Vesta Williams was a rhythm and blues singer and later an actress who had hits in the 1980s with Bitten Twice Shy and Sweet, Sweet Love. From upbeat songs to passionate ballads, her music is part of the soundtrack of our lives.
The 80’s diva known for her powerful voice was found dead in her California hotel room in 2011. She was 53.
Our favorite is the torch song Congratulations, in which she emotionally bids goodbye to her former lover, who is about to marry someone else, on his wedding day. (“I thought it would have been me/Standin’ here with you.”) The video is pure camp, but we love it anyway.
Vesta Williams’s initial success in the music industry came as a background singer for Chaka Khan, Anita Baker, and Sting. She released her first album, Vesta, in 1986.
“There’s some good swinging energy from side to side, and strong melodies brought by the enjoyable vocals,” states an album review on Rate Your Music website.
Her album, Vesta 4 U, received outstanding reviews. One Amazon fan wrote, “this is the best and most popular CD from one of the most underrated vocalists of our time, the late great Vesta Williams. Her voice is so commanding, and the songs like the soulful Sweet Sweet Love and her signature Congratulations are classic! It was so great to have a big talent grace us on Earth.”
In the 1990s, Williams made headlines for her dramatic weight loss. She started to gain weight when her singing career began to falter rapidly. Williams, who was 5-foot-3, eventually reached a size 26.
She blamed her size for losing her recording contract in the mid-90s. “When I lost my record deal, and my phone wasn’t ringing, I realized that I had to reassess who Vesta was and figure out what was going wrong,” she said. “I knew it wasn’t my singing ability. So it had to be that I was expendable because I didn’t have the right look.”
Vesta began her weight loss journey with a gym session with her trainer. Rumor has it that they were romantically involved. Love can do many things, including inspire someone to become more active. Vesta did sit-ups, treadmill runs, calisthenics, and Stair Master for two and a half hours daily. Furthermore, she ran down a steep set of steps at a beach in Santa Monica, regulating her meal intake and eating healthy while working out. The singer lost 100 pounds, armored with a new attitude, she started a second career as a songwriter and session singer.
Vesta Williams also became an advocate for the prevention of childhood obesity and diabetes.
Family friend and singer Norwood Young confirmed with the family that she passed away due to complications of an enlarged heart.
Young said, “Although it’s a sad situation overall, we learn from Vesta’s death. Vesta did indeed die from an enlarged heart. As we know, an enlarged heart can remain undetected in the body for many years.”
An enlarged heart can be caused by conditions that cause your heart to pump harder than usual or that damage your heart muscle. Sometimes, the heart enlarges and weakens for unknown reasons (idiopathic). A heart condition you’re born with (congenital), damage from a heart attack, or an abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia) can cause your heart to enlarge. Other conditions associated with an enlarged heart include:
High blood pressure. ‘Your heart is working overtime all the time’ is how Patricia Addie-Gentle CDCES describes high blood pressure. Unmanaged high blood pressure can lead to a poor quality of life or even a deadly heart attack or stroke. Treatment and lifestyle changes can help control high blood pressure to reduce the risk of life-threatening complications.
Divabetic remembers Luther Vandross (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) with this special podcast, Tribute to Luther Vandross, celebrating his career during the 1990’s. Luther Vandross was a musical master whose style has influenced an entire generation of today’s vocalists. His distinctive brand of satin-smooth vocal magic moved international audiences and continues to touch people today.
The happy healthcare host, Max “Mr. Divabetic” Szadek, who worked with Vandross for more than 14 years, hosts this tribute podcast featuring Luther’s former vocalists Paulette McWilliams, Pat Lacy, Tawatha Agee, Cindy Mizelle, and Kevin Owens, band member Bryon Miller, Luther’s niece, Seveda Williams, friends Darren Margo and Dave Jones, the Luther Vandross historian, Leon Petrossian and Luther super fan, Jane Goodman from Great Britain.
Throughout the podcast, we will play selected Luther Vandross songs that he recorded during the 1990’s courtesy of SONY Music.
Divabetic, inspired by Luther’s diabetes journey, revisits the singer’s career in the decade of hair scrunchies, boy bands, grunge, and rave parties. This Luther tribute remembers the moments, the music, the man, and the motivation to ensure that no one struggles with diabetes alone or in silence. Keep ‘your house a home’ and learn how to prevent diabetes health-related complications from occurring. Visit: www.divabetic.org
Luther Vandross’s song, Love Won’t Let Me Wait,is my call to action to encourage you not to wait if you or a loved one is experiencing the signs and symptoms of a stroke.
Luther’s lovely rendition of Love Won’t Let Me Waitappears on his Any Love album featuring a classic blend of Vandross romance and melancholy.
Sadly, twenty years ago this April, I found Luther after he suffered a stroke due to mismanagement of type 2 diabetes.
How does diabetes cause stroke?
Mismanaged diabetes causes glucose (sugar) to build up in your blood. Over time, high glucose levels can damage the body’s blood vessels, increasing the chance of stroke. High blood sugar levels can: Make blood vessels become stiff.
High blood pressure can also cause the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the brain to burst or be blocked, causing a stroke.
A person loses 2 million nerve cells every minute they don’t receive medical treatment during a stroke, so getting to the hospital early can be a lifesaver.
Unfortunately, there were several hours between when he had the stroke, and I arrived to rush him to the hospital. I think the time lapse is why Luther’s stroke was so debilitating.
At the time, I didn’t know the link between mismanaged diabetes and stroke. Nor did I understand the importance of acting quickly. Today, I do, so I’d like to remind you that some critical stroke treatments are available only if the stroke is recognized and diagnosed within 3 hours of the first symptoms.
My friend, Catherine, who suffered a stroke on the morning of Divabetic’s last ‘Divabetic- Makeover Your Diabetes’ program, acted quickly and received tPA, the “Clot Buster” drug. Her recovery is a testament to why you don’t want to wait. I’m happy that Catherine is living her best life because of it.
If you think you or someone you love is having a stroke, remember this F.A.S.T. test:
F – Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
A – Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S – Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is the speech slurred or strange?
T – Time: If you see any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately!
If you love listening to Luther’s voice, let his life inspire you to act quickly to help yourself or others experiencing a stroke. His sax-fueled cover of Love Won’t Let Me Wait is all the inspiration I need to help someone regain their health after a stroke.
In a 2020 episode of the TV Show, Biggest Loser, former American Idol winner RubenStuddard, 35, received some startling news about his health. Dr. Robert Huizenga diagnosed the singer with type 2 diabetes.
According to the show’s medical expert, Studdard’s insulin level, average blood sugar and instantaneous blood sugar levels were high across the board.
“I AM AFRAID,” the Velvet Teddy Bear replied. “I have seen a lot of lives cut short because of health issues.
It’s easy to assume he could be referring to Luther Vandross, who suffered a stroke at age 52 and died at age 54 due to the mismanagement of type 2 diabetes.
Luther had over fifty people supporting him with his music, but he chose to go it alone when managing his diabetes. One thing I have learned over the past twenty years is that for people with diabetes, a team approach to managing their health is ideal. From supportive healthcare collaborators to nonjudgmental co-workers, a team approach offers you the support you need when the daily grind of self-care burns you out.
Many people ignore or don’t treat their with type 2 diabetes, choosing to believe their diagnosis isn’t that serious. Too many doctors suggest losing weight is the easiest way to solve their problems. But what if it isn’t?
I watched my boss, Luther Vandross, struggle with his weight for over a decade. He lost and gained a hundred pounds multiple times while I worked for him. Whenever we thought he had found a way to maintain his weight loss, something would trigger weight gain.
Unfortunately, mismanaged type 2 diabetes can lead to devastating health consequences such as stroke, kidney failure, amputation, and blindness.
Research has shown that people who lack proper diabetes self-care education are more likely to be affected by complications of mismanaged diabetes. Diabetes is a complex and challenging disease that requires daily self-management decisions made by the person with diabetes. The emotional toll of living with diabetes can also take its toll on someone’s ability to manage their care.
Anxiety—feelings of worry, fear, or being on edge—is how your mind and body react to stress. People with diabetes are 20% more likely than those without diabetes to have anxiety at some point. Managing a long-term condition like diabetes is a source of anxiety for some. If you suffer from anxiety, please seek professional help. Talking to others about how you feel helps relieve some of the stress and overcome feeling overwhelmed.
Most of us take our health for granted. We leave our houses without eating. We sit for hours in a chair without getting up. We think we’re hungry when we’re thirsty. We don’t listen to our bodies. Sadly, most people don’t adopt health habits until diagnosed with a chronic condition.
Awareness of your blood sugar levels, what you eat, and when you eat can be exhausting. Many people push back on being aware of everything in their bodies.
“I’ve worked since I was 11-years-old to be a professional singer,” says Ruben Studdard. “That’s all I ever wanted to do.” He confessed to being on the show because he knows it’s time to focus on his health.
“I most definitely want to be around for a long time,” said Ruben Studdard. “This has really, like, given me a second chance.”
Divabetic remembers Luther Vandross (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) with this special podcast, Tribute to Luther Vandross, celebrating his career during the 1990’s. Luther Vandross was a musical master whose style influenced a generation of today’s vocalists. His distinctive brand of satin-smooth vocal magic moved international audiences and continues to touch people today.
The happy healthcare host, Max “Mr. Divabetic” Szadek, who worked with Vandross for more than 14 years, hosts this tribute podcast featuring Luther’s former vocalists Paulette McWilliams, Pat Lacy, Tawatha Agee, Cindy Mizelle, and Kevin Owens, band member Bryon Miller, Vandross family member, Seveda Williams, friends Darren Margo and David Jones, the Luther Vandross historian, Leon Petrossian and Luther super fan, Jane Goodman from Great Britain.
Throughout the podcast, we will play selected Luther Vandross songs that he recorded during the 1990’s courtesy of SONY Music.
Divabetic, the organization inspired by Luther’s diabetes journey, revisits the singer’s career in the decade of hair scrunchies, boy bands, grunge, and rave parties. This Luther tribute remembers the moments, the music and the man, and the motivation to ensure that no one struggles with diabetes alone or in silence. Keep ‘your house a home’ and learn how to prevent diabetes health-related complications from occurring. Visit: www.divabetic.org
“Are you running away, Mom?” Mark Crenshaw rubs his eyes awake. Behind his mother, he can see it’s 12:15 AM on the clock on the nightstand. He eyes her suspiciously, standing in her bedroom doorway of their modest home in the San Fernando Valley.
“What?” Candace jumps from the sound of her eighteen-year-old son’s voice. Once again, her son manages to sneak up on her without her noticing. When he was younger, he did that a lot. She reasoned, without a father, he needed constant reassurance his only living relative was alright.
Fortunately, for Mark’s sake, Candace Crenshaw has never given her son reason to worry until now. Her unshakeable self-confidence was shattered a few days earlier when one of her music students, a young boy, was a fatal school shooting victim. Since then, she is jumpy, anxious, and on edge. “Remain calm,” Candace tells herself. She isn’t ashamed of what he caught her doing as much as she is scared. After all, the weekend trip she is packing for isn’t for her, it’s for him. This is something she should have done a long time ago.
Eighteen years earlier, the day after discovering she was pregnant, Candace cut off all ties with her past and ran away to Los Angeles. In quick succession, she needed to make things happen. Find an apartment in a good area. Enroll in college to get a music education degree. Join a church. Find a doctor. After Mark’s birth and with her degree in hand, she got a job teaching music at a public high school. Her passion for teaching caught the eyes of several administrators at nearby schools and she soon transferred to a school with a more extensive music program. The salary increase from switching jobs allowed her to purchase a small two-bedroom bungalow in the Valley where she and her son reside today. In those early days, she only had time to take care of her son, go to school, work odd jobs, and repeat it again the following day. She held firm to her goal to provide a safe, stable environment for her son. The pride she felt in the making over her life she held on to like a badge of honor.
Now her baby was this tall, self-assured young man standing before her. The dark clouds she saw reflected in his large brown eyes did not comfort her. She could see the wheels spinning in his head, questioning her actions. “What are you doing up?” she snaps back. She thought he was sleeping when she started to pack, but maybe her music was too loud. She always loses herself in Luther, especially listening to Dance With My Father. But the last thing she needs is for her son to start giving her the third degree. Her nerves are already shot from the tragedy.
“Why don’t you tell me first.” He points to the mountain of clothes on top of her bed.
“If I’m running away, then I’d better get a bigger suitcase to pack your stuff too.” She lets out a nervous laugh. Candace looks down at her suitcase struggling to remain calm. She fully intends to tell him about her trip after she returns. Right now isn’t the right time or place. She doesn’t know the outcome of her trip yet, so there’s no guarantee she can protect him. The thought of her son being vulnerable, like the boy who died, terrifies her. She has to steer their conversation in a different direction. The school counselors caution parents to explore rather than ignore their children’s random thoughts and questions using clear, concise communications.
“I’m packing for the coping conference this weekend I told you about.” But when her son’s expression makes it clear he doesn’t buy her explanation, she attempts to turn the tables on him. “I know that look on your face. Should I guess what you’re thinking, or are you going to tell me?”
“Destiny’s Mom doesn’t know about your conference,” he says with air quotes. “I asked her earlier. So what’s really going on?”
Her mother’s intuition warned her that Mark would ask Destiny’s mother, Sheila, the nurse at her school, about her trip. These days Mark spends most of his time at Destiny’s house. She gives him her prepared explanation. “It’s for teachers. The Board of Education has one for school nurses in a few weeks. Are you okay? You should be sleeping.”
His eyes soften as he looks at her. “The whole town feels like it’s in a daze.” He looks over to his Mom. “Starting with you.”
When Luther’s rendition of Superstar fills the room, Candace starts humming along as she debates to herself whether or not to pack a black cardigan sweater. Deep in thought, it takes a minute for her to realize Mark has stopped talking. She turns to look at him.
“Sorry. Luther’s voice had me thinking about how love had the power to put people in a daze, not violence. People fell in love and celebrated love at Luther’s concerts. Even couples with problems got swept up in his music. Their troubles melted away as soon as he began to sing.”
“Can you feel something for someone you don’t even know?”
“I think so.” Candace tries to keep her voice calm.
“That’s how I feel.”
Candace nods in agreement. Every night since the shooting, she lies awake thinking about the potential dangers lurking outside her front door. She was lucky nothing happened to Mark. But what about next time? She shakes away the thought from her mind.
“Come here, and give me a hug.”
Candace sighs and goes back to packing for her trip. From her bed, Mark watches his mother grab a plain understated business suit out from her closet. She looks at it, shakes her head, and puts it back. Unsure of what to pack for her trip, Candace keeps changing her mind about what she should pack. She takes out every item from her bag and starts over. Her actions make her son very nervous. Her graceful gestures, the ones honed for years from dance lessons, are gone. She appears clumsy and jittery at best.
“I have a closet full of clothes but nothing to wear. How can that be possible?” Frustrated, she accidentally slams a dresser drawer shut, and it catches her finger. She screams in pain.
“Maybe I shouldn’t go. We haven’t spent much time together lately.”
His mother’s behavior is so atypical. Usually, Candace is usually decisive, grounded and reserved. She is her son’s rock.
“I’ve been busy. Here, let me help.” As Mark gets up to help her, a greeting card slips out of the pocket of his sweatpants. Mark picks it up, hands it to his mother.
“This is for you, Mom.”
Candace looks up from the envelope and smiles. Opening the envelope slowly, she finds a Father’s Day card inside. Her shoulders relax. She grabs her reading glasses off the nearby dresser, then gently pulls out the card and opens it. Candace reads aloud the message inside. Her son writes:
To the best Dad, a son can have. I love you, Mom! Mark.
Candace pushes clothes aside and scoots beside her son on the bed. She feels a lump in her throat as they glimpse at the muted TV screen. There’s a news flash of the shooting in front of their eyes. She turns to Mark.
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned this week, it’s that life is precious. Promise me – do the things that make your heart sing. Don’t let yourself settle for less.”
“Like the way you did when you toured with Luther?”
“This moment right now is what makes my heart sing.”
Yesterday she offered words of comfort to the victims’ parents and classmates. Who would comfort her if something happened to Mark? Or what if something happened to her? How would her son cope with the loss? She is both his mother and father. They are each other’s worlds.
“I heard you singing to the Power Of Love (Love Power) when I was at your door.”
“Did I sound like my touring days were a long, long time ago?”
“Nah, You still sound just like you do on the record, Dad.”
The word ‘Dad’ sticks in his throat. Deep down in his heart, Mark’s burning desire is to know who his father is or was.
“Doesn’t the guy pictured on your card look like Luther?”
At the mention of Luther’s name, Candace presses Mark’s card against her chest. She comments, “Both of you have such beautiful penmanship. Your swirls and curves are just like Luther’s.”
“So, I take after my father?”
Candace looks up from the card. “There you go again, talking nonsense.”
“Why else did you teach me his songs when I was growing up? It has to be him.” Mark looks at her intently. He wants his mother to confirm what he is sure he already knows. The legendary R & B icon Luther Vandross is his father. The father he has never met. She constantly compares the two, like she just did. Why can’t she just admit it?
“Stop saying that! People will get the wrong impression.”
“Then, why don’t you tell me who he is?”
“According to you, I am.” She points to the card. “You said so yourself. Now, move your behind so your father can finish packing her clothes and go to sleep.”
“You always say his music is responsible for making babies. I must be one of those babies, right?”
In honor of Luther Vandross’s 70th birthday on April 20, 2021, Max Szadek shares an excerpt of his Luther jukebox musical idea, ‘Last Dance With My Father,’ which focuses on a group of fictitious female backing vocalists’ lives and loves.
Synopsis: A son’s ultimatum on Father’s Day causes his mother, one of Luther Vandross’s vocalists, to reunite with her former bandmates for a Luther Tribute Concert after a twenty-year absence. Old rivalries, secrets, and heartaches threaten to break up their perfect harmony.
Daily links will be posted on Divabetic.Org and the Quiet Storm Fans FB page. There’s also a Last Dance With My Father playlist on Spotify.
