Grammy Award – Divabetic

01/04/202501/04/2025

Luther Vandross Stories: The Making Of The Song “Here And Now”

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 Best 30 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.

04/09/202404/09/2024

Luther’s Big 80’s Birthday Bash in New York 2024

Luther Vandross’s home furnishings also displayed his fantastic sense of style on stage and off. Although he didn’t own these chairs, he loved to upholster his chairs, sofas, and ottomans with animal prints.

During my tenure working as his assistant, Luther owned homes in Beverly Hills, CA, New York, NY, and Greenwich, CT. His Beverly Hills mansion’s decor stopped my heart when I first visited. It was lush, opulent, inviting, and beautiful. You knew you were in a star’s home the moment you walked through the front door.

He had black onyx kitchen countertops with blonde cabinetry. I was equally impressed by how he chose not to display his awards and merits in the foyer or front rooms. Instead, when you descended the stairs to his private screening room, he had all his Gold and Platinum Records, American Music Awards, Grammy Awards, BET Awards, and more on display in the rotunda. It was awe-inspiring.

Luther was a fan of the Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles. Art Deco leans toward geometric shapes, while Art Nouveau uses organic shapes and lines. On stage, Luther mixed both together to create a truly magical experience for his audience.

When his choreographer, James Ervin, was teaching me the arm movements of Luther’s song, Never Too Much, he mentioned that Erte’s poses inspired many of them.

Please join us for the upcoming Luther Never Too Much Big 80s Birthday Celebration, which will spotlight his iconic style and music on 4/17/24 at Thread Lounge in the Renaissance in NYC.

Come dressed in your Big 80s Bling!

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. Hosted by Max Szadek.

FASHION SHOW: Designers showcase their gorgeous creations inspired by Luther Vandross’s romantic elegance. See the latest styles from Harlem Heaven’s Hats, S Designs, DIG Ferreira Kynetik Soundz, Teresa Marie Collection, LPF Collection, and Modafleur, among others! Hosted by Catherine Schuller.

LIVE PERFORMANCE: Luther’s most iconic songs by vocalists Keith Anthony Fluitt and Christopher Faison.

DJ DAN.C.E. has developed his style of open-format DJing, which he refers to as RetroFitted. He developed his style of open format DJing, RetroFitted, playing the family of R&B music (Funk, Soul, Disco, House, and Hip-Hop) across eras. He also leans heavily into spinning Hip-Hop/Lo-Fi instrumentals, which he calls “Spinning the Essence.”

SHOP VENDORS: Support a dazzling array of small entrepreneurs offering apparel, jewelry, and True Serenity Tea (For the Love Of Luther Tea blend).

True Serenity Tea’s for the Love Of Luther blends organic black tea, ginseng, peppermint, and anise.

03/13/202403/13/2024

Divabetic Salutes Roberta Flack

Roberta Flack is the daughter of a draftsman and a church choir organist who learned to play music at her mother’s knee. She studied both Chopin and Methodist hymnody before gaining admission to Howard University.

“For the first three decades of my life, I lived in the world of classical music,” Robert Flack said in an interview with NPR. “I found in it wonderful melodies and harmonies that were the vehicles through which I could express myself.”

After graduation, she dreamed of becoming an opera singer but instead chose a career in music education. She taught in rural North Carolina and Washington, D.C.- area schools while performing in nightclubs on the side. Her unusual repertoire of folk revival ballads and Motown hits made her a sensation. In 1969, signed to Atlantic Records, Roberta Flack released her debut album, “First Take.” One of her many accomplishments is being the only solo artist to win the Grammy for Record of the Year two years in a row — in 1973 for “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and in 1974 for “Killing Me Softly With His Song.”

Although she occasionally co-writes her material, Roberta Flack is mostly known as a deeply intuitive song interpreter.

“I always say that ‘love is a song’ — meaning that music reaches beyond age, race, nationality and religion to touch our hearts,” Roberta Flack told NPR.

Throughout her career, Roberta Flack has had 18 Billboard-charting songs, four Grammy awards, 13 nominations, and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement award.

Her hits include soul-stirring collaborations with Peabo Bryson and Donny Hathaway and chart-topping singles, showcasing her musical brilliance and emotional depth.

“My music is inspired thought by thought, and feeling by feeling,” she said in the same article. “Not note by note. I tell my own story in each song as honestly as I can in the hope that each person can hear it and feel their own story within those feelings.”

In addition to her music success, she founded the Roberta Flack School of Music at the Hyde Leadership Charter School in the Bronx, offering underprivileged students a free, inspiring music education. Her dedication to music and welfare culminated in the formation of The Roberta Flack Foundation, which supports animal welfare and music education.

Roberta Flack’s music remains indelible in our lives, touching hearts and minds globally.