S.O.S. Band

    Collection of S.O.S. Band


    The S.O.S. Band hit with a two-million-selling single, "Take Your Time (Do It Right)," their first time out, before having several hit singles written and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The Atlanta, GA-borne band was started in 1977, when keyboardist/vocalist Jason Bryant, saxophonists Billy Ellis and Willie "Sonny" Killebrew, guitarist Bruno Speight, bassist John Alexander Simpson, drummer James Earl Jones III, and lead vocalist Mary Davis formed a group called Santa Monica that played at Atlanta nightclub the Regal Room.

    Their manager, Bunny Jackson-Ransom (who later managed Cameo), sent a demo to Clarence Avant, head of Tabu Records. After signing the band to Tabu, Avant suggested that the band work with songwriter/producer Sigidi Abdullah. Abdullah was curious as to why an Atlanta-based band named itself Santa Monica. Keyboardist Jason Bryant replied that the band had an enjoyable concert in Santa Monica, CA. Abdullah then came up with a new band name, the S.O.S. Band, with S.O.S. standing for "Sounds of Success."

    Abdullah produced and co-wrote "Take Your Time (Do It Right)" with Harold Clayton, which went platinum, parking at number one R&B for five weeks and peaking at number three pop on Billboard's charts in spring 1980. The debut LP, S.O.S., went gold, selling over 800,000 copies and holding the number two R&B spot for three weeks. While the band was on its world tour, trumpeter/vocalist/percussionist Abdul Ra'oof joined them. Their second album, Too, went to number 30 R&B in summer 1981. On the band's third LP, S.O.S. Band III, they worked with producer Leon Sylvers III and the Time's Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The breaking single, "High Hopes," hit number 25 R&B in the fall of 1982 while the album went to number 27 R&B in late 1982.

    On their fourth LP, On the Rise, Jam and Lewis took over the production chores. Scoring with the slammin' number two hit "Just Be Good to Me" and the number five beatbox ballad "Tell Me if You Still Care," On the Rise became their second gold album hitting number seven R&B in summer 1983. The formula continued working: Just the Way You Like It (including the number six R&B single "Just the Way You Like It") went to number six R&B in fall 1984 and Sands of Time (including the number two R&B hit "The Finest") went gold and hit number four R&B in spring 1986. Many of these releases as well as the sound of early releases of Chicago-borne house music helped to popularize the now-classic sound of Roland drum machine the TR-808.

    In 1987, vocalist Mary Davis left the S.O.S. Band to pursue a solo career. The band recorded two more albums: Diamonds in the Raw (number 43 R&B in fall 1989), produced by Eban Kelly and Jimi Randolph, and One of Many Nights, produced by Curtis Williams. In August 1994, former lead vocalist Mary Davis reunited with Abdul Ra'oof and Jason Bryant, and together they reconstructed a new band with the same funky S.O.S. sound, appearing on comedian Sinbad's HBO concert specials and Rhino's various-artists set United We Funk issued October 5, 1999. Allmusic by Ed Hogan


    Album: S.O.S. (1980)








    01. S.O.S. (Dit Dit Dit Dash Dash Dash Dit Dit Dit)
    02. What's Wrong With Our Love Affair
    03. Open Letter
    04. Love Won't Wait For Love
    05. Take Your Time (Do It Right)
    06. I'm In Love
    07. Take Love Where You Find It
    08. S.O.S. (Reprise)




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/BQQRPpz




    Album: Too (1981)









    01. It's A Long Way To The Top
    02. Do It Now
    03. There Is No Limit
    04. You
    05. Stay
    06. Are You Ready
    07. Do You Know Where Your Children Are
    08. For the Brothers That Ain't Here
    09. Unborn Child




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/72qKfu9




    Album: III (1982)











    01. Can't Get Enough
    02. High Hopes
    03. Have It Your Way
    04. Your Love (It's The One For Me)
    05. Good & Plenty
    06. Looking For You
    07. These Are The Things
    08. You Shake Me Up
    09. Groovin' (That's What We're Doing)




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/wFuBaqX




    Album: On the Rise (1983)









    01. Tell Me If You Still Care
    02. Just Be Good To Me
    03. For Your Love
    04. I'm Not Runnin'
    05. If You Want My Love
    06. On The Rise
    07. Who's Making Love
    08. Steppin' The Stones




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/PBxeYvq




    Album: Just The Way You Like It (1984)









    01. No One's Gonna Love You
    02. Weekend Girl
    03. Just The Way You Like It
    04. Break Up
    05. Feeling
    06. I Don't Want Nobody Else
    07. Body Break




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/tzBPSqu




    Album: Sands Of Time (1986)










    01. Even When You Sleep
    02. Sands Of Time
    03. Borrowed Love
    04. Nothing But The Best
    05. Finest
    06. No Lies
    07. Two Time Lover
    08. Do You Still Want To
    09. Sands Of Time ( Reprise )




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/VxA6NaQ




    Album: Diamonds In The Raw (1989)









    01. I'm Still Missing Your Love
    02. Goldmine
    03. Do You Love Me
    04. Men Don't Cry
    05. One Lover
    06. Secret Wish
    07. Hold Out
    08. Get Out Of My Life
    09. Crossfire (Part I & II)




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/yPaG634




    Album: One Of Many Nights (1991)










    01. I Wanna Be The One
    02. Sometimes I Wonder
    03. Broken Promises
    04. How Can We Ever Get Back Toget
    05. Are You Ready
    06. Can't Explain
    07. Someone I Can Love
    08. Get Hyped On This
    09. I Only Want You
    10. One Of Many Nights




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/Cv6QH2b




    Album: The Best of the S.O.S. Band (1995)









    01. Take Your Time (Do It Right)
    02. The Finest
    03. Even When You Sleep
    04. Weekend Girl
    05. Tell Me If You Still Care
    06. Just Be Good to Me
    07. Sands of Time
    08. No One's Gonna Love You
    09. High Hopes
    10. What's Wrong With Our Love Affair-




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/n7BBzRK




    Album: Greatest Hits (2004)









    01. Take Your Time (Do It Right)
    02. Sands of Time
    03. Groovin' (That's What We're Doin)
    04. High Hopes
    05. Just Be Good To Me
    06. No Lies
    07. The Finest
    08. Weekend Girl
    09. Just The Way You Like It
    10. Tell Me If You Still Care
    11. No Ones Gonna Love You
    12. The Finest (12' B-Side Remix)
    13. Borrowed Love




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/WV4epNz




    Enjoy!!!!Source URL: http://dejr10.blogspot.com/2011/03/
    Visit ALL SOUL AND FUNK for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

Michael Wycoff

    Collection of Michael Wycoff



    Michael Wycoff was an American R&B singer. Wycoff sang backup on Stevie Wonder's album Songs in the Key of Life. He signed a solo contract with RCA and released three albums between 1981 and 1983, scoring a few hit singles on the U.S. R&B charts. His second album, Love Conquers All, included the song, Looking Up To You, that was sampled by the 1990s R&B group Zhane on their hit song, Hey Mr. DJ in 1993. Unfortunately, like many artists of the 1980s, Wycoff succumbed to addiction to drugs and alcohol. His addiction ultimately caused him the loss of his career, his home and his family, and Wycoff ended up homeless. At the bottom, he found his way back through his faith, beating his habit and ultimately becoming Minister of Music at several Los Angeles area churches.




    Album: Come To My World (1980)









    01. Feel My Love
    02. Someone Standing By
    03. One Alone
    04. Do Ya Think
    05. Come To My World
    06. Just As Long
    07. Love Makes Me Sing




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/qeTN9Y4




    Album: Love Conquers All (1982)









    01. Still Got The Magic
    02. Looking Up To You
    03. Love Is So Easy
    04. Can We Be Friends
    05. Diamond Real
    06. Love Conquers All
    07. Take This Chance Again
    08. It's Over




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/UpUeqxy




    Album: On The Line (1983)









    01. On the Line
    02. There's No Easy Way
    03. You've Got It Coming
    04. So Close
    05. Tell Me Love
    06. I'll Do Anything For You
    07. Do It to Me Baby
    08. You Are Everything




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/Hq4ngVk




    Enjoy!!!!Source URL: http://dejr10.blogspot.com/2011/03/
    Visit ALL SOUL AND FUNK for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

G.Q.

    Collection of G.Q.

    A Bronx group that effectively mixed East Coast disco and Chicago soul covers in the late '70s and early '80s, GQ began as Sabu & the Survivors in 1968. Lead vocalist Emanuel Rahiem Leblanc, Keith Crier, Herb Lane, and Paul Service were original members, but by 1980 GQ was a trio following Service's departure. They had two Top 10 R&B and Top 20 pop hits, as well as a number one R&B single in 1979, with "Disco Nights (Rock-Freak)" also peaking at #12 pop; the single also won GQ an American Music Award. Their remakes of the Billy Stewart classics "I Do Love You" and "Sitting in the Park" were number five and number nine R&B singles in 1979 and 1980 respectively, with "I Do Love You" also reaching number 20 pop. They enjoyed one other Top 30 R&B single in 1981, "Shake." All their hits were on Arista from 1979 to 1982. Allmusic by Ron Wynn


    Album: Disco Nights Remastered (1979)










    01. Disco Nights (Rock Freak)
    02. Boogie Oogie Oogie
    03. This Happy Feeling
    04. Shake
    05. Is It Cool
    06. Standing Ovation
    07. GQ Down
    08. Make My Dreams a Reality
    09. I Love (The Skin You're In)
    10. Someday (In Your Life)
    11. Sad Girl
    12. Sitting In The Park
    13. Don't Stop This Feeling
    14. I Do Love You
    15. Zone (By Rhythm Makers)




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/GUyRYj3




    Album: Two (1980)









    01. Standing Ovation
    02. Is It Cool
    03. Someday (In Your Life)
    04. Lies
    05.GQ Down
    06. Don't Stop This Feeling
    07. Reason For The Season
    08. Sitting In The Park
    09. It's Like That




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/d9atuR7




    Album: Face To Face (1981)









    01. Shake
    02. You Put Some Love In My Life
    03. Shy Baby
    04. Sad Girl
    05. I Love (The Skin You're In)
    06. Boogie Shoogie Feelin'
    07. Dark Side Of The Sun
    08. Face To Face
    09. You've Got The Floor




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/9Femjks




    Album: Best Of Disco Nights (2002)










    01. Disco Nights (Rock Freak)
    02. Sad Girl
    03. Standing Ovation
    04. Make My Dreams A Reality
    05. I Do Love You
    06. Sitting In The Park
    07. Shake
    08. Don't Stop This Feeling
    09. GQ Down
    10. This Happy Feeling




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/m8YtPWX






    Enjoy!!!!Source URL: http://dejr10.blogspot.com/2011/03/
    Visit ALL SOUL AND FUNK for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

Anita Baker

    Collection of Anita Baker

    With her classy, refined brand of romantic soul, Anita Baker was one of the definitive quiet storm singers of the '80s. Gifted with a strong, supple alto, Baker was influenced not only by R&B, but jazz, gospel, and traditional pop, which gave her music a distinctly adult sophistication. Smooth and mellow, but hardly lifeless, it made her one of the most popular romantic singers of her time.

    Baker was born January 26, 1958, in Toledo, OH, and raised in nearby Detroit, where she grew up listening to female jazz singers like Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, and Ella Fitzgerald. At age 12, she began singing a gospel choir, and by age 16 she was performing with several local bands. In 1975, she successfully auditioned for Chapter 8, one of Detroit's most popular acts at the time; the group eventually signed with Ariola and released an album in 1979, but were immediately dropped when the label was acquired by Arista (which didn't care for Baker's vocals). Chastened, Baker worked low-paying jobs in Detroit and eventually found steady work as a receptionist at a law firm. In 1982, Otis Smith -- an executive who'd worked with Chapter 8 -- contacted Baker about recording for his new label Beverly Glen. Happy with her employment benefits and skittish over the experience with Arista, Baker was reluctant at first, but eventually flew out to the West Coast to record her debut album, The Songstress, in 1983. Though it didn't gain quite enough exposure to become a hit, it did help Baker build a strong fan base through word-of-mouth and she was signed by Elektra in 1985.

    Working with producer Michael J. Powell (an old Chapter 8 cohort), Baker released her major-label debut Rapture in 1986. It was a platinum, Grammy-winning smash, appealing to both urban and adult contemporary listeners and producing two all-time quiet storm classics in "Caught Up in the Rapture" and "Sweet Love." Baker toured the world in 1987 and her guest appearance on the Winans track "Ain't Got No Need to Worry" won a Grammy. Her equally stylish follow-up album, Giving You the Best That I Got, appeared in 1988, spawning more staples in the title track and "Just Because." "Giving You the Best That I Got" also won Baker two more Grammys, for Best Female R&B Vocal and Best R&B Song. For her third Elektra album, Baker decided to handle a greater share of the songwriting, hence the title Compositions, which was released in 1990 and featured even stronger jazz inflections than Baker's previous work (not to mention all live instruments).

    Following Compositions, Baker took a break from recording and touring; after having her first son in 1993, she returned to the studio to craft Rhythm of Love, which was released in 1994. In the years that followed, Baker was mostly silent, despite her fans' clamoring for a jazz album; instead, she raised her family and became embroiled in contract disputes with Elektra, which eventually led her to move to Atlantic. She began working on a new album in 2000, but had to start over from scratch due to defective recording equipment that made the original tracks unsalvageable. In 2004 it was announced that she had signed with Blue Note and still working on her new album. In the meantime, the Atlantic imprint Rhino released Night of Rapture: Live, a 1987 concert originally available on video. Baker finally returned to the studio in 2003 and issued My Everything, her first album in 10 years. Two years later she released her first holiday album, Christmas Fantasy. Allmusic by Steve Huey


    Album: The Songstress (1983)









    01. Angel
    02. You're The Best Thing Yet
    03. Feel The Need
    04. Squeeze Me
    05. No More Tears
    06. Sometimes
    07. Will You Be Mine
    08. Do You Believe Me




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/aS2d4YS




    Album: Rapture (1986)









    01. Sweet Love
    02. You Bring Me Joy
    03. Caught Up In The Rapture
    04. Been So Long
    05. Mystery
    06. No One In The World
    07. Same Ole Love
    08. Watch Your Step




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/ZppuJe4




    Album: Giving You the Best That I Got (1988)









    01. Priceless
    02. Lead Me Into Love
    03. Giving You The Best That I Got
    04. Good Love
    05. Rules
    06. Good Enough
    07. Just Because
    08. You Belong To Me




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/D4cXy2j




    Album: Compositions (1990)









    01. Talk To Me
    02. Perfect Love Affair
    03. Whatever It Takes
    04. Soul Inspiration
    05. Lonely
    06. No One To Blame
    07. More Than You Know
    08. Love You To The Letter
    09. Fairy Tales




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/MYRZpMp




    Album: Rhythm Of Love (1994)









    01. Rhythm Of Love
    02. The Look Of Love
    03. Body And Soul
    04. Baby
    05. I Apologize
    06. Plenty Of Room
    07. It's Been You
    08. You Belong To Me
    09. Wrong Man
    10. Only For A While
    11. Sometimes I Wonder Why
    12. My Funny Valentine




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/h8T3Trr




    Album: The Best Of Anita Baker (2002)









    01. Angel
    02. You're The Best Thing Yet
    03. No More Tears
    04. Sweet Love
    05. Caught Up In The Rapture
    06. You Bring Me Joy
    07. Same Ole Love (365 Days A Year)
    08. No One In The World
    09. Ain't No Need To Worry
    10 Giving You the Best That I Got
    11. Good Love
    12. Just Because
    13. Lead Me Into Love
    14. Fairy Tales
    15. Talk To Me
    16. Body And Soul
    17. I Apologize
    18. It's Been You




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/zcGkURS




    Album: My Everything (2004)









    01. You're My Everything
    02. How Could You
    03. In My Heart
    04. Serious
    05. How Does It Feel
    06. Like You Used To Do
    07. Close Your Eyes
    08. You're My Everything Revisited
    09. I Can't Sleep
    10. Men In My Life




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/ZMhJzpq




    Album: A Night of Rapture Live (2004)









    01. Caught Up In The Rapture
    02 Mystery
    03. Been So Long
    04. No One In The World
    05. Same Ole Love (365 Days a Year)
    06. Watch Your Step
    07. Moondance
    08. You Bring Me Joy
    09. Sweet Love




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/K8gaM3d




    Enjoy!!!!Source URL: http://dejr10.blogspot.com/2011/03/
    Visit ALL SOUL AND FUNK for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

Chapter 8

    Collection of Chapter 8

    This Detroit group is best known as the band that helped launch Anita Baker's career. The original group was founded by Michael Powell and David Washington in 1972. They backed the Detroit Emeralds until Powell and Washington added vocalist Rick Means and Carolyn Crawford. Crawford was later replaced by Barbara Love. When Love departed, Washington added Baker, whom he had heard singing background with the Osmoses, another local group. Means had left by the time Chapter 8 signed with Ariola in 1979. Baker and Gerald Lyles split lead vocals, with Powell, Derek Dickson, Allen E. Nance, Courtien Hale, Scott Guthrie, Van Cephus, and Washington completing the lineup. Their debut LP, Chapter 8, was released in 1979, but Ariola promptly dropped them. Baker moved on to solo fame. By their second LP in 1985 for Beverly Glenn, Valerie Pinkson was alternating on lead vocals with Lyles, while keyboardist Vernon Falls joined veterans Hale, Washington, and Powell. This Love's for Real didn't garner any hits, but was a solid soul and funk outing. The lineup remained intact for their third release, Forever, in 1988 for Capitol. Powell produced it, but it also didn't sell and Capitol also dropped them. Powell has emerged as a successful producer, scoring hits on songs produced for Baker and Regina Belle. Various Chapter 8 musicians have also recorded with Baker, Peabo Bryson, David Peaston, and James Ingram. Allmusic by Ron Wynn


    Album: Chapter 8 (1979)











    01. Don't You Like It
    02. Ready For Your Love
    03. Come On Dance With Me
    04. We Need Your Love
    05. I Go Disco
    06. I Just Wanna Be Your Girl
    07. Come And Boogie
    08. Let's Get Together




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/YpVtF6F




    Album: This Love's For Real (1985)









    01. Don't Stop Loving Me
    02. How Is It Possible
    03. This Love's For Real
    04. Love Loving You
    05. How Can I Get Next To You
    06. Tell Me
    07. It's My Turn
    08. Don't You Think It's Time
    09. Ready For Your Love (Bonus Track)




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/Dfh9f2s




    Album: Forever (1988)









    01. Stronger Love
    02. Give Me A Chance
    03. So In Love
    04. Understanding
    05. I Can't Wait
    06. One And Only
    07. Real Love
    08. Forever
    09. The Last Time
    10. Long Time To Love




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/J9XUydk




    Enjoy!!!!Source URL: http://dejr10.blogspot.com/2011/03/
    Visit ALL SOUL AND FUNK for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

Luther Vandross

    Collection of Luther Vandross

    Luther Vandross was one of the most successful R&B artists of the 1980s and '90s. Not only did he score a series of multi-million-selling albums containing chart-topping hit singles and perform sold-out tours of the U.S. and around the world, but he also took charge of his music creatively, writing or co-writing most of his songs and arranging and producing his records. He also performed these functions for other artists, providing them with hits as well. He was, however, equally well known for his distinctive interpretations of classic pop and R&B songs, reflecting his knowledge and appreciation of the popular music of his youth. Possessed of a smooth, versatile tenor voice, he charmed millions with his romantic music.Vandross was born in New York City on April 20, 1951, and grew up in the Alfred E. Smith housing projects in lower Manhattan. Both of his parents, Luther Vandross, Sr., an upholsterer, and Mary Ida Vandross, a nurse, sang, and they encouraged their children to pursue music as a career. Vandross Sr.'s older sister Patricia Van Dross was an early member of the Crests in the mid-'50s (appearing on their early singles, but leaving before they achieved success with "Sixteen Candles"), and Vandross himself began playing the piano at the age of three and took lessons at five, although he remained a largely self-taught musician. After the death of his father in 1959 when he was eight years old, he was raised by his mother, who moved the family to the Bronx. While attending William Howard Taft High School, he formed a vocal group, Shades of Jade, with friends Carlos Alomar, Robin Clark, Anthony Hinton, Diane Sumler, and Fonzi Thornton. All five, along with 11 other teenage performers, were also part of a musical theater workshop, Listen, My Brother, organized by the Apollo Theater in Harlem that recorded a single, "Listen, My Brother"/"Only Love Can Make a Better World," and appeared on the initial episodes of the children's television series Sesame Street in 1969. After graduating from high school that year, Vandross attended Western Michigan University, but dropped out after a year and returned home. He spent the next few years working at odd jobs while trying to break into the music business.In 1973, Vandross got two of his compositions, "In This Lovely Hour" and "Who's Gonna Make It Easier for Me," recorded by Delores Hall on her album Hall-Mark, singing the latter song with her as a duet. In 1974, though uncredited, he sang background vocals on Maggie Bell's Queen of the Night, and in August of the same year Carlos Alomar, who had become David Bowie's guitarist, invited him to attend a Bowie recording session at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia. He quickly became more than an observer, singing background vocals, serving as a vocal arranger, and co-writing the song "Fascination" with Bowie. The session resulted in the album Young Americans, released in March 1975, and Vandross also went on tour with Bowie in September 1974 as both backup singer and opening act. Meanwhile, Vandross' 1972 composition "Everybody Rejoice (A Brand New Day)" was featured in the Broadway musical The Wiz, which opened a run of 1,672 performances on January 5, 1975. (It was later made into a 1978 film.) The show starred Stephanie Mills, who used Vandross as a background singer on her 1975 album Movin' in the Right Direction. (He also sang, uncredited, on Gary Glitter's self-titled 1975 album.)Through Bowie, Vandross met Bette Midler, who hired him to arrange vocals for her Broadway revue Bette Midler's Clams on the Half Shell, which played ten weeks at the Minskoff Theater starting on April 14, 1975. Midler also introduced him to her record producer, Arif Mardin, at Atlantic Records, and Vandross began to get steady work as a background singer and vocal arranger. In 1976, he appeared on albums by Midler (Songs for the New Depression), the Brecker Brothers Band (Back to Back), Roy Buchanan (A Street Called Straight), Andy Pratt (Resolution), and Judy Collins (Bread and Roses). He also put together a vocal quintet called Luther, consisting of himself, former Shades of Jade members Anthony Hinton and Diane Sumler, Theresa V. Reed, and Christine Wiltshire, which signed to Atlantic's Cotillion Records subsidiary. Their self-titled debut album was released in June 1976. It did not sell well enough to reach the charts, but the tracks "It's Good for the Soul," "Funky Music (Is a Part of Me)," and "The Second Time Around" reached the R&B Top 40. Reed and Wiltshire dropped out, and the remaining trio made a second Luther album, This Close to You (April 1977), with Vandross given top billing, while Hinton and Sumler were credited as featured soloists. The title song reached the R&B charts, but that wasn't enough to keep Cotillion from dropping the group, which then broke up. (Vandross acquired the rights to the Luther recordings and saw to it that they remained out of print.)Meanwhile, Vandross continued doing sessions. In 1977, he appeared on albums by Nils Lofgren (I Came to Dance), Geils (aka the J. Geils Band; Monkey Island), the Average White Band and Ben E. King (Benny and Us), Andy Pratt (Shiver in the Night), Ringo Starr (Ringo the 4th), and Chic (Chic). He also entered the lucrative world of writing and singing commercial jingles, and before long was the musical voice of everything from telephones, fast food, and beverages to various branches of the U.S. military on radio and television. And the recording sessions continued. In 1978, he appeared on albums by Garland Jeffreys (One Eyed Jack), Carly Simon (Boys in the Trees), Roy Buchanan (You're Not Alone), Quincy Jones (Sounds...and Stuff Like That!!), Norma Jean (Norma Jean), T. Life (That's Life), Roberta Flack (Roberta Flack), Odyssey (Hollywood Party Tonight), the soundtrack to the movie version of The Wiz, Chic (C'est Chic), Cat Stevens (Back to Earth), David Spinozza (Spinozza), Carole Bayer Sager (Too), Sean Delaney (Highway), the Good Vibrations (I Get Around), and Lemon (Lemon). And he was the uncredited lead singer on the song "Get on Up (Get on Down)," by Roundtree, an R&B chart entry that fall.Vandross began to gain greater attention in 1979. During the year, he appeared on albums by Sister Sledge (We Are Family), the Average White Band (Feel No Fret), Chic (Risqué), Bette Midler (Thighs and Whispers), Jay Hoggard (Days Like These), Revelation (Get in Touch), John Tropea (To Touch You Again), the Charlie Calello Orchestra (Calello Serenade), Charme (Let It In), Cher (Prisoner), Roberta Flack (Featuring Donny Hathaway), Delores Hall (Delores Hall, Evelyn "Champagne" King (Music Box), Ben Sidran (The Cat and the Hat), and Soirée (Soirée), and on the soundtracks to the films Sunnyside and The Warriors. Especially on the jazz and disco recordings, he was just as likely to be a featured vocalist as a background singer. And he got a prominent credit when he arranged the background vocals for Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer's duet "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)," which became a number one pop hit in November 1979. He gained even more recognition in 1980, a year in which he appeared on studio albums by Chaka Khan (Naughty), Melba Moore (Closer), Mtume (In Search of the Rainbow Seekers), Dave Valentin (Land of the Third Eye), the Brecker Brothers (Detente), Terumasa Hino (Daydream), Cissy Houston (Step Aside for a Lady), Jimmy Maelen (Beats Workin'), the Jess Roden Band (Stonechaser), and the Michael Zager Band (Zager), as well as live albums by Bette Midler (Divine Madness) and the duo of Roberta Flack and Peabo Bryson (Live & More), and on the soundtrack to the film Fame. But the most important credit for him that year was his work as lead vocalist of the studio group Change. He sang on the band's tracks "Searching," a Top 40 R&B hit, and "The Glow of Love," which also reached the R&B charts, and his name was listed prominently on the discs. This increased his profile even more, and he began circulating a demo tape to recording companies, seeking a solo deal that would allow him to write and produce his own records. On April 21, 1981, he signed with the Epic Records subsidiary of the major label CBS Records.Vandross immediately began work on his debut album, cutting down on sideman sessions, although during 1981 he appeared on albums by Bob James (All Around the Town), Bernard Wright ('Nard), Change (Miracles), the J. Geils Band (Freeze Frame), Hi Gloss (You'll Never Know), the Brooklyn, Bronx & Queens Band (The Brooklyn, Bronx & Queens Band), Stephanie Mills (Stephanie), and the Spinners (Can't Shake This Feelin'), and in June 1981 his composition "You Stopped Loving Me" was sung by Roberta Flack, with him arranging and singing background vocals, on the soundtrack to the film Bustin' Loose and became a Top 40 R&B hit for her. (Damaris revived the song for an R&B chart entry in 1984.) Vandross' own version was included on his debut solo album, Never Too Much, released in August. The LP was a tour de force for him; he produced it and wrote six of its seven songs, the exception being a cover of Burt Bacharach and Hal David's Dionne Warwick hit "A House Is Not a Home." Vandross expressed his musical vision on Never Too Much, and that vision was of a smooth neo-soul style that recalled the pop/R&B of his youth, particularly the music of such predecessors as Warwick, Aretha Franklin, the softer Motown artists, like Smokey Robinson, and some of the girl groups of the early '60s, such as the Shirelles. To those influences, Vandross added some contemporary elements of jazz and disco. But his approach was steeped in tradition; he was a stylist, harking back to the past, yet pointing to a possible post-disco future for R&B music. And R&B fans responded warmly. The title song, "Never Too Much," topped the R&B charts; second single "Don't You Know That?" reached the R&B Top Ten; and third single "Sugar and Spice (I Found Me a Girl)" also charted R&B. The album hit number one R&B in November and was certified gold in December. (It went platinum five years later and double platinum in 1997.) But Vandross encountered more resistance in the pop realm, where the album reached only the Top 20 and the single "Never Too Much" only made the Top 40. Artistically and commercially, these results set a pattern for Vandross' career. Appearing regularly, his albums showed great consistency in style and content, even to the point of featuring a cover of a classic pop/R&B song on each disc. And while they also sold consistently to the R&B audience, they rarely received equal support from pop fans.Having successfully launched his solo career, Vandross might have been expected to abandon session work; certainly, he had less time for it. But he still enjoyed working as a background singer, so he still did it selectively. In 1982, for example, he appeared on albums by Irene Cara (Anyone Can See), Michael Franks (Objects of Desire), Kleeer (Taste the Music), Bob James (Hands Down), Linda Clifford (I'll Keep on Loving You, and Ullanda McCullough (Watching Me, Watching You). At the same time, Vandross' demonstrated abilities as songwriter, producer, and vocal arranger opened up to him the opportunity to work in these capacities with some of the artists he had grown up idolizing, as well as his contemporaries. He first turned his attention to Cheryl Lynn, producing her R&B Top Ten album Instant Love (June 1982); writing the title song, which became a Top 20 R&B hit; and singing a duet with her on a revival of the 1968 Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell hit "If This World Were Mine," which reached the R&B Top Five. ("Look Before You Leap," from the album, also made the R&B charts.) Next, he turned to Aretha Franklin, producing her July 1982 LP Jump to It, and writing or co-writing four of its eight songs, including the title track, an R&B number one; "Love Me Right," which went Top 40 R&B; and "This Is for Real," an R&B chart entry. Topping the R&B chart, it was her first gold album in six years. He also sang on Diana Ross' October 1982 LP Silk Electric. Somehow, he found time to make his second solo album, Forever, for Always, for Love, released in September, again serving as his own producer and writing or co-writing all the tracks except for covers of Smokey Robinson's 1965 hit for the Temptations "Since I Lost My Baby" and, in a medley with his own "Bad Boy," Sam Cooke's "Having a Party." Vandross' co-writers on some of the songs were bassist Marcus Miller and keyboard player Nat Adderley, Jr. (a former member of Listen, My Brother), musical associates who would work with him throughout his career. A musical complement to Never Too Much, Forever, for Always, for Love was another R&B chart-topper for Vandross, throwing off three singles, the Top Five "Bad Boy/Having a Party," the Top 20 "Since I Lost My Baby," and the chart entry "Promise Me." That, of course, was as far as the R&B charts were concerned. On the pop side, the album went Top 20 and only "Bad Boy/Having a Party" charted. Nevertheless, the LP was certified gold in two months and platinum in six.Vandross' multiple career tracks continued apace in 1983. He sang on albums by David Sanborn (Backstreet), James Ingram (It's Your Night), former Shades of Jade member Fonzi Thornton (The Leader), Linda Lewis (A Tear and a Smile), Stephanie Mills (Merciless), and Betty Wright (Back at You). He produced Aretha Franklin's next album, Get It Right, composing the title song, which hit number one R&B, with Marcus Miller, and its follow-up, "Every Girl (Wants My Guy)," a Top Ten R&B hit. Then, he turned to another idol of his youth, Dionne Warwick, producing her album How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye. He and Warwick sang the title song as a duet that became her first R&B Top Ten hit in eight years; it also made the pop Top 40. "Got a Date," the Vandross/Miller composition released as a second single from the album, also made the R&B charts. And, although it took until December, Vandross managed to come up with his third solo album, the aptly titled Busy Body. On this album, he co-produced several of the tracks with Miller, also writing most of the material with Miller and Nat Adderley, Jr., the exceptions being "How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye" and a medley of the Leon Russell/Bonnie Bramlett standard "Superstar" with Stevie Wonder's "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)." As usual, there were three singles: "I'll Let You Slide" and "Superstar/Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)" made the R&B Top Ten, and "Make Me a Believer" was a chart entry (of the three, only the medley scraped into the pop chart); as usual, the album hit number one R&B, but only the Top 40 of the pop chart; and as usual, sales certifications poured in, the album going gold in two months and platinum in January 1985.Vandross finally eased off on his recording schedule during 1984, if only because he was now a major concert attraction and toured in both North America and Europe. His only credit for the year was his composing (with Marcus Miller), arranging, producing, and singing background vocals on the song "You're My Choice Tonight (Choose Me)" for Teddy Pendergrass, a Top 20 R&B hit. Vandross thus was able to lavish more time on his fourth album, The Night I Fell in Love, released in March 1985. Overall producer credit again went to him, with three of the eight tracks co-produced by Miller. Six of the songs were written by Vandross alone or co-written with Miller or Nat Adderley, Jr., the exceptions being covers of Brenda Russell's "If Only for One Night" and Stevie Wonder's "Creepin'." The album spawned four R&B single hits: "'Til My Baby Comes Home" (Top Ten and a Top 40 pop hit); "It's Over Now" (Top Five); "Wait for Love" (Top 20); and "If Only for One Night." The album spent seven weeks atop Billboard's R&B LP list, going gold and platinum simultaneously as soon as it was eligible for certification in May and double platinum in 1990. It also reached number 14 in the pop charts, Vandross' best showing yet. With his own album out of the way, he made some selected appearances on other albums during 1985, contributing a song, "She's So Good to Me," to the soundtrack of the film The Goonies and singing on albums by Carly Simon (Spoiled Girl), Patti Austin (Gettin' Away with Murder), and Wonder (In Square Circle). He also sang background vocals on the Temptations' "Do You Really Love Your Baby," a song he co-wrote with Miller that peaked in the R&B Top 20 in early 1986.Vandross spent much of 1986 working on his own material, only pausing to contribute background vocals on David Bowie's soundtrack to the film Labyrinth. The results of his efforts were first heard in June when "Give Me the Reason" was included on the soundtrack to the film Ruthless People and released as a single that went Top Five R&B and reached the pop chart. Vandross' fifth album, also titled Give Me the Reason, followed in September. His fifth consecutive R&B chart-topper, it included additional singles "Stop to Love" (number one R&B and his first Top 20 pop hit); the duet with Gregory Hines "There's Nothing Better Than Love," co-written with John "Skip" Anderson, a synthesizer player in Vandross' band (also number one R&B and a pop chart entry); "I Really Didn't Mean It" (Top Ten R&B); and "So Amazing" (an R&B chart entry of a Vandross song previously recorded by Dionne Warwick, whose Burt Bacharach/Hal David hit "Anyone Who Had a Heart" was revived on the LP). Simultaneous gold and platinum certifications in December were followed by a double-platinum award in 1990.In 1987, Vandross contributed a song, "It's Hard for Me to Say," which he co-wrote with John "Skip" Anderson and co-produced, to Diana Ross' album Red Hot Rhythm & Blues, and worked as a background singer and arranger on Ava Cherry's Picture Me and Cheryl Lynn's Start Over. He also appeared on Irene Cara's Carasmatic, Nick Kamen's self-titled album, and Doc Powell's Love Is Where It's At. Meanwhile, Gerald Albright covered "So Amazing" and took it into the R&B Top 20. In 1988, Vandross sang background vocals on Patti Austin's The Real Me and Barbra Streisand's Till I Loved You, and he wrote "The Girl Wants to Dance with You," which became a Top Ten R&B hit for Gregory Hines. The song appeared on Hines' self-titled album, which Vandross produced. Otherwise, he spent the two-year interval between his fifth and sixth albums doing shows and working on that sixth album, Any Love, which appeared in October 1988 and was supported by a three-month U.S. tour. By now, Marcus Miller had been promoted to full co-producer, and other co-writers had joined the team, but the approach was still the same. And so was the success. Any Love topped the R&B charts and gave Vandross his first Top Ten pop album, with the usual simultaneous gold and platinum certifications two months after release. The title song topped the R&B list and penetrated the pop chart; second single "She Won't Talk to Me" went Top Five R&B and made the pop Top 40; and "For You to Love" was another Top Five R&B hit.Vandross had by now become an international success, and a record-breaking ten-night stand at London's Wembley Arena in March 1989 was commemorated with a home video, Live at Wembley. At the close of an enormously successful decade, Vandross and Epic determined to sum things up, and in October 1989 issued the two-LP greatest-hits compilation The Best of Luther Vandross: The Best of Love, which included two new tracks, "Here and Now" and "Treat You Right." With those additions, the collection didn't just summarize Vandross' career, it finally gave him his long-sought major crossover hit, as "Here and Now," a song co-written by Dionne Warwick's son David L. Elliott with Terry Steele, not only topped the R&B chart but also hit the pop Top Ten, going gold in the process. It also won Vandross his first Grammy Award, for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male. "Treat You Right" went Top Five R&B, and the set was a million seller by March 1990. (By 1997, it was triple platinum.) Between the release of the hits album and his next regular studio album, Power of Love, which appeared in April 1991, Vandross as usual lent his talents to other artists' recordings. He sang background vocals for Quincy Jones (Back on the Block), Paul Jackson, Jr. (Out of the Shadows), and David Lasley (Soldiers on the Moon). He contributed a song, "There's Only You," to the soundtrack of the 1990 film Made in Heaven. He wrote and produced the song "Who Do You Love" for Whitney Houston's album I'm Your Baby Tonight. And he served as an arranger, producer, and background vocalist on Lisa Fischer's So Intense, released the same day as Power of Love. Vandross' seventh album, Power of Love suggested that the pop breakthrough he had achieved with "Here and Now" would be sustained. The advance single, a medley of Vandross and Marcus Miller's song "Power of Love" with the Sandpebbles' 1967 hit "Love Power," not only topped the R&B charts, but also went Top Five pop, and the LP, Vandross' seventh R&B number one, was his second to penetrate the pop Top Ten. A million seller by June 1991, it went double platinum two years later in the wake of the further singles "Don't Want to Be a Fool" (Top Five R&B, Top Ten pop), "The Rush" (Top Ten R&B and a pop chart entry), and "Sometimes It's Only Love" (Top Ten R&B). Vandross' national tour to support the album began in September 1991 and included four sold-out nights at Madison Square Garden in October as it ran through January 1992. "Power of Love/Love Power" was named Best R&B Song at the 1991 Grammys, and the Power of Love album won Vandross another trophy for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male.One might have supposed that all was well in the world of Luther Vandross, but on January 2, 1992, he filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court against Sony Music Entertainment (which had acquired CBS Records), citing California Labor Code Section 2855, which limits personal service contracts to seven years. By then, he had been with CBS/Sony for nearly 11 years, fulfilling a ten-album contract that still had three albums to go. Vandross was not the first or the last recording artist to file such a suit, and whether he really wanted to void his contract, believing that Epic still hadn't done enough to sell his records to the pop audience, or simply intended to use the suit to induce the record company to renegotiate his deal on more favorable terms, is unclear. Not for the first or last time, the record company in question settled quietly, not wishing to test the law. The terms of the settlement were not reported, but thereafter, Vandross had his own vanity label, his records going out under the Epic/LV imprint.As usual, following the release of Power of Love, Vandross found the time to work with other artists. He appeared on 1991 albums by BeBe & CeCe Winans (Different Lifestyles), Patti LaBelle (Burnin'), Richard Marx (Rush Street), and Kevin Owens (That Time Again), and he co-wrote and produced the song "Doctor's Orders" on Aretha Franklin's What You See Is What You Sweat. In 1992, without a new album out, he kept his name before the public with special appearances, starting with the soundtrack to the film Mo' Money, released in June, which featured a song called "The Best Things in Life Are Free" (not the 1927 standard by Buddy DeSylva, Lew Brown, and Ray Henderson, but a newly written composition) that he performed with Janet Jackson, Bell Biv DeVoe, and Ralph Tresvant (which is to say, four of the five members of New Edition). It hit number one on the R&B chart and went Top Ten pop. Next, Vandross wrote and performed the theme song "Heart of a Hero" for the soundtrack of the movie Hero, released in October 1992, and the same month he contributed a performance of "The Christmas Song" to the seasonal charity album A Very Special Christmas, Vol. 2. He made more modest contributions to two albums released in the first quarter of 1993, Dionne Warwick's Friends Can Be Lovers and Eddie Murphy's Love's Alright.Never Let Me Go, Vandross' eighth album, was released on June 1, 1993, prefaced by the single "Little Miracles (Happen Every Day)." Maybe the promotional staff at Epic Records was demoralized by the recent lawsuit, or perhaps changing musical styles, notably the rise of hip-hop, were affecting matters, but the commercial response to Vandross' new music was slightly disappointing. The single reached the R&B Top Ten but was only a minor pop chart entry, and Never Let Me Go, despite marking a new pop chart peak for Vandross at number six, stayed in that chart less than half the tenure enjoyed by Power of Love; on the R&B chart, it crested at number three, Vandross' first new album not to reach number one. Three further singles charted -- "Heaven Knows," a cover of the Bee Gees' "How Deep Is Your Love," and "Never Let Me Go" -- but none was a substantial hit. The falloff in sales was actually minor; the album took one month longer to go platinum than Vandross albums usually did. But for the first time, the singer's momentum was slowing. Despite this, he continued his usual round of activities, initially touring Europe to promote the album; appearing in the small part of a hitman in the film The Meteor Man in August; launching a U.S. arena tour that began in September and ran through November; and, in November, singing a duet with Frank Sinatra of Rodgers & Hart's "The Lady Is a Tramp" as the leadoff track on Sinatra's celebrated Duets album. Then it was back to Europe for another round of dates.Vandross also paid visits to his friends in recording studios, resulting in appearances on the 1994 albums Paid Vacation by Richard Marx, Restless by Bob James, and World Tour by Jason Miles. But he clearly knew something had to be done to revitalize his own recording career. An idea came from Sony president Tommy Mottola and his then-wife, superstar Mariah Carey. Vandross had put at least one oldie on every one of his albums: why not do an all-covers album? For most other artists, this would have seemed like a typically clichéd record company concept, commercial but artistically stifling. For Vandross, who was steeped in pop music history and who had done some of his best work reimagining the music of others, it was a natural. He even agreed to give up the production reins to a Sony stalwart, the commercially savvy Walter Afanasieff, whose recent clients included Carey, Michael Bolton, and Celine Dion. The result was the modestly titled Songs, released September 27, 1994. The album was prefaced by a cover of the 1981 Lionel Richie/Diana Ross hit "Endless Love," on which Vandross sang a duet with Carey. The single peaked at number two on the pop charts, a new high for Vandross, even outpacing its number seven showing on the R&B charts. The album went to number two R&B and number five pop, another crossover high for the singer. With follow-up singles in revivals of Heatwave's 1978 hit "Always and Forever" (Top 20 R&B and a pop chart entry) and the double-sided "Going in Circles"/"Love the One You're With" (the former previously a hit for both the Friends of Distinction and the Gap Band; the latter the Stephen Stills hit), which went Top 40 R&B and was another pop chart entry, the album was an immediate million-seller and went double platinum within 18 months.His commercial status restored, Vandross undertook his usual pursuits, singing background vocals on the occasional album (Cindy Mizelle's Cindy Mizelle [1994], Naomi Campbell's Babywoman, Yvonne Lewis' No Strangers in Paradise [both 1995]) and undertaking a tour that began on May 31, 1995, in San Diego, CA. For his next album, he tried another favorite record company concept, the holiday collection. This Is Christmas, which contained seven originals along with only three traditional Christmas songs and restored the production team of Vandross, Nat Adderley, Jr., and Marcus Miller, was released October 24, 1995. It went Top Five R&B (with the track "Every Year, Every Christmas" making the R&B Top 40) and peaked at number 28 in the pop charts. An immediately certified gold album, it became a perennial seller and went platinum in 2002. Also in the 1995 holiday season, Vandross contributed a track, "The Thrill I'm In," to the soundtrack of the film Money Train.Vandross did some touring during the summer of 1996, and he contributed a cover of the Peter, Paul & Mary hit "If I Had a Hammer" to the benefit album For Our Children Too, released in September, but he spent most of the year working on Your Secret Love, the album that would complete his Epic Records contract. It was released on October 1, following the title song, which came out as an advance single that made the R&B Top Five and was a pop chart entry. (The track went on to win Vandross another Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male.) The album itself spent a week at number two in the R&B charts and made the pop Top Ten, as second single "I Can Make It Better" hit the R&B Top 20, also making the pop chart, and third single "Love Don't Love You Anymore" became a minor R&B hit. Simultaneous gold and platinum certifications arrived in December.Vandross spent much of 1997 touring, beginning with an appearance at Superbowl XXXI on January 26 to sing the national anthem. He did take time out to sing background vocals on Richard Marx's April release, Flesh & Bone, however. On September 30, Epic/LV released his valedictory collection, One Night with You: The Best of Love, Vol. 2, which began with four new recordings, none of them written or produced by him, but instead contributed by such usually reliable hitmakers as Diane Warren, R. Kelly, and the team of Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. Understandably, Epic didn't do much of a promotional job on this contractual obligation release, which nevertheless reached the R&B Top 40 and the pop Top 50, spawning a Top 40 R&B hit in R. Kelly's "When You Call on Me/Baby That's When I Come Runnin'" and an R&B chart entry in Jam & Lewis' "I Won't Let You Do That to Me," with a gold-disc certification in December.While weighing offers from different record companies, Vandross made some guest appearances, turning up on BeBe Winans' self-titled album in October 1997, on Jimmy Reid's Forever Loved in March 1998, and on his associate Marcus Miller's Suddenly in June. On April 8, he performed at a Burt Bacharach tribute concert at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, singing "Windows of the World" and "What the World Needs Now." The show was filmed for television and taped, resulting in a soundtrack album, One Amazing Night, released in November. Vandross also paid tribute to Patti LaBelle at the same venue on June 2 for a PBS special. Deciding on Virgin Records, a subsidiary of the major label EMI, he presented a new album, I Know, on August 11. He had already begun to introduce contemporary elements of rap and hip-hop on Your Secret Love, and I Know continued this trend, but it was a commercial disappointment, only going gold and generating just one Top 40 R&B hit in "Nights in Harlem." As a result, he left Virgin after only this one release.During 1999 and 2000, Vandross kept his hand in with soundtrack and session work. He co-wrote and co-produced "When You're a Woman" for Lisa Fischer and Masters at Work, featured on the soundtrack of the film 24 Hour Woman, released in March 1999; contributed background vocals to Natalie Cole's Snowfall on the Sahara in June 1999; sang and arranged for Dave Koz's The Dance in September 1999; and sang background vocals and did vocal arrangements on BeBe Winans' Love & Freedom in August 2000. That same month, he ended his search for a new record company affiliation, becoming the first act signed to veteran record executive Clive Davis' new startup label, J Records. He made his label debut with the track "If I Was the One," included on the soundtrack of Dr. Doolittle 2 on June 5, 2001. The song also appeared on Luther Vandross, which was released two weeks later. Vandross and Davis served as co-album producers, with individual tracks produced by others, and new songwriters were brought in to give Vandross a new, current sound. The makeover was largely successful. Leadoff single "Take You Out" became a Top Ten R&B and Top 40 pop hit, followed by the R&B chart entry "Can Heaven Wait" and the R&B Top 40 and pop chart entry "I'd Rather," as the album made the pop Top Ten and just missed topping the R&B chart, reaching platinum status by November.His career revitalized once again, Vandross toured in early 2002, then began work on a second album for J, taking time out to sing Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" on Doc Powell's album 97th and Columbus and to contribute background vocals to "Load Is Lifted" on Suzanne Couch's In the Rhythm (not released until 2005). He co-wrote the title song for his new album, "Dance with My Father," with Richard Marx, and they combined for a heartfelt tribute to Vandross' father. The album was finished by the spring of 2003, and Vandross was preparing for a round of publicity work when he collapsed in his New York apartment on April 16, 2003, the victim of a serious stroke, apparently brought on by his diabetes and the physical strain of his lifelong struggles with his weight. Despite his illness, J released "Dance with My Father," which became an R&B and pop Top 40 hit and a gold record, introducing the album, which hit number one on both charts, a first for him. Over the next year, "Smooth Love," "Think About You," "Buy Me a Rose," and "The Closer I Get to You" (a duet with Beyoncé Knowles re-creating the original version by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway) figured in the pop, R&B, and/or adult contemporary (AC) charts, as the album sold over two million copies. Vandross was a sentimental favorite at the 2003 Grammy Awards, and his career total of trophies doubled from four to eight as he won Song of the Year and Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male, for "Dance with My Father," Best R&B Album, and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "The Closer I Get to You." He made an appearance via videotape to accept his awards and promised to return to action soon.Meanwhile, J Records had kept his name before the public by releasing the concert collection Live Radio City Music Hall 2003, recorded in February 2003, on October 14, 2003; it reached number six in the R&B charts and number 22 in the pop charts. By all reports, Vandross continued his recovery during 2004 and into 2005; he even appeared on Oprah Winfrey's television show in May 2005. But on July 1, 2005, it was announced that he had died, having "never really recovered" from his stroke.During his lifetime, Luther Vandross' albums were certified for sales of 23-and-a-half-million copies in the U.S.; estimates of his total worldwide record sales were as high as 40 million. Sales, of course, tell only part of the story, but it is notable that, in the precarious world of popular music, and in particular of the notoriously fickle genre of R&B and the difficult category of crossover pop, Vandross sold records in the millions consistently for over two decades. It is even more notable that, although he certainly molded his music to a certain extent to meet the marketplace, he also imposed his own direction on R&B. Prior to him, the popular music of African-Americans tended to jump from one style to another with nary a look backward. But Vandross, coming along in the wake of disco and while rap/hip-hop was in its infancy, insisted on reverence for the soul music of the recent past and deliberately reformulated it in an "old-school" approach that came to be known as the black AC radio format "quiet storm." Even as rap dominated the charts in the early years of the 21st century, he maintained his passion for romantic, melodic music, and he drew listeners along with him. His early death at the age of 54 robbed American popular music of one of its more consistent and compelling voices, and it is only a partial comfort that he left behind a substantial body of work.


    Album: Luther (1976)









    01. Funky Music (Is A Part Of Me)
    02. The 2Nd Time Around
    03. I'll Get Along Fine
    04. Everybody Rejoice
    05. Emotion Eyes
    06. This Strange Feeling
    07. It's Good For The Soul (Part I And Ii)




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/2VnKu5p




    Album: This Close To You (1977)









    01. This Is For Real
    02. A Lovers Change
    03. Don't Take The Time
    04. The Jealousy In Me
    05. I'm Not Satisfied
    06. This Close To You
    07. Don't Wanna Be A Fool
    08. Come Back To Love
    09. Follow My Love




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/5QxCqNA




    Album: Never Too Much (1981)









    01. Never Too Much
    02. Sugar And Spice
    03. Don't You Know That
    04. I've Been Working
    05. She's A Super Lady
    06. You Stopped Loving Me
    07. A House Is Not A Home




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/HpgSrfy




    Album: Forever, For Always, For Love (1982)










    01. Bad Boy Having A Party
    02. You're The Sweetest One
    03. Since I Lost My Baby
    04. Forever For Always For Love
    05. Better Love
    06. Promise Me
    07. She Loves Me Back
    08. Once Yoou Know How




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/Gz5Pv5j




    Album: Busy Body (1983)









    01. I Wanted Your Love
    02. Busy Body
    03. I'll Let You Slide
    04. Make Me A Believer
    05. For The Sweetness Of Your Love
    06. How Many Times Can We Say Good
    07. Superstar-Until You Come To Me




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/XFbaYFg




    Album: The Night I Fell In Love (1985)









    01 'Til My Baby Comes Home
    02. The Night I Fell In In Love
    03. If Only For One Night
    04. Creepin'
    05. It's Over Now
    06. Wait For Love
    07. My Sensitivy
    08. Other Side Of The World




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/bA3DQQS




    Album: Give Me The Reason (1986)









    01. Stop To Love
    02. See Me
    03. I Gave It Up
    04. So Amazing
    05. Give Me The Reason
    06. There's Nothing Better Than Love
    07. I Really Didn't Mean It
    08. Because It's Really Love
    09. Anyone Who Had A Heart




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/88ZvgwS




    Album: Any Love (1988)









    01. I Wonder
    02. She Won't Talk To Me
    03. I Know You Won't To
    04. Come Back
    05. Any Love
    06. Love Won't Let Me Wait
    07. Are You Gonna Love Me
    08. For You To Love
    09. The Second Time Around




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/DHmZTGU




    Album: Best Of Luther Vandross (1989)









    CD1

    01. Searching
    02. The Glow Of Love
    03. Never Too Much
    04. If This World Were Mine
    05. A House Is Not A Home
    06. Bad Boy Having A Party
    07. Since I Lost My Baby
    08. Promise Me
    09. 'Til My Baby Comes Home
    10. If Only For One Night (Creep Creep)




    CD2

    01. Superstar-Until You Come To Me
    02. Stop To Love
    03. So Amazing
    04. There's Nothing Better Than Love
    05. Give Me The Reason
    06. Any Love
    07. I Really Didn't Mean It
    08. Love Won't Let Me Wait
    09. Treat You Right
    10. Here And Now




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/kDAV3ca




    Album: Power Of Love (1991)








    01. She Doesn't Mind
    02. Power Of Love Love Power
    03. I'm Gonna Start Today
    04. The Rush
    05. I Want To Stay Tonight
    06. Don't Want To Be A Fool
    07. Can I Tell You That
    08. Sometimes It's Only Love
    09. Emotional Love
    10. I Who Have Nothing




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/TXdrzyJ




    Album: Never Me Let Go (1993)









    01. Little Miracles Happen Everyday
    02. Heaven Knows
    03. Love Me Again
    04. Can't Be Doin' That Know
    05. Too Far Down
    06. Love Is On The Way
    07. Hustle
    08. Emotion Eyes
    09. Lady Lady
    10. How Deep Is Your Love Love Don't Love Nobody
    11. Never Let Me Go




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/7zrxbAA




    Album: Songs (1994)









    01. Love The One You're With
    02. Killing Me Softly
    03. Endless Love (With Mariah Carey)
    04. Evergreen
    05. Reflections
    06. Hello
    07. Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now
    08. Always And Forever
    09. Going In Circles
    10. Since You've Been Gone
    11. All The Woman I Need
    12. What The World Needs Now Is Love
    13. The Impossible Dream




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/M5esR58




    Album: Your Secret Love (1996)










    01. Your Secret Love
    02. Love Don't Love You Anymore
    03. It's Hard For Me To Say
    04. Crazy Love
    05. Can I Make It Better
    06. Too Proud To Beg
    07. I Can't Wait No Longer
    08. Nobody To Love
    09. Whether Or Not The World Gets Better
    10. This Time I'm Right
    11. Knocks Me Off My Feet
    12. Goin' Out Of My Head




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/5ha8GEQ




    Album: I Know (1998)










    01. Keepin My Faith In You
    02. Isn't There Someone
    03. Religion
    04. Get It Right
    05. I Know
    06. I'm Only Human
    07. Nights In Harlem
    08. Dream Lover
    09. When I Need You
    10. Are You Using Me
    11. Are You Mad At Me
    12. Now That I Have You
    13. Nights In Harlem Remix




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/cU8kehX




    Album: Luther Vandross (2001)









    01. Take You Out
    02. Grown Things
    03. Bring Your Heart to Mine
    04. Can Heaven Wait
    05. Say It Now
    06. Hearts Get Broken All the Time (But the Problem Is, This Time It's Mine)
    07. I'd Rather
    08. How Do I Tell Her
    09. Any Day Now
    10. If I Was the One
    11. Let's Make Tonight the Night
    12. Like I'm Invisible
    13. Are You There (With Another Guy)
    14. Love Forgot




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/RJzXyPU




    Album: Dance With My Father (2003)










    01. If I Didn't Know Better
    02. Think About You
    03. If It Ain't One Thing (Featuring Foxy Brown)
    04. Buy Me A Rose
    05. The Closer I Get To You (Duet With Beyoncé Knowles)
    06. Lovely Day (Featuring Busta Rhymes)
    07. Dance With My Father
    08. She Saw You
    09. Apologize
    10. Hit It Again (Featuring Queen Latifah)
    11. Right In The Middle
    12. Once Were Lovers
    13. Lovely Day [Part Ii] (Featuring Busta Rhymes)
    14. They Said You Needed Me




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/wAUqTWe




    Album: Live At Radio City Music Hall (2003)










    01. Never Too Much
    02. Here And Now
    03. Take You Out
    04. Love Won't Let Me Wait
    05. Superstar
    06. Stop To Love
    07. If Only For One Night
    08. Creepin'
    09. I'd Rather
    10. A House Is Not A Home
    11. Glow Of Love




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/Z49wq8J




    Album: Love Luther (2007)









    CD1

    01. Ready For Love
    02. If You Can't Dance
    03. Meet Luther Vandross
    04. The Glow Of Love
    05. Never Too Much
    06. Don't You Know That
    07. A House Is Not A Home
    08. Bad Boy Having A Party
    09. Since I Lost My Baby
    10. She Loves Me Back
    11. Who's Gonna Make It Easier For Me
    12. If This World Were Mine
    13. How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye
    14. SuperstarUntil You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)




    CD2

    01. If Only For One Night
    02. Creepin'
    03. Wait For Love
    04. 'Til My Baby Comes Home
    05. It's Over Now
    06. The Night I Fell In Love
    07. There's Only You
    08. Anyone Who Had A Heart
    09. So Amazing (Intimate Mix)
    10. Give Me The Reason
    11. Stop To Love
    12. There's Nothing Better Than Love
    13. So Amazing
    14. For You To Love
    15. Here And Now




    CD3

    01. Love The One You're With
    02. Funky Music (Is A Part Of Me)
    03. Georgy Porgy
    04. Power Of Love Love Power
    05. Don't Want To Be A Fool
    06. I Want The Night To Stay
    07. Endless Love (Duet with Mariah Carey)
    08. Any Love
    09. Knocks Me Off My Feet
    10. Your Secret Love
    11. Never Let Me Go
    12. Can Heaven Wait
    13. The Closer I Get To You (Duet With Beyonce Knowles)




    CD4

    01. Isn't There Someone
    02. Dance With My Father (Album Version and Radio Version)
    03. Take You Out (Radio Edit & Album Version)
    04. I'd Rather
    05. Buy Me A Rose
    06. Shine (Main)
    07. Got You Home (Main)
    08. Jump To It (Original 12 Mix)
    9. Hot Butterfly (Disco Remix)
    10. Searching (Live)
    11. Always And Forever (Live)
    12. Windows Of The World What the World Needs Now (Live)
    13. The Lady Is A Tramp
    14. A House Is Not A Home




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/FAf88Wx




    Enjoy!!!!Source URL: http://dejr10.blogspot.com/2011/03/
    Visit ALL SOUL AND FUNK for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

Teena Marie

    Collection Teena Marie

    No white artist has sang R&B more convincingly than Teena Marie, whose big, robust vocals are so black-sounding that when she was starting out, some listeners wondered if she was a light-skinned African-American. Not to be confused with Brazilian jazz singer Tânia Maria, Marie grew up in west Los Angeles in a neighborhood that was nicknamed "Venice Harlem" because of its heavy black population. The singer/songwriter/producer was in her early twenties when, around 1977, she landed a job at Motown Records. It was at Motown that she met her mentor and paramour-to-be, Rick James, who ended up doing all of the writing and producing for her debut album of 1979, Wild and Peaceful. That LP, which boasted her hit duet with James, "I'm Just a Sucker for Your Love," didn't show Marie's picture -- so many programmers at black radio just assumed she was black. When her second album, Lady T, came out, much of the R&B world was shocked to see how fair-skinned she was. But to many of the black R&B fans who were eating her music up, it really didn't matter -- the bottom line was she was a first-rate soul singer whose love of black culture ran deep.

    By her third album, 1980's gold Irons in the Fire, Marie was doing most of her own writing and producing. That album boasted the major hit "I Need Your Lovin'," and Marie went gold again with her next album, It Must Be Magic (which included the major hit "Square Biz"). It Must Be Magic turned out to be her last album for Motown, which she had a nasty legal battle with. Marie got out of her contract with Motown, and the case ended up with the courts passing what is known as "The Teena Marie Law" -- which states that a label cannot keep an artist under contract without putting out an album by him or her.

    Switching to Epic in 1983, Marie recorded her fifth album, Robbery, and had a hit with "Fix It." In 1984, Marie recorded her sixth album, Starchild, and had her biggest pop hit ever with "Lovergirl." Though Marie had often soared to the top of the R&B charts, "Lovergirl" marked the first time she'd done so well in the pop market. Ironically, Marie was a white singer who had enjoyed little exposure outside the R&B market prior to "Lovegirl."

    Three more Epic albums followed: 1986's Emerald City, 1988's Naked to the World (which contained her smash hit "Ooh La La La"), and 1990's Ivory. Unfortunately, Marie's popularity had faded considerably by the late '80s, and Epic dropped her. In 1994, the singer released Passion Play on her own Sarat label. Ten years later, she signed to Cash Money and released La Doña, featuring assistance from Gerald LeVert, Rick James, and MC Lyte. Sapphire followed two years later. Though both La Doña and Sapphire peaked at number three on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, she switched to Stax for her next album, 2009's Congo Square.


    Album: Wild and Peaceful (1979)









    01. I'm A Sucker For Your Love
    02. Turning Me On
    03. Don't Look Back
    04. De Ja Vu (I've Been Here Before)
    05. I'm Gonna Have My Cake (And Eat It Too)
    06. I Can't Love Anymore




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/aYQvqSr




    Album: Lady T (1980)









    01. Behind The Groove
    02. Now That I Have You
    03. Lonely Desire
    04. Aladdin's Lamp
    05. You're All The Boogie I Need
    06. Can It Be Love
    07. Young Girl In Love
    08. Why Did I Have To Fall In Love With You
    09. Too Many Colors
    10. Why Can't I Get Next To You
    11. Co Pilot To Pilot




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/5uXzAre




    Album: Irons in the Fire (1980)










    01. I Need Your Lovin'
    02. Young Love
    03. First Class Love
    04. Irons In The Fire
    05. Chains
    06. You Make Love Like Springtime
    07. Tune In Tomorrow
    08. You Make Love Like Springtime (Reprise)




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/fPZ75yp




    Album: It Must Be Magic (1981)










    01. It Must Be Magic
    02. Revolution
    03. Where's California
    04. 365
    05. Opus Iii (Does Anybody Care)
    06. Square Biz
    07. Ballad Of Cradle Rob & Me, The
    08. Portuguese Love
    09. Yes Indeed
    10. Square Biz (Instrumental)
    11. Someday We'll All Be Free ( Live)
    12. Deja Vu (We've Been Here Before) (Live)




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/eaxcCp4




    Album: Robbery (1983)









    01. Robbery
    02. Playboy
    03. Shadow Boxing
    04. Midnight Magnet
    05. Fix It
    06. Ask Your Momma
    07. Dear Lover
    08. Stop The World
    09. Casanova Brown
    10. Playboy (12In Remix)
    11. Midnight Magnet (Instrumental)




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/ZJUpVcr




    Album: Starchild (1984)









    01. Lovergirl
    02. Help Youngblood Get to the Freaky Party
    03. Out on a Limb
    04. Alibi
    05. Jammin'
    06. Starchild
    07. We've Got to Stop (Meeting Like This)
    08. My Dear Mr. Gaye
    09. Light




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/qxPjBmq




    Album: Emerald City (1986)









    01. Emerald City
    02. Once Is Not Enough
    03. Lips to Find You
    04. You So Heavy
    05. Shangri-La
    06. Batucada Suite
    07. Love Me Down Easy
    08. Sunny Skies




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/RSNxqcf




    Album: Naked To The World (1988)









    01. Trick Bag
    02. Call Me (I Got Yo Number)
    03. Ooo La La La
    04. Crocodile Tears
    06. Surrealistic Pillow
    08. Work It
    09. The Ball
    10. Naked To The World




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/wKYAbXk




    Album: Ivory (1990)









    01. Here's Looking At You
    02. The Sugar Shack Prelude
    03. The Sugar Shack
    04. If I Were A Bell
    05. Just Us Two
    06. Mr. Icecream
    07. Ivory (Atone Poem)
    08. Snap Your Fingers
    09. Cupid Is A Real Straight Shooter
    10. How Can You Resist It
    11. Since Day One
    12. Miracles Need Wings To Fly
    13. The Red Zone




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/nC5Vhtt




    Album: Greatest Hits (1991)









    01. Lovergirl
    02. Work It
    03. Ooo la la La
    04. If I Were a Bell
    05. Dear Lover
    06. Here's Looking at You
    07. Call Me (I Got Yo Number)
    08. Cassanova Brown
    09. My Dear Mr. Gaye
    10. Out on a Limb




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/N7mS6wf




    Album: Passion Play (1994)









    01. Warm As Mommas Oven
    02. Main Squeeze
    03. Wild Horses
    04. Smooth Tip
    05. Hypnotized Prelude
    06. Hypnotized
    07. Parking Music
    08. Sweet On You
    09. Slow Grind
    10. Climb The Walls
    11. Breakfast In Bed
    12. Passion Play
    13. Pretty Man
    14. The Air I Breathe




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/25hpJH3




    Album: I Need Your Lovin'- The Best of Teena Marie (1994)











    01. I Need Your Lovin'
    02. Behind the Groove
    03. Every Little Bit Hurts
    04. Irons in the Fire
    05. Portuguese Love
    06. It Must Be Magic
    07. Déjà Vu (I've Been Here Before)
    08. Don't Turn Your Back on Me
    09. Square Biz
    10. Turnin' Me On
    11. Now That I Have You
    12. I'm a Sucker for Your Love




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/pTKak9C




    Album: Lovergirl- The Teena Marie Story (1997)









    01. Just Us Two
    02. Ooo La La La [12-Inch Version]
    03. Sugar Shack [Extended Club Mix]
    04. If I Were a Bell
    05. Stop the World
    06. My Dear Mr. Gaye
    07. Shadow Boxing
    08. Light
    09. Out on a Limb
    10. Lovergirl
    11. Dear Lover
    12. Fix It [12-Inch Version]
    13. Cassanova Brown




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/rGdVheJ




    Album: Love Songs (2000)









    01. Cassanova Brown
    02. Cupid Is A Real Straight Shooter
    03. Miracles Need Wings To Fly
    04. Ooo La La La
    05. If I Were A Bell
    06. Ivory (A Tone Poem)
    07. Dear Lover
    08. My Dear Mr. Gaye
    09. Opus III (Part 2)
    10. Fire And Desire
    11. Shadow Boxing
    12. We've Got To Stop Meeting Like This
    13. Shangri-La
    14. Sunny Skies




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/k5xSm9j




    Album: Ultimate Collection (2000)








    01. Square Biz
    02. Behind the Groove
    03. If I Were a Bell
    04. Portuguese Love
    05. Lovergirl
    06. Fire and Desire
    07. My Dear Mr. Gaye
    08. I'm a Sucker for Your Love
    09. Irons in the Fire
    10. Young Love
    11. I Need Your Lovin'
    12. Now That I Have You
    13. Latin Lullaby
    14. It Must Be Magic
    15. Work It




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/fhWBVmt




    Album: La Dona (2004)










    01. La Dona (Intro)
    02. Still In Love
    03. Honey Call
    04. Baby I'm Your Fiend
    05. My Body's Hungry
    06. A Rose By Any Other Name
    07. Off The Chain
    08. Makavelli Never Lied
    09. Revelations 38 Introduction
    10. Recycle Hate To Love
    11. The Mackin' Game




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/SDMZaRT




    Album: Sapphire (2006)









    01. God Has Created
    02. Cruise Control
    03. Baby Who's Is It
    04. Make It Hot
    05. Ooh Wee
    06. Sleeping With the Enemy
    07. A.P.B
    08. Love Is a Gangsta
    09. Ladies Choice
    10. Somebody Just Like You
    11. You Blow Me Away
    12. Simmer Down
    13. Romantica
    14. The Way You Love Me
    15. Ecstasy
    16. Resilient (Sapphire)




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/WnFpz4h




    Album: Congo Square (2009)









    01. The Pressure
    02. Can't Last a Day
    03. Baby I Love You
    04. Ear Candy 101
    05. Lover's Lane
    06. Marry Me
    07. You Baby
    08. Milk N' Honey
    09. What U Got 4 Me
    10. Rovleta's Jass
    11. Congo Square
    12. Harlem Blues
    13. Black Cool
    14. Ms. Coretta
    15. Soldier Boy
    16. The Rose N' Thorn




    http://www.fileserve.com/file/upvCP5D





    Enjoy!!!!Source URL: http://dejr10.blogspot.com/2011/03/
    Visit ALL SOUL AND FUNK for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection