Luther: The Life and Longing of Luther Vandross (Paperback)

~ (Author) "It was morning as Max Szadek raced to his boss's apartment..." (more)
Key Phrases: background vocals, background singers, funky music, New York, Craig Seymour, Luther Vandross (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In April 2003, Vandross suffered a devastating stroke. When he opened his eyes from his comatose state almost one month later, Vandross added yet one more page to the many chapters in his life: later in the year, his song "Dance with My Father" won a Grammy. Seymour, a music critic for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, chronicles the mercurial ups and downs of the golden-throated singer in this superficial biography. Seymour recounts Vandross's lifelong love of music and the singer's early infatuations with girl groups, particularly Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles and Dionne Warwick. Vandross enrolled in Western Michigan University, but eventually dropped out to pursue a career as a composer. His first big break came when he met David Bowie and composed the chorus for Bowie's "Young American." Vandross's fame as a composer and backup singer, which he preferred to the spotlight of a soloist, steadily grew until he was producing such acts as Aretha Franklin, Anita Baker and En Vogue. In spite of his success, the singer struggled with his insecurities, which often led him to seek solace in overeating, and he battled obesity and its attendant health problems throughout his career. Vandross's life and career, however, often get lost in Seymour's mini-profiles of the many musicians who helped him along his way.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Craig Seymour gives this great artist his rightful due." -- Christopher John Farley, author of Aaliyah: More Than a Woman

"Full of juicy anecdotes, fast-paced writing and interesting analysis, the book …paints an intimate portrait of the beloved balladeer." -- E. Lynn Harris, author of What Becomes of the Brokenhearted

"Seymour’s brilliant book is like a great Luther song: elegantly written, effortlessly executed and eloquently delivered. A majestic tribute." -- Michael Eric Dyson, author of Mercy, Mercy Me: The Art, Loves, and Demons of Marvin Gaye

"Seymour’s keen, often empathetic insights …reveal a man facing the dichotomy of public fame and private pain." -- David Nathan, the "British Ambassador of Soul," author of The Soulful Divas: Personal Portraits of over a dozen divine divas from Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, & Diana Ross, to Patti LaBelle, Whitney Houston, & Janet Jackson

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Harper Paperbacks (July 5, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060779233
• ISBN-13: 978-0060779238
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,023,678 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable and surprisingly funny, July 9, 2004

By	Cydney Rax "rmn1994" (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Luther: The Life and Longing of Luther Vandross (Hardcover)

This Luther Vandross biography unexpected arrived in the mail and I begin reading immediately. An easy, quick and fascinating read, I enjoyed learning about Luther's background, his struggles to become a recording artist, and his careers successes and challenges. Although this really isn't a book filled with personal comments by Luther to the biographer, Craig Seymour, you can tell that the author did a great job seamlessly piecing together Luther's history so that it reads logically and thoughtfully. There are sad and poignant moments (the stroke), and many funny moments too (Luther's quick wit and great sense of humor). The squabbles he's had with fellow singers will make you laugh too and shake your head at what goes on behind closed doors within the industry. Even if you aren't a Luther Vandross fan, if you enjoy reading about a slice of R&B music history, you may enjoy reading this book. The book provides a fascinating and dramatic look at the music industry, and it simultaneously honors Luther Vandross with grace and honesty. It's highly recommended and may give you a greater appreciation for Luther, as well as entertainment in general.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Breathtaking Journey Into Luther's World, August 1, 2004

By	SisterDivas.org "Tonya Howard" (Shon Bacon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Luther: The Life and Longing of Luther Vandross (Hardcover)

Craig Seymour did a fabulous job of taking the fans of Luther Vandross behind the scenes, giving a very detailed look inside of his singing career and life. The book was very tastefully written as Craig showed the ups and downs of Luther's career, struggles, triumphs and more, as well as paying tribute to his successes. This is a must read and a true page turner.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Luther: The Early Years, October 22, 2004

By	Leon Petrossian (Charlottesville,VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Luther: The Life and Longing of Luther Vandross (Hardcover)

I enjoyed the book and there were some topics in Luther's life I had no idea about. I would have loved to read more detail on some of Luther's earlier recordings. I have the LUTHER albums from 1976 and 1977 plus the Bionic Boogie albums. The book left out his 1979 Bionic Boogie album TIGER TIGER where he sings lead on two songs. He also was in a studio group titled SOIREE where he sings "You Keep Me Hanging On" and "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life." The Charme, Mascara, and New York City Band albums are great as well. They show a side of Luther not to many fans have heard. Also in 1987 his song "There's Only You" was included on the movie soundtrack MADE IN HEAVEN. This seems like a personal song for Luther as you feel his emotion singing the haunting arrangement. I wonder if it was written after his tragic accident involving his friend Larry Salvemini. Overall the book is excellent and is the first written about the life of one of the greatest vocalist of all time.