When Bowie overheard Vandross singing, he hired him on the spot to sing and arrange background vocals for the album.

In 1974, Vandross' friend, guitarist Carlos Alomar, invited him to see 'Young Americans' being recorded, which Alomar was working on at the time. The song went on to be used in a Kodak commercial during the mid-1970s.Д«efore this, he added backing vocals to Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway in 1972 and co-wrote 'Fascination' for David Bowie's ninth studio album 'Young Americans'. He got his first break when he was asked to sing the alphabet on the first episode of Sesame Street, and his hit, 'Everyone Rejoice', was featured in 1975's 'The Wiz', a black musical based on 'The Wizard Of Oz'. Luther Vandross (Getty Images) Roberta Flack, David Bowie, and a first break He then studied electrical engineering for a year at Western Michigan University but left to pursue a musical career. Vandross would go on to make several appearances in Apollo's famous amateur night. He also performed in a group called Shades of Jade that once played at the Apollo Theater. He graduated from William Howard Taft High School in 1969, where he began singing informally and founded the first Patti LaBelle fan club, of which he was president. He taught himself to play the piano by ear when he was three years old and had his own phonograph. Vandross was raised by his mother in the NYCHA Alfred E Smith Houses public housing complex on Manhattan's Lower East Side.

His mother Mary Ida was a nurse and his father, Luther Vandross Sr, was an upholsterer and singer, who died of diabetes when he was eight. The youngest of four children, he was born into a musical family. Luther Ronzoni Vandross, Jr was born on April 20, 1951, in the Kips Bay area of Manhattan, New York City, at Bellevue Hospital. Who was Dr Vera Gedroits? Google Doodle honors Russia's first female military surgeon on her 151th birthday Luther Vandross at 'The 7th Annual Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards' at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, Ca. 'Kanye West! I think the man is a genius!': Luke Burr on his new single Light's On and that man Yeezy Here's all you need to know about the singer who was nicknamed 'The Velvet Voice'. рџЋЁ by guest artist and animator в†’ /GYEMiUMnq9ДЄnd he wasn't just a singer! From the design of the background singers' sparkling gowns to the stage lights that set the mood, he contributed to almost every part of all his live performances. Today's music video #GoogleDoodle celebrates the award-winning singer, songwriter, & producer, whose 'Velvet Voice' has romanced generations рџЋ™

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