Obit: Luther Vandross (1 July 2005)

Subject: Obit: Luther Vandross
From: Justa Picker
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 10:48 AM

Click

Subject: RE: Obit: Luther Vandross
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 11:08 AM

from that link:
"Legendary R&B artist Luther Vandross, whose smooth, silky voice gave soul to songs about life, love and relationships, died Friday. He was 54 years old.

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."

-snip-

May he rest in peace.

Subject: RE: Obit: Luther Vandross
From: fat B****rd
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 02:14 PM

RIP Mr. V. I don't and never have liked much "Smooth" Soul. But his "House Is Not A Home" is beautiful.

Subject: RE: Obit: Luther Vandross
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 03 Jul 05 - 10:25 AM

Just an oddity... I never heard Luther Vandross perform, but he heard me...

The Gospel Messengers did a Sunday brunch once a month at a very exclusive Inn in Westport, Connecticut. People like Bill Clinton have come there, and many famous celebrities use the Inn as a getaway from New York City. It only has 8 suites. One Sunday when we were scheduled to perform we were informed that Luther Vandross was coming for brunch, and they didn't want us to draw any special attention to him. He came with a woman and they sat at a small table next to the exit door and heard our whole program. As we were leaving, my wife and I stopped and said hello. I told him that I was tempted to ask him to come up and sing with us, and we'd back him on a song or two, but he said he didn't do gospel. He was quite gracious in our short conversation. I didn't really enjoy the style of singing he was so wonderful at, but knew a lot of people who loved it... including my wife. He may not like old black gospel quartet stuff much either, but he was certainly warm and friendly that day...

I was sorry to read of his passing..

Jerry

Subject: RE: Obit: Luther Vandross (1 July 2005)
From: Margret RoadKnight
Date: 03 Jul 05 - 09:25 PM

hmmmmm.......
Somewhere on videotape I definitely have a very slim Luther Vandross singing Gospel.

Subject: RE: Obit: Luther Vandross (1 July 2005)
From: Mick Tems
Date: 03 Jul 05 - 10:48 PM

"The popular crooner suffered a debilitating stroke in April 2003..."

Stroke is a bastard. It remains the leading killer of all time. I had a horrendous stroke in April 2001, which put paid to my Calennig career. I was one of lucky ones; nevertheless, I spent nine months in hospital, I was in a wheelchair and I couldn't speak. The knock-on effects are still happening - my beloved melodeons, my Eric Martins, remain unplayed since the morning I had the stroke, which rendered the left side of my body useless.

Thoughout these years I've watched and listened as good friends and musicians fall victims to stroke (I didn't choose my words carefully enough - what I mean to say is "are stroke survivors". If you're going to survive a stroke, you're halfway there - otherwise, you end up dead.) Both Pat and I campained to raise money for Taffy Thomas, never dreaming that I could have a stroke. Clive Woolf was an early-day survivor. So was Roy Harris. My friend Chris Timpson had a slight stroke - this "slight" stroke, he says, set the bells ringing in his brain, making him dependent on tablets for life and forcing him to completely relearn the concertina again. Dave Bryant, that superb London singer, is another stroke survivor. I haven't been keeping up on events, Dave; how is the arm?

There is a Stroke Association, right enough, but it seems to me that there is ignorance or just total noncomprehension of what makes musician, and the musician gets sidelined as to what are his real needs. For tha first time, I want to form a Musicians' Stroke Association, where we can be not alone and to campaign for our interests - is anyone with me?

Mick

Subject: RE: Obit: Luther Vandross (1 July 2005)
From: GUEST,Sidewinder.
Date: 06 Jul 05 - 07:31 AM

I discovered Luther back in the 1970s with his terrific work on David Bowie albums etc. I recently purchased his "Dancing With My Father" song and was very moved by his performance.Then again, I wasn't surprised as, in my humble opinion, he could match and sometimes better definitive vocal performances by anyone."Love The One You're With" and "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" a couple of examples. I will always remember Luther as a Soul Stirring Singer who could deliver a slice of pop history "Never Too Much" along with an alltime classic " True Love" with a seemless quality that illustates perfectly the universal appeal of Music as a whole.God Bless You L.V.

Sidewinder.

Subject: RE: Obit: Luther Vandross (1 July 2005)
From: GUEST,T-boy
Date: 06 Jul 05 - 07:36 AM

Mick,

Great idea, but start a new thread, why don't you?