Kevin Owens feat. Luther Vandross [2024] - You're My Everything [JBR Records / New Image Music Group]

For whatever reason, "You're My Everything" by Kevin Owens has been digitally reissued. It is taken from his 1991 album "That Time Again" and features Luther Vandross along with well known backing singers Ava Cherry, Lisa Fischer, Paulette McWilliams who worked with Vandross over the years.

Owen was also a backing singer for Vandross for 23 years as well as singing backup for many other artists. Curiously, he was also a one time member of Ray, Goodman & Brown (we posted a new single from Billy Brown earlier) replacing Harry Ray in 1982. He was also a member of Revelation up until then. 

In 2014 Owen published a book about his experience with Vandross, "So Amazing Through The Eyes Of Kevin Owens", that is now out of print but seems to sell for large sums on the re-sale market.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist. 

Details

Rating:	8.2
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	90s Soul / Reissue
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	JBR Records / New Image Music Group
Cat No:	None
Date:	26/04/2024
Key/BPM:	6B/90
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Luther Vandross [2023] - Live at Radio City Music Hall - 2003 (Expanded 20th Anniversary Edition - The Last Concert) [Sony] (Full Album)

A live recording of the last performance by the late great Luther Vandross from Feb 2003 which was released previously has been been expanded and is released today (10 Feb '23) as "Live at Radio City Music Hall - 2003 (Expanded 20th Anniversary Edition - The Last Concert)".

It is his performance at Radio City Music Hall on 12 Feb 2003 which originally contained eleven tracks and is now extended to twenty.

All of the songs on the original release are included along with eight new tracks added (flagged below with "-" in track listing).

-01 - Power of Love / Love Power

-02 - Happy Valentine's Day

03 - Never Too Much

-04 - Work It / Here And Now (Intro)

05 - Here And Now

-06 - Goin' Out Of My Head

07 - Stop To Love

08 - Love Won't Let Me Wait

-09 - Any Day Now

10 - A House Is Not a Home

11 - I'd Rather

12 - Take You Out

-13 - Say It Now

14 - Superstar

-15 - Band Introduction

16 - Intro about "Glow Of Love"

17 - Glow Of Love

-18 - Luther Vandross - Encore

19 - If Only For One Night

20 - Creepin'

Also included is some rare footage (circa 1988) of him performing one of his finest with Aretha Franklin, surely two of the finest soul singers who ever lived, both now sadly departed.

Luther suffered from diabetes and hypertension and had a severe stroke at his home on 16 April 2003 and was in a coma for nearly two months. It affected his ability to speak and sing and he was wheelchair bound until his death of a heart attack on 1 Jul 2005 but his music endures forever.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Album / Live
Media:	Digital
Label:	Sony
Cat No:	None
Date:	10/02/2023
Price:	£9.99

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Luther Vandross [2023] - Live at Radio City Music Hall - 2003 (Expanded 20th Anniversary Edition - The Last Concert) [Sony] (Full Album)

A live recording of the last performance by the late great Luther Vandross has been expanded and is being released as "Live at Radio City Music Hall - 2003 (Expanded 20th Anniversary Edition - The Last Concert)" on 10 Feb 2023.

It is his performance at Radio City Music Hall on 12 Feb 2003 which originally contained eleven tracks and is now extended to twenty.

All of the songs on the original release are included along with eight new tracks added (flagged below with "-" in track listing).

-01 - Power of Love / Love Power

-02 - Happy Valentine's Day

03 - Never Too Much

-04 - Work It / Here And Now (Intro)

05 - Here And Now

-06 - Goin' Out Of My Head

07 - Stop To Love

08 - Love Won't Let Me Wait

-09 - Any Day Now

10 - A House Is Not a Home

11 - I'd Rather

12 - Take You Out

-13 - Say It Now

14 - Superstar

-15 - Band Introduction

16 - Intro about "Glow Of Love"

17 - Glow Of Love

-18 - Luther Vandross - Encore

19 - If Only For One Night

20 - Creepin'

For now, until the latest version is released, here is the 2003 original. Also included is some rare footage (circa 1988) of him performing one of his finest with Aretha Franklin, surely two of the finest soul singers who ever lived, both now sadly departed.

Luther suffered from diabetes and hypertension and had a severe stroke at his home on 16 April 2003 and was in a coma for nearly two months. It affected his ability to speak and sing and he was wheelchair bound until his death of a heart attack on 1 Jul 2005 but his music endures forever.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Album / Live
Media:	Digital
Label:	Sony
Cat No:	None
Date:	10/02/2023
Price:	£12.99

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Remembering Luther Vandross (20-04-1951 - 01-07-2015)

Today is the 17th anniversary of the demise of the great Luther Vandross aged 54. He would have been 71 this year on 20th Apr 2021.

Here's a couple of 90 min mixes of his best music recorded a few years ago, one is a Mellow Mix of his slow jams, the other is a Dance Mix of mainly his non-hit sides. The original post has the full tracklist.

Mellow Mix

Dance Mix

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Luther Vandross Birthday Remembrance Special by Gary Van Den Bussche

A two hour podcast featuring interview clips with, and the music of, the great Luther Vandross  who died 1 July 2005 aged 54 and would have been 71 today.

Last year I did a feature which included a couple of 90 minute mixes to celebrate what would have been his 70th birthday and 40th anniversary of his debut solo album "Never Too Much". 

The mixes are split into a Mellow Mix and a Dance Mix and include his lesser known recordings i.e. not the 'obvious'. Full track listing on THIS POST.

Luther Vandross 70th Birthday - Two Mixes & new HD video Never Too Much

It would have been Luther Vandross' 70th birthday on 20th Apr 2021 and this year is also the 40th anniversary of his debut solo album (and probably his best single) 'Never Too Much'.

At the end of last year I put together two 90 min mixes of his best music, one was a Mellow Mix of his slow jams, the other was a Dance Mix of his lesser known sides. The original post has the full tracklist.

Mellow Mix

Dance Mix

To commemorate this milestone the video for his 1981 track 'Never Too Much' has just been upgraded to HD and published on 16 Apr 2021, so here it is in it's new clarity.

Details

Rating:	9
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7"/12"
Label:	Epic
Cat No:	14-02409
Year:	12/08/1981
Key:	10B
BPM:	110
Value:	£1

The Very Best of Luther Vandross - his lesser known sides!

I stated a few days ago that I've been exploring Luther Vandross'  catalogue. As good as Luther was, it's almost inconcievable to realise that, out of approx. 61 singles released, only 12 of his recordings entered US Top 40, only 5 Top 10 and no #1s!  He fared better in UK with 20 Top 40 entries, but only 3 made Top 10: duets with Mariah Carey #3 and Janet Jackson which entered twice first in 1992 #2 and then #7 in 1994.

He received 8 Grammy awards from a total of 33 nominations.

US & UK Top 40 Chart History

US/UK

1981 #33/#44 Never Too Much

1983 #27/#99 How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye (w Dionne Warwick)

1985 #29 Til My Baby Comes Home

1986 #15/#24 Stop To Love

1988 #30 She Won't Talk To Me

1989 #6 Here And Now

1991 #4/#31 Power Of Love/Love Power

1991 #9 Don't Want To Be A Fool

1992 #10/#2&#7The Best Things in Life Are Free (w Janet Jackson)

1994 #2/#3Endless Love (w Mariah Carey)

2001 #26 Take You Out

2003 #38/#21 Dance With My Father

UK Only

1987 #16 I Really Didn't Mean It

1987 #33 So Amazing

1988 #26 Give Me The Reason (1988)

1988 #28 I Gave It Up (When I Fell In Love)

1989 #13 Never Too Much (1989)

1993 #28 Little Miracles (Happen Every Day)

1993 #34 Heaven Knows

1993 #38 Love Is On The Way

1994 #31 Love The One You're With

1995 #20 Always And Forever

1995 #22 Ain't No Stopping Us Now

1996 #14 Your Secret Love

If I'm brutally honest, the only track from above that would make my Luther Top 10/20 would be 'Never Too Much' and perhaps 'Give Me The Reason' and 'So Amazing' from the UK entries. I have a 'soft spot' for Little Miracles (Happen Every Day) for purely personal reasons as it was literally playing on the radio (Capital FM) as my first child (daughter) was born on 24th May 1993!

I've put together 2 mixes of material that either never charted or only reached lower low end of chart or are B sides or album only tracks.  In my opinion many, if not most, of these are superior to the efforts that made the charts.  One mix is more uptempo, dance, tunes and the other shows his mellow side consisting of ballads. This is all material released as a solo artist, I've deliberately not included his earlier material before he went solo as I will create a separate mix which includes most of his better earlier recordings as a featured artist e.g. with Luther, Mascara, Charme, Gregg Diamond Bionic Boogie, Soiree, New York City Band, Quincy Jones and Change.

The Dance Mix (95 Mins)

00:00 - I'm Only Human (with Cassandra Wilson & Bob James) (85.9)

1998 - Stepper R&B #57 only

05:00 - Creepin' (88.9)

1985 - Stevie Wonder song Album only B side to 'She Won't Talk To Me' UK CD in 1988

08:25 - Don't You Know That (92.0)

1981 - Flip to Never Too Much on some issues and then issued as A side #107 US

11:55 - I Won't Let You Do That To Me  (92.1)

1997 - I don't understand it - the best song he'd recorded for years (about 10) and it did absolutely nothing on any chart anywhere?

15:45 - Busy Body  (94.0)

1984 - Flip to Make Me A Believer - non-charting 45

20:10 - For You To Love  (93.9)

1988 - Non charting 45 - R&B #3

25:00 - Nights In Harlem (LP Edit)  (Feat. Precise) (99.0)

1998 non-charting 45 R&B #29 only

29:13 - You Stopped Loving Me  (101.0)

1981 - Flip to Never Too Much on some issues

34:00 - She's So Good To Me  (102.0)

1985 non charting from The Goonies OST

39:04 - Better Love  (102.7)

1983 - Flip to Promise Me non charting 45 (#77 R&B)

44:35 - Once You Know How  (101.5)

1982 flip to Bad Boy /Having A Party #55 Hot 100

48:45 - See Me  (102.1)

1987 - Non US release UK chart #60

53:39 - My Sensitivity (Gets In The Way)  (103.10

1985 - Flip to Wait For Love non charting R&B #11

57:25 - The Night I Fell In Love  (103.6)

1985 Title track from album non 45

62:58 - The Thrill I'm In (Radio Mix)  (106.7)

1995 non charting from Money Train OST

66:40 - Heaven Knows  (107.3)

1993 - #94 US/ #34 UK

71:08 - Shine (Original Album Version)  (107.0)

2006 - #116 US / #50 UK

75:20 - You're The Sweetest One  (113.9)

1983 - flip to Since I Lost My Baby - non-charting R&B #17

79:26 - It's Over Now (Full Album Version)  (113.6)

1985 - #101 US

84:40 - I Wanted Your Love  (120.3)

1984 non-charting US #88 UK

87:15 - For The Sweetness Of Your Love  (125.0)

1983 - Album only (Busy Body)

89:47 - Are You Using Me  (125.0)

1998 - non-charting 45 - #46 Club chart only not even R&B!

The Mellow Mix (90 mins)

00:00 Superstar / Until You Come Back To Me (58.4)

1984 - #87 US

08:52 Anyone Who Had A Heart (56.5)

1987 - Album only (Give Me The Reason)

13:35 I Who Have Nothing (Feat. Martha Wash) (60.5)

1991 - Album only (Power Of Love)

19:29 A House Is Not A Home (53.7)

1981 - Album only (Never Too Much) except as a B side to See Me in UK in 1987

25:56 If Only For One Night (55.0)

1986 - non-charting 45 #59 R&B only

29:46 The Closer I Get To You (w Beyoncé Knowles) (58.2)

2006 - non-charting 45 #62 R&B only

34:33 Going In Circles (Album Version) (58.6)

1996 - #95 double A side

39:10 Love Won't Let Me Wait (LP Version) (55.0)

1988 - Album only (Any Love) cover of Major Harris.

45:30 Wait For Love (61.9)

1985 Non charting 45 #11 R&B

50:32 Other Side Of The World (60.4)

1986 - B side to If Only For One Night

55:24 If This World Were Mine (w Cheryl Lynn) (63.8)

1982 #101 US (#4 R&B)

60:02 The Second Time Around (60.9)

1988 - Album only (Any Love)

66:00 I Can Make It Better (Single Edit) (64.0)

1996 - #80 US #44 UK

70:04 Because It's Really Love (66.6)

1987 Album only (Give Me The Reason)

75:32 Make Me A Believer (66.9)

1984 - Non charting 45

80:32 Since I Lost My Baby (74.1)

1983 - non-charting 45 #17 R&B

85:26 Promise Me (77.4)

1983 - non-charting 45 #72 R&B

Luther [1976] At Christmas Time / May Christmas Bring You Happiness [Atlantic #DSKO 78]

You'll be pleased to learn that this will be the last Christmas post (this year!).  May I take this opportunity of wishing you a very happy Christmas and pray for a much better new year.

An early recording by Luther Vandross as a quintet called Luther who recorded 2 albums and a handful of 45s on Cotillion between 1976-77.  These are pretty hard to find now as Vandross bought the rights off Cotillion when the group was dropped by the label, preventing them from being re-released.  This recording was only released as a promo 12" in US and as 7" in Jamaica.

At Christmas Time

May Christmas Bring You Happiness

A few Christmas Crackers ...

Here's a few soulful versions of some of the Christmas 'standards'.

Nat "King" Cole [1946] - The Christmas Song [Capitol #F90036]

Possibly, apart from White Christmas perhaps, the quintessential Christmas record by the late great Nat "King" Cole.  Cole first recorded 'The Christmas Song' in 1946.

Gregory Porter [2017] - The Christmas Song [Blue Note #B002739502]

From the album Nat "King" Cole & Me

Luther Vandross [1992] - The Christmas Song [A&M #31454 0003 2]

... and here's another legend's version from yet another late great, Luther Vandross, originally released on a 1992 VA christmas compilation 'A Very Special Christmas 2'

Luther Vandross [1995] - Have Youself A Merry Little Christmas [Epic #E 57795]

'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas' was first recorded by Judy Garland in 1944 movie 'Meet Me In St. Louis'.

Christina Aguilera [2020] - Have Yoursel A Merry Little Christmas

I've just 'had' to add this. What an absolutely stunning performance from Christina Aguilera.  This girl has got real soul on the right material!

Luther Vandross [1995] - My Favorite Things [Epic #E 57795]

Now here's a 'groovy' litte rendition of a song from The Sound Of Music .... no really ... don't dismiss, give it a listen and the best of all watch Luther live!  As you'd expect, Luther turns a pretty MOR song into something completely different!  It's got a great modern vibe.

The full version here if you 'dig it' as the live cilip is a shortened version!

'My Favorite Things' was written by Rodgers & Hammerstein for The Sound Of Music musical in 1959 which of course became a film in 1965.  It's sad to say, but I believe that this was the first film I ever saw at the cinema at a very young age!

P.S.  I'm 'rediscovering' Luther Vandross at present by revisiting his earlier recordings, as I went off him after 1988 as his material deteriorated into MOR for the mass audience, probably at the behest of the record company.  Unfortunately the record company was proved right as his highest chart entries where between 1988-1994 with 5 Hot 100 Top 10 entries: Here And Now #6, Power Of Love /  Love Power #4, Don't Want To Be A Fool #9, The Best Things In Life Are Free (with Janet Jackson) #10, Endless Love (with Mariah Carey) #2, and none of these would feature in my personal Luther Top 10!

Watch out for a post coming soon highlighting his lesser known recordings which didn't bother the charts (much), similar to the recent Stevie Wonder post i.e. B sides and album only tracks or A sides that didn't chart!  For example did you know that his classic 'A House Is Not A Home' was only issued as a single in UK and only as a B Side to 'See Me' in 1987, a full 6 years after it featured on his debut album!

Luther Vandross - House Is Not A Home - his finest performance?

You've just got to love Luther.  Granted, he lost his way, or more likely was steered in the wrong direction by the record company, trying to cash in on MOR material to appeal to a wider audience.

How could anyone who purports to love soul music not like his rendition, of what essentially was a very MOR Bacharach & David song, which Luther turns into this masterpiece?  Originally recorded by Brook Benton, many think it's Dionne Warwick who recorded it the same year, in 1964, but let's face it, who paid any real attention to it until Luther's version on his debut album in 1981?  Would you believe that the last person to record it before him was Rex  Harrison!  There are no fewer than 177 versions registered on Second Hand Songs.

Here he is at Wembley, I am privileged to say I saw him and Anita Baker at Wembley in mid 80s on the same bill at Wembley when they were both at their peak ... what a night!  I can't remember the exact year, it must have been 86 or 87?, but I also saw them individually later Baker in 1988 and Vandross in 1989 again at Wembley. I don't know why I still have these tickets but not the one from earlier, probably mislaid them.

Two of the greatest soul singers that have ever lived, both now sadly departed, but they have left a legacy that will live on forever!

... and together: