We’re honored to celebrate Luther Vandross, his musical legacy and raise awareness for diabetes health-related complications (such as stroke) on this Luther Vandross Tribute podcast scheduled for Tuesday, July 25, 2017, 6 PM, EST.

Luther Vandross died at age 54, two years after suffering a stroke related to his type 2 diabetes.

African-American men have a significantly higher risk of stroke, and death caused by stroke, than white males, according to the American Stroke Association. In 2002, the latest year for which data are available, the stroke-mortality rate for black men was 82 per 100,000 population, while the stroke mortality for white men was 54 per 100,000. Likewise mortality is higher in black women, at 72 per 100,000 population, versus white women, who die from stroke at a rate of 53 per 100,000.

Black men and women generally have more stroke risk factors such as diabetes and hypertension, according to George Howard, Dr. P.H., who chairs the department of biostatistics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health. He is an authority on the demographics of stroke.

In the years since Luther’s passing, one constant has remained to define his life and musical success: the voice. Like any great singer of the past 100 years, Luther Vandross’ voice and distinct singing style led to not only monumental success, but an instant recognition when you hear him singing–through your stereo, car radio, on TV or in a movie. Coupled with that voice was Luther’s unique ability to write and sing about love and the shared emotions we all feel in that search for and enjoyment of love. Through his songs, for the last two generations Luther Vandross became a staple in the most joyous moments of people’s lives.

Luther’s style harkened back to a more genteel era of crooning, with songs that spoke to heartfelt emotions and gentle pillow talk rather than explicit sexuality.

“I’m more into poetry and metaphor, and I would much rather imply something rather than to blatantly state it,” said Luther. “You blatantly state stuff sometimes when you can’t think of a a poetic way to say it.”

Featured guests on our Luther Tribute podcast include Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Tawatha Agee, Steve Kroon, Seveda Williams, Pat Lacy, Luther historian Leon Petrossian, members of ‘The Luther Vandross Experience’, friends and fans.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring selected songs from the album entitled ‘Luther Vandross’ courtesy of SONY Music.

“One of the qualities that makes this album so good is the not merely the fact that Luther took so much time between his last studio album I Know but that he also took stock in his musical pros and cons,” writes Andre S. Grindle on Amazon.  “The uptempo tunes on this album are some of the very finest,and funkiest he ever made and could easily work for lovers of a more 70’s sound and the music of today:again classic R&B flavors through contemporary means. “Grown Thangs”,”Say It Now”,”How Do I Tell You” and the bassy bottomed “Let’s Make Tonight The Night” bring out all the best qualities Vandross is truely capable of-offering up the kind of danceable songs Vandross threw down back in the Never Too Much days. There’s also a bit more of an edge to the musical production of these songs,a mildly darker tone that takes any possible silken softness from the surface of the songs.”