The loneliness and longing of Luther Vandross; plus Grammy winner Samara Joy

It's Been a Minute

NPR

News Commentary, Society & Culture, News, Spirituality, Religion & Spirituality

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🗓️ 3 February 2023

⏱️ 37 minutes

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Summary

From "A House Is Not A Home" to "The Glow of Love," Luther Vandross' music has become a staple for weddings, family reunions and graduations. While Luther changed the sound of R&B, brought ballads to epic new heights and influenced countless musicians, he somehow doesn't have the same icon status as some of his collaborators and contemporaries like Whitney Houston or Aretha Franklin.

20 years after Luther's last live concert, Brittany is joined by Craig Seymour, author of "Luther: The Life and Longing of Luther Vandross" to discuss Luther's impact and why he isn't usually placed on the "Mount Rushmore" of American music.

Then, Brittany jazzes it up with two-time Grammy nominee Samara Joy. They talk about her unique style of singing and how she's bridging generations with her timeless music.

You can follow us on Twitter @ItsBeenAMin or email us at [email protected].

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey everyone, you're listening to It's Been A Minute From NPR.
0:04.8	I'm Brittany Luce.
0:08.3	This weekend is the 65th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony and what better time to talk about
0:13.8	one of the all-time musical grates?
0:17.1	Luther Vandross.
0:18.1	And his lifetime he won eight Grammy awards and was nominated for 33.
0:29.2	And he's laid the groundwork for a lot of my faves in R&B, some of whom are also up
0:33.4	for awards this weekend.
0:35.3	Artists like Jasmine Sullivan.
0:43.6	Mary J. Blige.
0:50.3	And of course babyface.
0:58.7	Luther's music changed the sound of R&B.
1:01.6	He created a new standard and his songs have become a staple for just about every major
1:06.7	life event.
1:08.0	Weddings, family reunions, and even a few births.
1:12.2	This month also marks 20 years since Luther's last performance at Radio City Musical.
1:26.2	Two months later Vandross suffered a debilitating stroke and in 2005 he passed away.
1:35.3	And though he lives on in our hearts and on our playlists, the icon status held by artists
1:40.8	like Whitney and Aretha has escaped Luther.
1:44.4	There is no Luther biopic.
1:46.5	No tell-all memoir.
1:47.7	No unsung episode.
	...

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