10 Years After His Death, There Still Is Never Too Much Luther Vandross (Mix)

On July 1, 2005, one of music’s most beloved voices was silenced when Luther Vandross passed away at the painfully young age of 54. Celebrated as a frontman, solo performer, and record producer, the eight-time Grammy winning singer and songwriter managed to remain relevant throughout his 25-year career, winning 4 Grammys alone in the year before his death. Sampled in songs by EPMD, Jadakiss, Jay Z, Kanye West, and Sean Price, Vandross’ presence reverberates outside of his R&B and Soul repertoire and today, on the tenth anniversary of his death, Heads of all kinds are certain to find solace in his timeless catalog.

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Last year, Vandross’ best friend and Chic member Fonzi Thornton spoke with the U.K.’s Express for a poignantly nostalgic discussion about some of the late singer’s material, a conversation which coincided with the release of Vandross’ Greatest Hits compilation album. In the interview, Thornton reminisces on and reveals backstories to songs like “A House is Not a Home,” the Mariah Carey-assisted “Endless Love,” and “Dance with My Father.” Read the whole piece here, which includes videos and little-known facts about the man behind the voice.

In this 70-minute tribute playlist, DJ E Smoove manages to showcase a  great cross-section of Vandross’ range, including  uptempo, funky tracks like “Never Too Much,” “Stop to Love” and “Power of Love,” in addition to beloved ballads like “If Only  For One Night,” “Superstar/Until You Come Back to Me” and “If This World Were Mine,” resulting in an all-encompassing homage to a legendary man who is greatly missed.

A NIGHT FOR LOVE – LUTHER VANDROSS TRIBUTE MIX by Dj E Smoove on Mixcloud

How do you remember Luther Vandross?

Related: Raekwon The Chef Reheats Some Luther Vandross Flawlessly (Audio)