The Boomer REport - Music Fun Facts

Luther Vandross - 10 Fun Facts

  1. He started as a background singer – Luther sang behind David Bowie, Bette Midler, Roberta Flack, Chaka Khan, and more before his solo career launched.
  2. He created vocal arrangements for “Young Americans” – Vandross helped David Bowie shape the soul-influenced 1975 album, including the chorus of the title track.
  3. He was part of a disco group before going solo – Luther fronted the short-lived band Luther, which released two albums in the late '70s but was dropped by the label.
  4. He was a jingle king in the ‘80s – Luther sang commercial jingles for Juicy Fruit, Burger King, NBC, and others before becoming a household name.
  5. He battled stage fright early in his career – Despite his immense talent, Luther avoided the spotlight and struggled with self-confidence at first.
  6. He was notoriously perfectionistic – Luther was known to record hundreds of takes for a single vocal phrase to capture the exact emotional nuance.
  7. He turned down flashy trends – In the synth-heavy ‘80s, Vandross stuck with lush arrangements, live strings, and timeless melodies.
  8. He never married or had children – Luther kept his personal life extremely private, which fueled speculation, but he focused publicly on music and family.
  9. He suffered a major stroke in 2003 – This left him in a wheelchair and partially paralyzed, but he still recorded messages and appeared via video for fans.
  10. He idolized Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin – They both considered him family. Aretha even referred to him as “one of the boys she never had.”