Tag: Pat Lacy

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Is Your Relationship Making It Harder to Manage Diabetes?

We’re talking about spouses living with diabetes with musical inspiration from Country Music superstars Tim McGraw & Faith Hill on the episode of Divabetic’s podcast.

Managing diabetes can be stressful and may place a strain on relationships. However, any chronic condition can increase the need for emotional support and the potential for frustration and tension, leading to conflict.

The key is to talk openly and clearly about working together so you’re as healthy as possible. Don’t assume your loved one will feel burdened by diabetes-related tasks or expect them to be ready to take on the caretaker role. Ask them how they’d like to help, and be open to their answer. Your healthcare collaborators may be able to connect people with programs that help cover the costs of diabetes care medications and supplies.

“We just made a commitment early on, when we first decided we were getting married and having kids, that we wouldn’t just walk out the door when problems arose,” said Tim McGraw. Tim and Faith Hill met for the first time in 1994 at a gig in Nashville. Two years later, they were married.

Podcast guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Jaye O’Grey, Janis Roszler LMFT, RD, LD/N, CDE, FAND, Diabetes Podcast Week founder Stacey Simms, and Mama Rose Marie.

Divabetic’s e-book, Sweet Romance: A Woman’s Guide to Love And Intimacy With Diabetes is available now.  Inside you’ll find:

  • The common physical and emotional sexual complications of diabetes and treatment options for men and women
  • An overview of diabetes nutrition, physical activity, weight loss, and diabetes medications
  • Information on how aging impacts diabetes management and intimacy
  • Guidance on how to talk to your health care provider about intimacy-related issues
  • Ideas and techniques for building sexual intimacy and communicating effectively with your partner
  • Tips to help you avoid dangerous or money-wasting fraudulent sexual treatments

Authors Janis Roszler and Donna Rice use humor, helpful examples, and insightful questions to present key topics about sexual health in an engaging, approachable way. This series is perfect for anyone (regardless of gender, sexual orientation, age, or health status) looking to rekindle intimacy with their partner or be proactive about their sexual and emotional well-being.

BUY NOW: $4.99

Diabetes podcasts are fast-paced, full-filled hours of diabetes education, wellness advice, poetry, games, and music that encourages listeners to “laugh a little, learn a lot.”

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Divabetic Podcast Sound Bites: Jill Weisenberger

We’re sharing excerpts of interviews from our favorite Divabetic podcasts over the years.

This excerpt is from our Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis Turnaround podcast with Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDCES, CHWC, FAND, and gospel singer Pat Lacy.

Jill Weisenberger is recognized internationally for her expertise in nutrition, diabetes, and prediabetes. She worked as a nutrition counselor, diabetes educator, and health coach in hospitals, research, and private practice settings. Jill helps leverage resources, recipes, and scientific insights to find better ways to improve eating and smart living, reduce the risk of mismanaged diabetes health-related complications, and support better health.

Jill Weisenberger is the author of Prediabetes: A Complete Guide, 2nd edition, The Beginners’s Guide to What to Eat with Type 2 Diabetes, Diabetes Weight Loss Week By Week, 21 Things You Need to Know About Diabetes and Your Heart, and The Overworked Person’s Guide To Better Nutrition. Additionally, she offers the Prediabetes Meal Planning Crash Course, Prediabetes Turnaround, Type 2 Eating Guide, and a Stick With It Video Course.

Gospel Singer Pat Lacy, who has worked with The Sounds of Blackness and Luther Vandross, shares her experience living with type 2 diabetes and how she modified her lifestyle to take charge of her health. This podcast features music from Pat Lacy’s upcoming gospel album, I’m Taking You To Church.

Help Us Light the Way During National Diabetes Awareness Month (November)

Approximately 96 million American adults—more than 1 in 3—have prediabetes. Did you know that over 80% don’t know they have it? Prediabetes increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

This November, join Divabetic’s Blue Candle initiative and encourage your friends, co-workers, and family members to be screened for pre-diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) offers a quick, easy online Pre-Diabetes risk test.

Prediabetes Risk Test

Be by their side when they check, and share your experience of living well with diabetes so they can see that living well with diabetes is possible. Together, we can help others come out of the dark, address their diabetes health status, and start living their lives to the fullest.

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Divabetic Remembers Vesta Williams

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

 

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How Much Added Sugar Is In Lemonade Tea?

Do you know how much added sugar is in your favorite Summer drinks?

Soda isn’t the only beverage containing sugar. Bottled ice teas, juices, and your favorite afternoon coffee drink are loaded with more sugar than most junk foods. Beverages are the top source of added sugars. Some have more sugar than a glazed doughnut!

A 16-ounce Starbucks Chai Latte at Starbucks has 42 sugar grams or over 10 teaspoons of sugar.

My Turkey Hill Lemonade Tea contains 33 grams of sugar in one serving or basically 8 teaspoons of sugar!

American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that women should consume no more than 100 calories per day, or about 6 teaspoons of sugar, and for men, 150 calories per day, or about 9 teaspoons.

According to the AHA, American adults consume an average of 77 grams of sugar daily, more than 3 times the recommended amount for women. The AHA suggests limiting added sugar to no more than 100 calories per day (about 6 teaspoons or 24 grams) for most adult women and no more than 150 calories per day (about 9 teaspoons or 36 grams of sugar) for most men.

Check the nutrition label to determine how much a beverage contains added sugars. You will see “added sugars” underneath the line for “total sugars.” Make sure to look at the serving size. If your beverage has 2 servings, you have just had double the calories and sugar.

On this episode of Divabetic’s podcast, we talk about ‘THE SWEETEST TABOO’ aka ‘SUGAR’ with musical inspiration from Sade. Guests include Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Tameka Milline, Catherine Schuller, Kathy Dolgin aka ‘High Voltage’, and Stephanie MacKendree. This podcast features music from ‘The Essential Sade’ album courtesy of SONY Music.

Mr. Divabetic hosts this podcast on tips, advice, and strategies for turning around a Prediabetes or a Type 2 Diabetes diagnosis. Guests include Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDCES, CHWC, FAND, and gospel music recording artist, Pat Lacy.

 

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Sugar-Free Baked Rice Pudding by the Diabetic Pastry Chef

Enjoy this delicious sugar-free recipe from the Diabetic Pastry Chef.

Shortly after attending culinary school to become a pastry chef, Stacey Harris, known professionally as the Diabetic Pastry Chef, was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. She was devastated since she loved to bake and loved to eat sweets.

After many experiments with several sugar-free substitutes, Stacey developed a formula that consistently turned out delicious confections that even non-diabetics love. One of her tips is to use a combination of different sugar-free substitutes in your recipe rather than just one.

Image by Britta Gade from Pixabay

Sugar-Free Baked Rice Pudding by the Diabetic Pastry Chef

Ingredients

3/4 cup cooked Brown Rice

2 cups Whole Milk

3 Eggs, beaten

1 cup dry Sugar Substitute of choice

3 Tbsp. Butter, melted

1 tsp pure Vanilla Extract

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/3 cup Raisins

Nutmeg for garnishing

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Garnish the top with a light sprinkle of grated nutmeg.  Bake until the pudding is firm in the center, about 40 minutes. Serve warm or cold with cream or whipped cream.

Note: The pudding mixture can be baked in small greased ramekins or mini casserole dishes instead of a large one.

Mr. Divabetic hosts this podcast on tips, advice, and strategies for turning around a Prediabetes or a Type 2 Diabetes diagnosis. Guests include Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDCES, CHWC, FAND, and gospel music recording artist, Pat Lacy.

Clarence Waldron talks about his stroke, recovery, working as Senior Editor and Writer of Jet Magazine, and his memories of Luther Vandross and Aretha Franklin.

Twenty years ago, Clarence interviewed Luther’s mother, Mrs. Mary Ida Vandross, for Jet Magazine after Luther suffered a stroke due to mismanaged type 2 diabetes. Clarence’s story is an excellent reminder of why it’s essential to ACT F.A.S.T. if you or a loved one is experiencing a stroke. The acronym FAST (Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties, and Time) has been used by the American Stroke Foundation, American Heart Association, and others to educate the public on detecting stroke symptoms.

Earlier treatment results in a greater chance of recovery, a reduced likelihood of permanent disability, and a lesser need for extensive rehabilitation. You’ll quickly hear Clarence’s upbeat attitude and ferocious appetite for music and divas have served him well during his recovery.

Throughout this podcast, we feature music from Aretha Franklin’s Get It Right album and Luther Vandross’s Live At Radio City Music Hall 2003 20th Anniversary Edition album courtesy of SONY Music.

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Jill Weisenberger & Pat Lacy On Turning Around Type 2 Diabetes & Prediabetes

Mr. Divabetic hosts this episode of Divabetic’s podcast on tips, advice, and strategies for turning around a Prediabetes or a Type 2 Diabetes diagnosis.

Guests include Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDCES, CHWC, FAND, and gospel music recording artist, Pat Lacy. Jill Weisenberger is recognized internationally for her expertise in nutrition, diabetes, and prediabetes. She worked as a nutrition counselor, diabetes educator, and health coach in hospitals, research, and private practice settings. Jill helps leverage resources, recipes, and scientific insights to find better ways to improve eating and smart living, reduce the risk of mismanaged diabetes health-related complications and support better health.

Jill is the author of Prediabetes: A Complete Guide, 2nd edition, Diabetes Weight Loss Week By Week, 21 Things You Need to Know About Diabetes and Your Heart, and The Overworked Person’s Guide To Better Nutrition. Additionally, she offers the Prediabetes Meal Planning Crash Course, Prediabetes Turnaround, Type 2 Eating Guide, and a Stick With It Video Course.

Vocalist Pat Lacy, who has worked with The Sounds of Blackness and Luther Vandross, shares her experience of ignoring a prediabetes diagnosis, initially denying living with type 2 diabetes, and then how she turned her attitude and health around.  This podcast features music from Pat Lacy’s upcoming gospel album, I’m Taking You To Church. 

Take this 1-minute test to find out your risk for prediabetes. Now is the time to take action. The CDC-led National Diabetes Prevention Program helps people with prediabetes make lasting lifestyle changes to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.

Working with a trained coach, you’ll learn to eat healthy, add physical activity to your life, and manage stress. With other participants, you’ll celebrate successes and work to overcome challenges. Click HERE to learn more.

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Quiet Storm Fans Listening Party Today On Zoom At 3 PM

Join other Quiet Storm Fans for this fun, free listening party on Zoom featuring music from Luther Vandross. Our DJ, Luther historian, Leon Petrossian plays tracks from the group Luther’s second album, This Close To You, released on Cotillion Records in 1977.

Cotillion, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records, signed Luther Vandross as part of the group, including fellow vocalists Anthony Hinton, and Diane Sumler.

Luther Vandross performs the lead vocals on the majority of the album. He also wrote and produced all of the songs. This Close to You was the Luther group’s final album, and by 1980 Luther Vandross signed a solo deal with Epic Records, leading to the release of his debut album Never Too Much in 1981

Quiet Storm is a radio format and genre of contemporary R&B, performed in a smooth, romantic, jazz-influenced style.

Quiet Storm Fans is part of diabetes nonprofit, Divabetic’s ongoing outreach efforts. Our aim is to help music fans at risk, living with, and affected by diabetes prevent diabetes health-related complications such as stroke. We want you to ‘Keep Your House A Home’ by staying healthy and on track with your diabetes self-care.

Hear for yourself how the Luther album serves as the blueprint for establishing Luther Vandross as the premier balladeer of his generation.

The happy healthcare host, Max “Mr. Divabetic” Szadek, who worked with Vandross for more than 14 years, hosts this tribute podcast featuring Luther’s 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 David Jones, the Luther Vandross historian, Leon Petrossian and Luther super fan, Jane Goodman from Great Britain.

Keep Your House A Home!

Since Luther’s sudden and unexpected stroke in 2003, I have been committed to helping Luther fans at risk, affected by and living with diabetes to stay healthy and upbeat about their health. Help me to honor Luther’s legacy by learning how to prevent diabetes health-related complications from occurring. Stay well, speak up, and get the help you need to take care of yourself and your diabetes health.

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How Much Sugar Is In Starbuck’s Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte?

Starbucks announced that the popular Pumpkin Spice Latte is officially coming back today, August 25, for its earliest recorded release day ever!

The drink is back for its 17th year (!!!) and as always you can get it hot, iced, or blended.

Starbuck’s Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte with 2 percent milk and whipped cream is 380 calories, according to Starbucks’ website. This includes 14 grams of fat, 52 grams of carbs and 50 grams of sugar.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends eating no more than 12.5 teaspoons of sugar each day, or about 50 grams (the same amount found in a Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte and a 16 oz. bottle of Coke!).  You are having a day’s worth of sugar in one drink!

The idea is to limit sugar consumption to 10 percent of a person’s daily total calories. Currently, Americans get about 16 percent of their calories from added sugars on average.

Over time, consistently taking in more sugar will lead to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is when cells in your muscles, fat, and liver don’t respond well to insulin and can’t easily take up glucose from your blood, leading to prediabetes.

Prediabetes means your blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.

A new report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows that among Americans age 20 and older, as many as 73 million Americans have prediabetes, which is about 1 in 3 Americans! That’s a lot of missed opportunities to prevent diabetes by cutting down on sugar intake.

Help Us Light the Way During National Diabetes Awareness Month (November)

Approximately 96 million American adults—more than 1 in 3—have prediabetes. Did you know that over 80% don’t know they have it? Prediabetes increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

This November, join Divabetic’s Blue Candle initiative and encourage your friends, co-workers, and family members to be screened for pre-diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) offers a quick, easy online Pre-Diabetes risk test.

Prediabetes Risk Test

Be by their side when they check, and share your experience of living well with diabetes so they can see that living well with diabetes is possible. Together, we can help others come out of the dark, address their diabetes health status, and start living their lives to the fullest.

There’s a good indication that murder might be part of the recipe when Nantucket’s ten-time reigning Baking Champion’s last name is ‘Coffin’ in Divabetic’s Mystery Podcast, Kill Me Madam

But resentment, greed, and Britannia’s bad dealings turn everyone into a suspect when she’s found dead in the parking lot just before the Annual Decadents on Deck! Bake Off competition is about to kick off.

Delusional baker and amateur sleuth Mr. Divabetic is even shocked to find himself being treated as a suspect in the case by the local police after meeting her just once!

As if his life wasn’t crazy enough before, escaping a murderous mishap in New York and attempting a fresh start in Nantucket has turned into a complete and utter baking disaster. Now Max, along with his friends and nosy mother, have to add tracking down a murderer to his To-Do list, too.

Can our team hunt down the real murderer before they strike again? Will he become the next victim? Can Max ever manage to bake a cake that’s actually edible?

Divabetic’s Mystery podcast cast includes Tonya Kappes, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, MaryAnn Horst-Nicolay MEd, NDRT, Lorraine Brooks, Catherine Schuller, Wendy Radford, Trisha Artman, Mama Rose Marie, Seveda Williams, and Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek. Produced by Leisa Chester-Weir.

Throughout the  podcast, we will feature music from the Broadway Cast Album of ‘Call Me Madam’ courtesy of SONY Music.

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Fandross Festival Coming In May 2018

Luther Vandross
© Robert Matheu
© Retna Ltd.

Join us for the inaugural Fandross Festival presented by the Vandross Family Estate and Divabetic celebrating the musical legacy of Luther Vandross and raising awareness for the prevention of diabetes health-related complications such as stroke on Saturday, March 12, 2018, 6:30 – 9:30 PM at SVA Theater in New York, NY. 

Fandross Festival recaptures the elegance and excellence of Luther’s career with a film presentation of his iconic performances, stage memorabilia and an in-depth discussion with Luther’s former band members, vocalists, and superfans.

+ See Luther Vandross Exclusive Memorabilia: Luther’s dazzling music awards, bejeweled stage costumes and more will be on display

+ Watch R & B legend Luther Vandross on the Big Screen: His most iconic live performances, biggest songs, popular videos and rare clips larger than life with Dolby sound.

+ Meet the Team! Enjoy an interactive Panel Discussion hosted by Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek featuring Luther Vandross’s former musical director, Nat Adderley Jr., singer-songwriter Fonzi Thornton, vocalist Alfa Anderson, vocalist Robin Clark, guitarist, composer and arranger Carlos Alomar, vocalist and songwriter Tawatha Agee, Luther Vandross historian Leon Petrossian, and more.

+ Sing Back Up! Vocalist Patricia Lacy leads the audience in several of Luther’s most iconic background vocals. Learn how to create harmony parts and hold firm no matter which other vocal parts surround you. Don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity!

+ Greet other Luther fans, share your stories and revisit memories of one of the world’s most treasured performers.

We will be spotlighting the 35 Anniversary of the release of Luther Vandross’ Busy Body album featuring ‘Superstar/Until You Come Back to Me  (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)’. 

Admission: $10 Advance. $20 Door

If Luther’s “smooth as silk” voice, dramatic ballads and up-tempo jams are a major part of the soundtrack of your life, you do not want to miss Fandross Festival. We invite Luther fans of all ages to attend and celebrate Luther’s “so amazing” contributions to music, arts, and culture.

The Vandross Family Estate and the national diabetes nonprofit organization, Divabetic (divabetic.org), proudly present Fandross Festival. “Keep your House a Home” and learn how to prevent diabetes health-related complications (such as stroke) from occurring.

Fandross Festival 2018 on Saturday, May 12, 2018, 6:30 – 9:30 PM at SVA Theater, 333 West 23rd Street, New York, NY, 10011. Tickets available at Eventbrite. BUY TICKETS

Can’t wait? Listen now to our Annual Luther Vandross Tribute podcast featuring  Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, Luther percussionist Steve Kroon, Luther vocalists Tawatha Agee and Pat Lacy, Luther historian Leon Petrossian, members of ‘The Luther Re-Lives Experience’, family members, friends and superfans. Throughout the  podcast we will be featuring selected songs from the album entitled ‘Luther Vandross’ courtesy of SONY Music.

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Don’t miss our Luther Vandross Tribute podcast

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.”

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