A year after it premiered at Sundance, Luther: Never Too Much — the comprehensive documentary centered around the life and legacy of the late Luther Vandross — was made available to the public on New Year’s Day as it debuted on CNN.
Directed by Dawn Porter, the film included cameos from Mariah Carey, Ava Cherry, Robin Clark, Carlos Almora, Marcus Miller, Fonzi Thorton, Jamie Foxx, Danyel Smith, and more as they reflected on the crooner’s impact on music and entertainment.
It is one of the most thorough reflections of one’s life and does a marvelous job at piecing together how Luther Vandross came to be such an indelible and prolific icon. Porter received Sony Music and his family’s blessing to create the film, which granted her access to 80 hours of rehearsal footage, 150 hours of archival footage, and over 2,000 exclusive images.
She honored the aspects of his life that he chose to keep private while also addressing his struggles, scrutiny, and incomparable talent. “He’s the soundtrack to America, not just the soundtrack for Black people,” she told The Hollywood Reporter.
Check out the top six highlights from the film, which will be available to stream on Max at a later date. It’s currently available to stream via CNN on Hulu with Live TV.
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He Was The Visionary Behind The Infamous Vocal Arrangement Of David Bowie’s “Young Americans”
Image Credit: Michael Putland/Getty Images Luther Vandross got his start as a songwriter and background vocalist, writing commercial jingles and working with David Bowie, Roberta Flack, Bette Midler, Sister Sledge, and more before embarking on his solo career. His friend, Carlos, invited him to the studio session for Bowie’s “Young Americans.”
It was there that he added his own flair to the record. “What a breath of fresh air,” Bowie said of Luther in an interview. The rockstar even allowed him to open some of his shows. “He said ‘You’re getting the chance to sharpen your tools […] it’s the experience of a lifetime in advance of your career,’” Luther said of Bowie’s nudge despite his initial hesitation.
Luther was also part of a group named Listen My Brother — who were managed by the same people who ran The Apollo at that time — and appeared on early episodes of Sesame Street.
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“Never Too Much” Was His Debut Single
Image Credit: Sony Music Entertainment After getting “fired” as Roberta Flack’s background singer, a 30-year-old Luther decided it was time to branch out on his own. He was turned down by several labels including Epic and Columbia until he brought “Never Too Much” to a different person at Epic Records and got signed.
The song topped the Billboard Soul charts and peaked No. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100, spending 15 weeks on the chart.
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He Didn’t Want To Be Remembered As “Dr. Love”
Image Credit: GAB Archive/Redferns Luther sang about love better than anyone.
“You must have known that I had feelings deep enough to swim in/ That’s when you opened up your heart and you told me to come in,” he sang on 1981’s “Never Too Much.” However, he didn’t want to be known as the “Love Doctor,” stating in an interview, “I don’t really take that title.”
Instead, he wanted to be remembered as a “premiere singer of our day.” This was also why he put so much effort and execution into his performances. “We do not play with your ticket money,” Luther quipped. He designed many of the tour costumes and made sure to leave a lasting impact on fans who came to see him live.
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His Humor Was How He Coped With Scrutiny
Image Credit: Deborah Feingold/Corbis via Getty Images His weight was constantly scrutinized by the media. He was an emotional eater, which caused his weight to fluctuate often. Eddie Murphy made fun of him during his Delirious comedy special and Luther responded by saying, “I thought it was great. You have to know how to play the game.” Later, after learning that Eddie was attending one of his shows, he poked fun at the moment by bringing out a giant bucket of KFC onstage.
“There’s been a lot of talk about me lately. Don’t think I don’t know about it and I didn’t wanna let Eddie Murphy down,” Luther joked before singing the KFC jingle.
Though he was able to take things with stride, the fodder bothered him because he didn’t want the public to be so fixated on his weight.
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He Was Nominated For 9 Grammys Before He Won
Image Credit: Rick Maiman/Sygma via Getty Images Luther was only being played on Black radio. He wasn’t given the freedom or embrace to crossover easily. He felt he faced racist mistreatment from executives when it came to marketing and money. However, he knew what he wanted, and he wanted a Grammy. He was snubbed almost annually since Never Too Much until he finally won his first Grammy for “Here And Now” in 1991.
He made his team call him “Luther ‘Grammy winner’ Vandross” for the entire day after his win. He won a total of 8 Grammys during his career.
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“Any Love” Is An Autobiographical Song
Image Credit: Raymond Boyd/Getty Images When he signed with Clive Davis in 2001, Luther shared, “I’m happier now than I’ve ever been, but I expect one day to be the happiest I can be. I’m still looking for that meaningful other person in my life.” He was admittedly “baffled” by his singleness and expressed, “I think fate has to work with you. If fate wants you to find love, you can hide […] and it’ll still happen.”
“Any Love” was his favorite song because it’s “the only real autobiographical song” he’s ever written.
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On the 1988 ballad, he sings, “I speak to myself sometimes/ And I say ‘Oh my’/ ‘In a lot of ways you’re a lucky guy,’ and oh/ ‘Now all you need is a chance to try any love.’” Though his close friends loved him, he never got the chance to experience the romantic love he longed for.
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