I was first made aware of Luther Vandross from the stand-up special Delirious by Eddie Murphy, when I was a teenager. In it, Eddie joked about some of the prominent artists at the time, including Luther, Teddy Pendergrass, James Brown and Michael Jackson (all of whom we’ll get to in due time). This ignited my interest in soul and rnb music, and to this day Luther Vandross holds a special place in my discographic heart.

Luther never married or had children, and although we may never know for sure, sources close to him indicate that Luther was gay; an irony given the lyrical themes and his predominantly female fanbase. Perhaps the fact that Luther started a Patti LaBelle fanclub as a boy should have been a dead giveaway.

Sexuality aside, I’m of the firm belief that Luther’s voice could peak anyone’s interest. He could sing me the directions on my GPS device. Or, better yet, if he sang the legal contract for a computer software, then I could for once, in earnest, click that I have indeed read and agreed to the terms and conditions. Luther’s voice is the definition of smooth. Anytime a soulful singer is mentioned they will always be compared to Luther Vandross. It’s an unfair standard, to be sure, but I don’t make the rules. However, what people often don’t realize is that his range and power was much more dynamic than you would expect. For sure, a lot of emphasis was on the silky mids, but he would interweave them with powerful highs and seductive lows. Hmm, maybe I should start a Patti LaBelle fanclub?

Although Luther was active in the funk and disco eras, it’s in the ballads where he truly shines. So much so, that I’ve even included some of his cover songs. I normally prefer to showcase an artist’s own songwriting talents, but Luther’s covers are in many cases better than the original. His cover of Endless Love with Mariah Carey blows the original away, which says quite a lot given that Lionel Richie and Diana Ross are legends in their own right. Likewise, I end the encore with A House Is Not A Home, which he performed in front of Dionne Warwick who originally recorded it, and ended up becoming one of his showpieces. However, I also want to highlight some of Luther’s own songs as well. Wait For Love, Don’t Want To Be A Fool and This Time I’m Right, are just some of the great songs that made it onto the setlist, and what better way to end the main show than with Never Too Much?

Please enjoy what I would consider to be the perfect setlist for a concert by Luther Vandross. The last two tracks are the encore.