn’t gonna be a background guy forever. Nah, he stepped into the spotlight in 1981 with his debut album “Never Too Much”. And let me tell ya, it was never too much of Luther for the fans. The album’s title track still gives me the feels.

What’s wild about Luther is that his voice wasn’t just smooth, it was rich and emotional. When he sang about love, you felt loved. When he sang about heartbreak, you felt your heart crack a little. He just had that kind of voice, y’know?

Throughout his career, Luther scooped up a ton of awards including eight Grammy Awards. His songs “Dance with My Father“, “Here and Now”, and “Never Too Much” are just some of the tracks that have left a lasting impact on fans all over the world.

Sadly, Luther left us way too soon in 2005, but his music lives on.