Irene Cara

In fond memories of Luther Vandross

Since Luther Vandross passed away over a decade ago, the world has mourned the loss of the most brilliant artist of his generation. As a singer his sultry voice was one of a kind.

As a producer he was loved and cherished for his dynamic songwriting and sophisticated productions bringing success to everyone lucky enough to work with him.

My personal memories of him are an indelible part of my formative years. I first met him when I was just fifteen years old running around New York City streets in search for my dream to make it in show business and learning all I could from the great singers around me. Luther was playful and fun never taking himself too seriously but always, without having to proclaim it, being a teacher and mentor to all of us who learned so much from him. Whether we were singing background vocals for others or singing commercials for major ad agencies or producing our own demo tracks in hopes of getting a record deal, Luther was the man we looked to for advice, for technic of our craft and most of all for his genuine and unwavering friendship.