Luther Vandross, R&B Crooner, Is Dead at 54
NY Times
Luther Vandross, the silky-voiced R&B crooner who spun romance into hits like “Here and Now” and “Any Love,” winning eight Grammy Awards, died yesterday afternoon at John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Edison, N.J. He was 54.
The medical center, which did not disclose the cause, released a statement saying that Mr. Vandross “had a peaceful passing under the watchful eye of friends, family and the medical support team.” It added that he “never fully recovered” from a stroke he suffered at his Manhattan apartment on April 16, 2003.
Mr. Vandross, whose supple tenor and smooth delivery drew ecstatic swoons from his fans, had kept a low profile since the stroke, though he did appear on videotape at the annual Grammy telecast in 2004, when he was a sentimental favorite to win several awards. He won four that night, including best song for “Dance With My Father,” a bittersweet reflection on his youth. He delivered his acceptance speech on the video. “Remember, when I say goodbye, it’s never for long,” he said, breaking into a signature hit, “because I believe in the power of love.”
Mr. Vandross also appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s show later that year, when she visited him as he underwent rehabilitation.
Mr. Vandross sold an estimated 30 million albums. His “Dance With My Father” album on J Records made its debut at No. 1 on the Billboard chart while he remained hospitalized from the stroke.
