The Untold Story of Luther Vandross’s First Group
The great singer who left behind countless great songs and great vocals throughout his life, the reissue of his early group works that was rumored to be secret has finally come true.
It is well known that Luther Vandross was active as a session singer, mainly in disco projects, even before his solo debut with Never Too Much in 1981. Even prior to that, Luther released two albums under his own name, Luther, on Cotillion. These were Luther in 1976 and This Close to You in 1977. Due to low sales, only a small number of the albums were available on the market, and used copies were expensive. When he left the label, he bought the copyright himself, and since his death in July 2005, his family has been in charge of managing them, so they have not been reissued. The only recordings from his time with Luther are the two songs he performed on the Cotillion-produced Funky Christmas (1976), which were included in compilations, and the only original album track was “Funky Music (Is a Part of Me)” from 1976, which was included in the 2007 CD box set Love, Luther. This once hard-to-find album has finally been reissued. The completion of the documentary Luther: Never Too Much may have also helped.
Luther, who himself said, “The Temptations and Gladys Knight & the Pips were for me,” led a mixed-gender vocal group. The story begins around 1967 when Luther (born April 20, 1951, in Manhattan, New York) formed Shades of Jade with friends at William Howard Taft High School in the Bronx. Other members besides Luther were Robin Clark, Diane Samler, Anthony Hinton, and guitarist Carlos Alomar. They joined a workshop-like unit called Listen My Brother and released a single in 1969. Luther’s lively singing on the TV show Sesame Street shows that he had already established his crooner-like singing style at that time. Even after dropping out of Western Michigan University and resuming his musical career in New York, Luther continued to showcase his passionate singing voice on albums such as Delores Hall’s 1973 album Hall-Mark, for which he contributed some of his own compositions.
The turning point came when his friend Carlos Alomar joined David Bowie’s band. Luther and his wife, Robin Clark, were invited to join the chorus for Bowie’s Young Americans (1975) at Sigma Sound Studio in Philadelphia. Luther then called in his old friends Diane and Anthony. The song they were singing in rehearsal, “Funky Music (Is a Part of Me)” (later performed on Luther), was reworked into “Fascination” and included on Young Americans. The chorus also accompanied Bowie on his Diamond Dogs Tour. Bette Midler, who had seen their performance there, liked Luther and his group and introduced them to Atlantic master Arif Mardin. They formed their long-awaited vocal group while working on chorus work for Arif’s albums. Calling themselves Luther, they were welcomed as the first Cotillion artists relaunched under Atlantic Records.
The members are Luther, Diane Samler, and Anthony Hinton (Robin Clark was not able to participate due to his busy schedule), who have been friends since high school, and Christine Wiltshire and Teresa V. Reid, who have recently joined. On the front cover of Luther, a spotlight shines on an empty stage, suggesting that they had been a shadowy presence (backing chorus) until now. However, on the back cover, the spotlight shines on the five of them, showing that they are the stars of the album. There are duets, but it is Luther who sings the main part. “The 2nd Time Around” is a self-cover with overdubs from his 1988 solo album *Any Love*, and although his singing voice has a sense of refinement and maturity, his large-scale velvet voice is not much different from his days in Luther, reminding us that Luther has always been Luther.
For the 1977 release of This Close to You, Christine and Teresa left the band to prioritize their personal lives, leaving three old friends as the lineup (Christine had participated in Patrick Adams’ disco projects Freak/Class Action and Musique). This album had a stronger Luther solo project character than the previous album, while Diane and Anthony were credited as “Featured Soloists,” emphasizing that it was a collection of three solo singers. However, the album, which featured Nile Rodgers on guitar and had a stronger modern feel reminiscent of Philly Soul, was a complete failure in sales. After leaving the group, Luther resumed his work as a session singer. His solo success lay ahead of him. However, if you listen to the albums from his Luther days, you will surely realize that the singer who colored the ‘80s was already shining in the ‘70s.
This is the first album by the five-piece group. The funky production, protected by Paul Reiser’s lavish arrangements, is very ‘70s, but Luther’s mature charm as the lead on every song is already in full swing. The sweet ballad “I’ll Get Along Fine” is a duet with Diane Samler, and Anthony Hinton’s falsetto is also impressive on “Everybody Rejoice” from the musical The Wiz and the song “It’s Good for the Soul.” Carlos Alomar plays guitar, and fellow schoolmate Nat Adderley Jr. provides backing on the keyboards.
The second album by the trio is also a great one. The musicians include Nat Adderley Jr. and Wilbur Bascom, as well as Nile Rodgers, Cornell Dupree, Rick Marotta, Don Grolnick, and Will Lee. The arrangements, which have a more vivid Philly soul flavor, match Luther’s urbane behavior, making the album even more refreshing to listen to. “Jealousy Is In Me,” in which Anthony also takes the lead, and “Come Back to Love,” in which Anthony and Diane take the lead, may be traces of Luther’s insistence on the group’s form.
Early Luther Vandross albums
A rock star who was devoted to contemporary American soul music, this ambitious work was called “Plastic Soul.” Luther, who sang backing on six songs, including the lively title track, also arranged the chorus, and “Funky Music (Is a Part of Me)” was adopted as “Fascination” on the group’s first album the following year. He also worked with Bowie on “Underground” (1986).
The Brecker Brothers, a fusion band that was also involved in their 80s works, employed Luther as a backing vocalist and vocal arranger along with Robin & Diane on this second album. He was also listed as a co-writer on two songs, and later took the lead on songs such as "What Can a Miracle Do" that he provided to Dionne Warwick, demonstrating his presence.
A Christmas album featuring acts who were then signed to Cotillion, including Lou Donaldson and the Impressions. Luther contributed two original songs to the group, the funky “May Christmas Bring You Happiness” and the slow “At Christmas Time.” Paul Reiser’s arrangements are magnificent and warm, and undeniably comfortable.
Nile Rodgers, who played guitar throughout “This Close to You,” made his spectacular debut in the fall of the same year as part of this unit, which he formed with Bernard Edwards. Luther, who joined the vocal section with Robin Clark, continued to be a regular on Chic’s family albums for some time after that, including the next album, “C’est Chic,” as well as with Norma Jean and Sister Sledge.
Before and after the group, Luther worked behind the scenes with Arif Mardin, from Andy Platt to Carly Simon, which shows how much he was valued as a backing vocalist. He also sang on seven songs in this unusual collaboration between a British funk band and a soul heavyweight. Both groups also invited Luther to appear in their later works.
Luther guest-starred on the second album by the disco unit formed by the genius Greg Diamond and his brother Godfrey. He sang lead vocals on the opening title track, also known for the Sweet Inspirations and Chaka Khan versions, and showcased his silky, flowing voice. Luther’s voice also stands out on the dance tune “Chains,” which is reminiscent of Chic.
Luther was selected to sing lead on two songs in Quincy’s luxurious leader album. He also showed impressive acting in supporting roles, singing the mellow “I’m Gonna Miss You In the Morning” with Patti Austin and the powerful “Takin’ It to the Streets” with Gwen Guthrie.
The soundtrack was produced by the famous composer Harold Wheeler, who gathered a group of skilled musicians from New York for the movie, Sunnyside, starring Joey Travolta. Here, Luther sings the elegant and bouncy disco dancer “Got to Have Your Body” and the danceable “Loving You.” With its expressive singing and ups and downs, the former is his forte.
This is a disco project spanning Europe and America, led by British DJ Chris Hill and others. Luther, David Lasley, and Ulla Hedwig, though uncredited, provide vocals. The title track of The Exhilarating Medium Dancer and its sequel, Jet Plane Ride, features Luther's smooth and passionate crooning voice.
This is the only album from Philly’s Billy Jackson studio project, where he reinterprets classic songs from the past in disco style. Luther, who is on vocal duty with Fonzi Thornton and others, also arranged the vocals for songs like “You Keep Me Hanging On” and takes the lead on “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” with his distinctive Luther touch.
Luther participated in the chorus for three songs, also by Arif Mardin. Among the names associated with him, such as the Brecker Brothers and Leon Pendarvis, he also had a close encounter with Marcus Miller. On “Our Love’s In Danger,” he also sang with Whitney Houston, whom he would later produce.
Luther also contributed to Roberta Flack’s work around this time. In this album, which includes her last collaboration with Donny Hathaway, he provided backing vocals and arrangements for the hits “Back Together Again” and “God Don’t Like Ugly” by Mtume & Lucas. The musicians from New York who supported Luther’s solo work after this are also worth paying attention to.
This is the first album of the joint American-Italian disco project, which includes Luther's most famous guest work. The title track, which is also familiar as a reference to Janet Jackson’s “All for You,” and the smooth vocals on “Searching,” which stands out with its synth bass, are some of Luther's best, including his solo career. The former is an important song that can be said to have been the bridge to “Never Too Much.”
It’s a solo debut masterpiece that broke through with the No. 1 hit of the title song that needs no introduction. Nat Adderley Jr. provides urban sophistication, and Paul Reiser also arranges the orchestra. Every corner is filled with great songs, including the funky "She's a Super Lady,” which is often cited in Japan, and the spectacular "A House Is Not a Home.”