Tag Archives: luther vandross

Remembering Luther

20 Sunday Apr 2008

Posted by in Music Legends

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by vivrant thang on luther vandross

Today would have been Luther’s 57th birthday. I really miss that man. I grew up on his music. As the child of a baby boomer, I had no choice!

I vividly remember that day in July when he passed. I was on my way to the mall and heard the news on the radio. For some reason I didn’t have my cell so I pulled off the road to call my mother. She was practically in tears. We attended the Essence Music Festival a few days later, which he always closed out. They had quickly pulled together a moving tribute, in which Gerald Levert took part.

TOO. SOON.

I was in Philly this weekend for the Steve Harvey/Mo’Nique comedy show and had a chance to hear Danny Clay perform – a man who many swear is Luther reincarnated. Normally that would get the major side-eye from me. [thanks SB!]

However, this man here could be the truth. Danny is a former inmate that called into Steve’s morning show and just started singing. Steve told him to hold on and the rest is history. He’s taken Danny under his wing and now he’s opening for him on his “Still Trippin” tour. Luther’s mother also heard him sing before she passed and gave him her stamp of approval.

In my opinion, there will neva eva eva – in this lifetime or the next – be another Luther. His voice just can’t be duplicated. I will say that Danny definitely comes the closest I’ve ever heard. I would book him to sing Here and Now at my wedding. 🙂 I look forward to his original songs because his voice is indeed – so amazing.

Let’s celebrate Luther today. Here are me and The First Lady’s favorites. What are yours?

*update: Head on over to DJ Diva’s spot and cop her hot Luther mixes: Slow Jams and Fast Mix.

Superstar/Until You Come Back To Me (Superstar -originally Delaney/Bonnie and Until – Stevie Wonder classic)
(STILL trying to recover from the massacre at Little Ursher)

A House Is Not A Home (gives me chills- if you only watch one, this is it!)
note: originally sung by Dionne Warwick, who is in the audience and is understandably moved to tears)

Love Won’t Let Me Wait
(remake of Major Harris classic)

Anyone Who Had A Heart (remake of 1963 Dionne Warwick classic)
(highlight of the So Amazing All Star Tribute album is the duet with Luther and Elton John)

Wait For Love
(this song has got me through some rough times!)

I’m Coming Out!

20 Tuesday Nov 2007

Posted by in Feeding The Music Jones

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diana.jpg 

I’m coming out
I want the world to know
Got to let it show
There’s a new me coming out
And I just had to live
And I wanna give

I was so glad to read on Jasmyne Cannick’s excellent blog that Rahsaan Patterson recently came out in an interview with BET J.  Another of my favorite soul artists, Donnie, also came out earlier this year around the time he released his second album, The Daily News.

Bravo for both of them!

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I attended a Donnie show earlier this year and he definitely seems much happier and was actually having fun up there. When I’d last seen him perform in support of the release of his first album, The Colored Section, there was a darkness surrounding him. I’m glad he’s come out into the light. During the performance, he spoke of how he had to “deal with some shit” before he could give us more music. I’m so glad he and Rah P had that kind of courage to Live in the Light. True fans already know…and could care less. Just give us the music! Whether you’re singing about a he, she, or a shim, I’m not here to judge you. Just keep my body rocking!

I just wish Luther had been able to do the same thing before he left us. I wish he had been able to find the love he sang about and live out loud with it.

Check out some video I captured from this Donnie performance. These are two cuts from The Colored Section.

Cloud 9

 

People Person

 

The time has come for me
To break out of the shell
I have to shout
That I’m coming out

Golden

05 Wednesday Sep 2007

Posted by in Feeding The Music Jones

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I’m taking my own freedom / Putting it in my song
Singing loud and strong / Grooving all day long

When did you first fall in love with music?

I still remember my first pink boom box and how I would let my tape rock ’til my tape popped. Salt and Pepa talking about “Push it real good!” Big Daddy Kane aka “Smooth Operator” used to get raw through my speakers. And of course I had the requisite LL Cool J poster on my wall from Word Up magazine, imagining I was the Around the Way girl he needed. He wouldn’t be talking about needing love if only he met me. Yes, indeed, I wanted to go and talk to Devante; wrote 4-page letters with Aaliyah; felt Sisqo’s pain as if I had found someone sleeping in my bed.

I didn’t think it could get no better. Until I first heard D’Angelo crooning something about that brown sugar baby. I sure did get high up off his love and didn’t know how to behave! It was as if Mary was my girl talking me through the pain of unrequited love ’cause surely we both were going down if “he” wasn’t around. Who remembers forgetting to wonder just what Erykah had under that head wrap as she mesmerized you with “On and On?” Just like I’ll never forget where I was when I heard that Luther was gone, I vividly recall the day an old high school friend told me to run, not walk and pick up this hot new album that would bless me the moment I pressed play. Skeptical, I asked, “Who is Jill Scott?”

Music has and always will play a huge part in my life. It soothes, stimulates, lifts, focuses, inspires, prepares, drives me…and a million other things that I hope to share in this space. I have been marinating on my presence in the blogosphere for months now. I read a variety of blogs ranging from personal, humor, political, social, celebrity, sports, nonprofit, technology, books…generally everything that interests me. What did I have to add to the conversation? I knew it would be a personal blog, but what would be the slant. I kept coming back to the advice: write about what you love.

So here we are.

I’m not sure where we’ll go from here. I just know that I have a lot to say and it all will be framed by music, one of my greatest loves.

Are you ready? Let’s Rock.