Luther Vandross
April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005
Luther Vandross was one of America’s most successful R&B singers during the ’80s and ’90s, selling over 25 million albums and scoring eight Grammy wins. In the early part of his career, Vandross sang back up for the likes of Robert Flack, David Bowie, Diana Ross, Bette Midler, and Barbra Streisand. By 1981, Vandross was on his way to becoming a superstar in his own right. The new decade saw him release hit after hit with songs like “Never Too Much,” “A House Is Not A Home,” and “Stop The Love.” But perhaps his biggest legacy is his 1989 recording of Terry Steele’s “Here And Now,” one of the most popular wedding songs out there. In 1985, tragedy struck in the form of a fatal car accident. While at the wheel, Vandross crossed a center divider and crashed into two oncoming vehicles, killing one of his passengers. Vandross pleaded no contest to vehicular manslaughter and later reached an out-of-court financial settlement with the victim’s family. Vandross continued to stay active through the ’90s and into the early 2000’s. Suffering from diabetes and hypertension, Vandross suffered a stroke in early 2003. He suffered a fatal heart attack on July 1, 2005.
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