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13 September 2024, 13:51
"A voice like no other".
Luther Vandross was renowned for his exceptional voice and career as one of R&B's brightest talents.
It was a talent we lost far too soon, after his tragic death at the age of just 54 on 1st July 2005 due to complications with his health.
But now his life and career is being revisited in the brand new documentary, Luther: Never Too Much.
The documentary will detail how Vandross got his start with David Bowie, and how he became one of music's most sought-after backing singers for artists such as Chic, Aretha Franklin, and Barbra Streisand.
It'll then focus on his illustrious solo career after his 1981 breakthrough hit 'Never Too Much' and his personal struggles which he kept very private.
Luther: Never Too Much will include more than forty years of archival footage from the 'Dance With My Father' singer as well as new interviews from Mariah Carey, Roberta Flack, Dionne Warwick, Richard Marx and actor Jamie Foxx.
Watch the trailer for Luther: Never Too Much below:
Luther: Never Too Much | Official Trailer (2024)
Jamie Foxx - who serves as a producer for the documentary - detailed how Vandross' soulful music would help him swoon the opposite sex.
"Back in the day, if you wanted to fall in love, you let Luther do the work for you," Foxx said. "So I would put the phone up to the radio - and what's crazy is you had to wait for it to come on the radio."
"So I would put the phone up to the radio and say, 'This is what I want to tell you.'"
The Giant Pictures documentary was given its world premiere at 2024's Sundance Film Festival, and is set for a cinema release on 1st November.
It'll later be available on CNN, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, and HBO Max in 2025.
Award-winning film-maker Dawn Porter said in an official statement: "it was a joy to work on this film. Luther was a spectacularly talented performer, composer and producer."
"His influence was found in multiple genres, and it was a delight to discover each one. It has been so much fun to see longtime fans remember why they love him, and new fans come to understand his brilliance."
Nick Savva, general manager of Giant Pictures also added: "The whole Giant Pictures team fell in love with Luther: Never Too Much following its stellar film festival run this year."
"The film is a huge crowd-pleaser and a must-see, not only for existing fans of Luther Vandross, but also for those discovering his incredible talents for the first time."
"We are excited to partner with Sony Music, Raindog Films and CNN Films on this nationwide theatrical release."
Luther tragically died in 2005 due to "a combination of stroke, diabetes and hypertension" his niece Seveda told People magazine earlier this year.
"He was singing up to the last minute," she revealed. "I hope people see him as human, a man who had a great career, but a man who lived a life."