This May, join FANDROSS in Los Angeles, CA, for two exciting Mother’s Day weekend events honoring Luther Vandross.
On Saturday, May 10, 2025 explore Luther’s Artistry and Elegance costume exhibit at the GRAMMY Museum featuring trivia, rare photos, memorabilia, and a panel discussion with me, Max Szadek, Luther’s former assistant.
Then, on Sunday night, May 11, 2025 enjoy Terry Steele‘s wonderful Luther Tribute Concerts in Bel Air at Vibrato Grill, in Bel Air, CA with special guest Pat Lacy-Aiken at 6 and 8:30 PM.
One of the standout moments from my incredible trip to London, where I was there to promote the premiere of the Luther: Never Too Muchdocumentary in UK theaters, was my delightful interview on Solar Radio with my good friend Richard Marzetti, the host of Soul Life.
During our chat, Richard posed a fantastic question about my all-time favorite Luther song.
Without hesitation, I chose Crazy Love from Luther Vandross‘s brilliant album, Secret Love.
This track is not only a breathtaking showcase of his unparalleled artistry but also evokes a flood of wonderful memories from our days working on that album together. I can still picture the vibrant recording sessions at the Hit Factory, the unforgettable photo shoot at Milk Studios, and the thrilling promotional tour across the US and UK. Those were truly special times!
I was also excited to introduce Seveda Williams, the CEO of FANDROSS and Luther’s niece, to Richard. Seveda surprised Richard with a fantastic gift bag from FANDROSS that was bursting with goodies for vinyl enthusiasts—think classic records, a stylish FANDROSS t-shirt, and a chic tote bag!
I hope you all enjoy listening to our Soul Life interview with Richard Marzetti on Mixcloud!
We’re diving into the enchanting world of R&B with one of its all-time greats, Luther Vandross, and his beloved wedding song Here and Now.
Joining our host, Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, is Terry Steele, the talented co-writer who helped bring this classic to life. Terry will take us behind the scenes of the creative process, sharing the inspiration that fueled the heartfelt lyrics and the song’s enduring legacy.
Terry Steele also reflects on Luther’s hero, Dionne Warwick’s pivotal role in Luther’s song recording.
Growing up in the Bronx, Luther Vandross was mesmerized by the magic of music, particularly by Dionne Warwick‘s enchanting voice.
Hearing her on the radio ignited a passion in him, and seeing her perform live at the Brooklyn Fox Theater left a mark on his heart. He fondly remembers, “She came on stage and just killed me,” capturing how deeply her music resonated with him. The song Anyone Who Has a Heart inspired him to pursue his own musical dreams.
Luther Vandross won his first Grammy in 1991 for Here and Now after being nominated 9 times.
Billboard magazine included Here And Now on their list of the Best30 Wedding Songs of All Time stating, “everything about the song suggests flowing curtains and candlelight, and Luther’s voice is pure butter.”
Terry Steele is a two-time Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter who has toured internationally and performed in places like Russia, Japan, and Brazil.
As a professional songwriter, he has collaborated with superstars like Whitney Houston, Dionne Warwick, and Stevie Wonder, among others. As the principal writer of the hit Here and Now.
Terry received his first Grammy nomination for “Best Rhythm and Blues Song” in 1990. He has held esteemed songwriting roles at major music companies and even tours occasionally with the renowned jazz band HIROSHIMA as their lead singer.
Angela Bofill suffered two strokes but neither stroke could take away her positive, humorous personality and her fighter spirit. After she lost the ability to sing, she returned to the stage for “The Angela Bofill Experience” in which she skillfully narrated her life story, while her band and other singers. Enjoy our exclusive interview with this iconic singer and songwriter.
Fresh off the success of their UK Soul Chart smash hit, Mama’s Kitchen Table, singer-songwriter Paulette McWilliams, multi-Grammy nominated Ivan Hampden Jr., and lyricist Max Szadek present the self empowerment anthem, Pink Champagne — a celebration of overcoming heartache during the holidays!
“This song is a heartfelt shout-out to anyone navigating the tough waters of heartbreak this season,” declares Paulette McWilliams, who powerful vocals have backed up many musical icons such as Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Johnny Mathis, Bette Midler, and Luther Vandross.
The moving tale of resilience in Pink Champagne has captured the attention of UGONE Radio Host Toni B, who proudly named it the ‘Christmas Song Of The Week’ for her show from December 16-21, 2024.
Additionally, Pink Champagne has been added to RhythmAndSoul’s festive holiday playlist, proving its resonance!
Breakups can be challenging, but the holiday season magnifies those feelings of loneliness.
Surrounded by couples at festive gatherings, playing romantic holiday tunes, and reading cheerful family updates, it’s easy to feel isolated. The airwaves are usually filled with upbeat classics, leaving little room for reflection—until now!
“Outside of Elvis Presley’s Blue Christmas, I can’t think of any holiday classics that resonate with those of us feeling low,” says the talented Ivan Hampden Jr. “With Pink Champagne, listeners can find solace and realize they’re not alone in their struggles.”
This empowering track narrates a woman’s journey from heartache to triumph at Christmastime. Paulette envisions it as a source of strength for anyone hurting, encouraging them to embrace their feelings and transform them into joy. With inspiration from the vocal greatness of Nancy Wilson, Marlena Shaw, and Eartha Kitt,Pink Champagne is a fresh and vibrant take on the traditional holiday tune.
“You simply can’t savor the joy of the holidays while clinging to painful emotions. It’s time to release them!” she emphasizes. “I truly believe Pink Champagne will help those who are hurting move forward with a brighter outlook.”
Expertly arranged and produced by the gifted Ivan Hampden Jr., known for his work with Luther Vandross, Ashford & Simpson, Roberta Flack, and Eartha Kitt, this track promises to be a new holiday favorite. His previous Christmas classic, Mistletoe Jam, featured on Luther Vandross’s platinum-certified This Is Christmas album, continues to delight fans.
Pink Champagne is poised to follow in its footsteps with joy and assertiveness!
Luther Vandross’s Never Too Much documentary opens in theaters starting November 1st!
I’ve seen it thrice and walked away with a different insight each time. One of the things I enjoy most is seeing Luther’s discipline, drive, and determination to succeed. It’s easy to think Luther had no trouble getting signed to a record deal, but the opposite is true. He spent his own money, earned from singing jiggles, to finance his demo and was rejected by several labels.
I never met anyone with his convictions. He taught me to believe in myself and my ideas and to invest in them.
The documentary relives the many stunning moments of Luther’s musical career while exploring his personal life, health struggles related to mismanaged type 2 diabetes, and a lifelong battle to earn the respect his music deserved.
Using a wealth of rarely seen archives, Luther tells his story with assistance from his closest friends, ME (!), and musical collaborators, including Mariah Carey, Dionne Warwick, Valerie Simpson, and Roberta Flack.
It’s strange to see yourself on screen and share such a traumatic experience. I am grateful to everyone who has supported, participated, and partnered with me with my diabetes nonprofit organization, Divabetic.
After Luther’s stroke, I could have left his side and found work supporting another musical artist. Instead, I chose a different path. I educated myself about diabetes (I have a family history of type 1 and type 2 diabetes) and helped educate and empower others so that we could all keep our house a home.
I still believe that’s the best way to honor Luther’s legacy.
Freddie Jackson has been diagnosed with kidney disease. According to People Magazine, he made the statement yesterday on his social media.
“After a lot of thought and reflection, I’ve come to a point where I feel I’m ready to talk about a recent chapter in my life,” Freddie Jackson, 67, said in the video.
Freddie Jackson, who topped Billboard’s R&B singles charts in the 1980s with a slew of hits including “You Are My Lady,” “Have You Ever Loved Somebody,” and “Jam Tonight,” said that he hopes his work with the National Kidney Foundation will “help shine a light on the importance of this issue.”
“It’s important to me that I share this with you, not just as a part of my personal story, but as a way to make a positive difference,” Freddie Jackson said. He’s partnered with the National Kidney Foundation to raise awareness about kidney health and provide support.
Freddie Jackson is not living with diabetes, but there is a strong link between mismanaged diabetes and kidney disease.
Over time, diabetes that isn’t tightly managed can damage blood vessels in the kidneys that filter waste from the blood. This can lead to kidney damage and cause high blood pressure.
High blood glucose, also called blood sugar, can damage the blood vessels in your kidneys. When the blood vessels are damaged, they don’t work as well.
On this Divabetic podcast, we’re talking with Nephrologist Dugan Maddux about kidney health. The music is by H.E.R. courtesy of SONY Music.
High blood pressure can also damage your kidneys.
Keeping your blood glucose levels and blood pressure within your target range is the best prevention for kidney disease. But it sounds easier than it is. If you’re struggling to manage your diabetes and blood pressure, seek help. A team approach to managing health conditions with competent, friendly, and open-minded collaborators.
Freddie Jackson thanked his fans for their support: “As I take this step, I’m turning my personal experience into a platform for greater understanding and advocacy. With your help, we can work towards better awareness and improved outcomes for everyone with kidney disease.
Join me tonight for the free screening of the Luther: Never Too Much documentary, live Luther Tribute performances by Keith Anthony Fluitt, and a Q&A Panel with Fonzi Thornton and Dawn Porter in Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem.
Knowing and working for such an incredible artist and caring man was an honor. It’s a privilege to appear in the documentary to raise awareness of the tragic consequences of mismanaged type 2 diabetes. Seeing the trauma I experienced in my face on screen as I recalled the initial moments after Luther’s stroke made me realize how grateful I am to everyone who has supported, encouraged, and partnered with me on my various diabetes outreach efforts through my nonprofit organization, Divabetic. Org
Sadly, I wasn’t able to help Luther initially after he suffered a stroke. Heed my advice: if you are someone you love who has experienced a stroke, don’t wait to seek help or try to sleep. Every minute counts. The longer a stroke goes untreated, the greater the potential for brain damage and disability.
Act F.A.S.T. to help identify the early signs and symptoms of a stroke:
F: Is there drooping on one side of the face? Is the person unable to smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?
A: Can the person raise both arms and keep them there? Is there weakness or numbness in an arm or leg?
S: Is the person’s speech slurred or garbled? Are they unable to speak at all? Do they need help understanding what you’re saying to them?
T: If you notice any of these signs, call emergency services immediately
If you’re a Luther fan, please, “Keeping Your House A Home” by learning how to prevent diabetes health-related complications such as stroke, kidney failure, lower limb amputation, and blindness has been my mission for the past 20 years, and it will continue to be.
If you see this documentary or love Luther’s music, you owe it to his legacy to educate and empower yourself about your health.
Join us for my Luther Vandross: Never Too Much Birthday Party, celebrating his iconic Music and Style. This free program features a Music Panel, Fashion Show, Live Performances, Style and Tea Vendors, and Live DJ Dan C.E. on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, from 5:30 -8:30 PM at THREAD Lounge at the Renaissance Hotel.
This is my way of thanking Luther fans for their ongoing love, support, and admiration for my boss, Luther Vandross. I started working for Luther on the “Never Let Me Go” tour in 1993. I’m looking forward to sharing my memories, celebrating Luther’s love of fashion and style, hearing his music, and welcoming fans.
MUSIC PANEL: Luther’s Vocalist, Cindy Mizelle, and Luther’s Choreographer, James Ervin, discuss their experience working with Luther. Graffiti Glamour Makeup Artistry Founder Alicia Mitchell shares how small steps led her to big rewards in her healthy journey as she demonstrates how hair and makeup artistry can transform your attitude.
FASHION SHOW: Harlem Heaven’s Hats, Kynetik Soundz, LPS Collection, Baro Sanchez, DIG Ferreira, LPS Collection, Teresa Marie Collection, and Modafleur showcase the hottest trends in fashion. Plus, S Designs spotlights Luther’s Wedding Song, “Here & Now,” with funky, flashy, and fabulous wedding gowns you don’t want to miss! Hosted by Catherine Schuller.
LIVE MUSIC: Keith Anthony Fluitt will perform some of Luther’s most beloved songs, plus Special Guest performers.
DJ DAN.C.E. will spin Luther’s hits all night long. I’ll host the virtual FANDROSS Birthday Listening Party on Zoom on Saturday, April 20, at 3 PM.
Join me, Luther Historian, and Special Guests as we spin the group Luther’s glorious first album, “Luther,” featuring the songs “It’s Good For The Soul (Part 1 & 2), “Emotion Eyes,” and “Funky Music during the program. Register for both programs on Eventbrite.
“I want to be who I am now. I rock my gray hair because it is a blessing,” says Regina Belle. “I colored mine for many years, but I’ve gotten compliments from so many men and women about being brave enough to sport the gray. I even wear it on the cover of my record. I am comfortable in my skin and I want listeners to feel that as well.”
Regina Belle began performing at a young age at Englewood’s Mount Calvary Baptist Church in New Jersey. She studied opera and jazz at Rutgers University, with a combined major in Africana Studies and Music. She learned to play trombone, tuba, and steel pans before leaving college to purse a music career.
Her debut album, All by Myself, had her first hits, “So Many Tears” and “Show Me the Way.”
Regina, “If I cannot identify with the songs, and if the music does not move my soul, make me feel better, take me up when I’m down or higher when I’m up, then I don’t want to record it, play it or sing it!”
A few years later, her duets with Peabo Bryson, “I Can’t Imagine,” “Without You,” and “A Whole New World,” solidified her pop music success. “A Whole New World, from the soundtrack to the 1992 Disney film Aladdin, peaked at no.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart and received a Grammy Award in 1993 for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and the Academy Award for Best Song of the Year.
I saw Regina Belle perform at B.B. King’s in New York City a few years ago. So many of Regina Belle’s songs are embedded in my soul, and I was excited about her concert.
Sadly, Regina Belle was still grieving over the loss of her brother, who passed away a few days before the concert. She admitted she wasn’t really in the right frame of mind. Her show underwhelmed me. I was frustrated when she melodied many of her biggest hits, “Make It Like It Was,” “Show Me,” “So Many Tears,””Baby Come To Me,” and “All I Want Is Forever.” I loved these songs, and a medley was not cutting it.
My disappointment got the better of me, and I took to social media to express my displeasure. Would you believe she responded? Regina Belle apologized and admitted that her brother’s recent death had affected her performance. So much for social media anonymity!
Thirty years after leaving Rutgers and 10 albums later, Belle started taking online courses, which earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Africana Studies and a Minor in Music. Belle walked the stage with her ‘new class’ from Rutgers in May 2015. She states, “This achievement of finishing my degree, which I started almost 30 years ago and finally being done, was a bittersweet moment and rates as high as my Grammy Awards.”
Her life was eventful, the journey purposeful but not without misfortune. After releasing her first Gospel album, Love Forever Shines, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Regina Belle returned to performing after two surgeries, health challenges, and 10 months of rehabilitation.
“I’m amazingly blessed. I will never ever say that I’ve lived the perfect life to be shown such favor with God or the people but here I am,” declares Regina Belle.
I wanted to create this series for Women’s History Month because many artists who made music in the 80s and 90s are no longer with us, or they’re not promoted as prominently as I had hoped. Once hip-hop took center stage, the lush, elegant songs I loved were being pushed aside. Sadly, most of these artists are no longer with us or aren’t actively performing.
I chose artists whom I greatly admired, and their music touched my soul and shaped my ideas about love and romance.
Join us for our Luther Vandross: Never Too Much birthday celebration featuring a Music Panel, Fashion Show, Luther Trivia Games, Live Performances, Style Vendors, and Live DJ on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.
Come dressed in your Big 80s Bling!
Luther Vandross was known for wearing rhinestones, silk tuxedos, and tailcoats on stage and Versace, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, and Tom Ford off-stage! He wasn’t afraid of bright colors, animal prints, geometric patterns, and fringe. His style and incredible showmanship brought him legions of fans worldwide.
We’re celebrating the Glitz, Glamour, and Romantic Elegance that made his concerts memorable and set him apart from other entertainers.
MUSIC PANEL: Luther’s Vocalist, Cindy Mizelle, Luther’s Choreographer, James Ervin, and Graffiti Glamour Makeup Artistry Founder Alicia Mitchell give us a closer look into the Shine of the Rhinestones, Big Luscious Hairstyles, Bold Makeup, Graceful Moves, and Tight Harmonies comprising Luther’s iconic stage shows. Hosted by Max Szadek.
FASHION SHOW: Designers showcase their gorgeous creations inspired by Luther Vandross’s romantic elegance. See the latest styles from Harlem’s Heaven and Modafleur, among others! Hosted by Catherine Schuller.
LIVE PERFORMANCE: Luther’s most iconic songs performed by Luther’s most iconic songs by vocalist Keith Anthony Fluitt.
STYLISH VENDORS: Shop for apparel, jewelry, and teas from a dazzling array of small entrepreneurs.
COCKTAILS & LITE BITES: Enjoy signature cocktails and delicious appetizers.
Jean Carne has captivated the hearts of jazz and soul enthusiasts alike. Her Philadelphia International recordings are a testament to her unmatched talent, incorporating smooth instrumentation, soulful lyrics, and her remarkable vocal range and versatility.
Jean Carne’s first showbiz exposure was singing “Misty” on a morning radio show as a teenager in Atlanta, GA.
After meeting her husband, she joined his jazz fusion band as a vocalist, and they recorded three albums. Their recordings caught the attention of Earth, Wind & Fire, which Jean Carne joined as a backup vocalist on their first two albums.
Jean’s vocal interpretations of instrumental classics brought by Jazz greats such as John Coltrane, Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner, and Horace Silver expanded the display of her musical abilities to Jazz Lovers worldwide.
While Carne is still called a jazz vocalist in many circles, the label no longer applies to her musical legacy.” That’s how I started out, and I guess a lot of people will always think of me that way,” she told the Chicago Tribune.” Actually, I didn’t start out singing jazz at all. I guess I knew I would be involved in music in some manner. My parents told me I started singing with songs on the radio when I was 3. I joined the church choir when I was 4; I had to stand on a box. My parents thought I would teach music or possibly become an opera singer.” After leaving Earth, Wind & Fire, she toured with Duke Ellington and signed with Buddah Records.
She teamed up with Norman Connors on the top-ten single “Valentine Love” in 1975. Throughout the rest of the 1970s, Carne continued to record and tour, releasing popular singles like “Was That All It Was?” “Free Love?” “Don’t Let It Go To Your Head?” and her number-one hit, “Closer Than Close,” in 1986.
In an interview with Soul & Jazz & Funk, she spoke about her recording experience with Philadelphia International Sound. She said, “Sometimes I would put down a scratch vocal while they did the rhythm tracks, and then the arranger would come in and sweeten it with horns and strings, and then I would come in and do the true vocal. Sometimes, I would stack my own backgrounds, and, sometimes, they were done by ‘The Sweeties’.”
Although she had multiple hits, she never liked to tour. ” I usually don’t enjoy touring. I’m a teetotaler, I don’t smoke, and I don’t party. So on the road, I usually feel out of place.”
Over the years, Jean Carne has worked with some of the most influential soul and jazz artists, producers, and songwriters, including Dizzy Gillespie, Norman Connors, The Temptations, Glenn Jones, and Phyllis Hyman. Her creativity and talent have never waned.
Jean Carne is a true icon in the music industry, and her distinctive voice and impressive body of work will continue to inspire generations to come.
