During the ‘80s, his touring partners included Patti LaBelle and Anita Baker. Vandross isn’t afraid of sharing a concert bill with women who are strong performers and strong personalities.
The late Conway Twitty took a similar approach in his long career as a country balladeer, and he never had a hard time mustering an audience. It’s telling that when Vandross took a vocal-tandem turn with Frank Sinatra on “The Lady Is a Tramp,” the leadoff track on Ol’ Blue Eyes’ recent “Duets” album, they changed the word “tramp” to “champ.” Vandross does not like to sing ill of women. He received his own custom label, LV Records, as a let’s-make-up gift.)
#Luther vandross songs on last cd Patch
(In a business-sector parallel to the scenario of many of his songs, Vandross recently sued for divorce from his longtime record company, Epic, only to patch things up and return to the label. It’s not only their bodies he craves, but the chance to prove that he is a constant, respectful lover who knows that sex alone does not constitute “The Best of Love.” Vandross can be heard pleading and beseeching throughout the album, begging his lovers’ consent to keep troubled romances going. It’s interesting to note how Vandross consistently puts the women in his songs in a position of power, and how the love he extols is consistently of the romantic, lasting variety, and not the one-night quickie shot of hormonal relief. Vandross’ following is built around women who want to hear his ultra-romantic take on love (and no doubt some canny fellows who know that music is the food of you-know-what). If he grabs his crotch, the reason no doubt will be a sudden and painful groin-muscle pull. If Vandross utters the word “hoe” from the stage, it will probably mean that he has decided to tell an anecdote about gardening.