Grammy Museum® Presents “Luther Vandross: Artistry and Elegance”

GRAMMY MUSEUM® PRESENTS
LUTHER VANDROSS: ARTISTRY AND ELEGANCE

EXHIBIT, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PRIMARY WAVE MUSIC AND THE LUTHER VANDROSS ESTATE, OPENS WITH AN EXCLUSIVE SCREENING OF CNN FILMS’ LUTHER: NEVER TOO MUCH ON NOV. 20

LOS ANGELES (OCT. 29, 2024) – The GRAMMY Museum® announces new exhibit celebrating the extraordinary life and legacy of Luther Vandross, an eight-time GRAMMY® winner, revered songwriter, arranger, producer, performer, and one of the most gifted vocalists in music history. Luther Vandross: Artistry and Elegance offers an intimate glimpse into Vandross’ creative process and showcases his ornate stage wardrobe, exclusive performance footage from his popular tours, and a never-before-heard recording of him in the studio.

The exhibit opens on Weds, Nov. 20 with an exclusive screening of the feature documentary from award-winning director Dawn Porter Luther: Never Too Much, produced by Raindog Films and Foxxhole Productions for Sony Music Entertainment and Sony Music Publishing, in association with Trilogy Films. The special preview will take place in the Museum’s Clive Davis Theater before the documentary premieres on CNN, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, and Max in 2025. Attendees will enjoy a panel discussion with the filmmakers and a sneak peek of the exhibit. Tickets will be available to purchase starting Thursday, October 31. The exhibit will be on display through June 15, 2025.

In alignment with the film and exhibition release, Luther Vandross’ previously unreleased soulful rendition of the Beatles’ “Michelle” is available now. The song will be one of many included on Never Too Much: Greatest Hits, a new compilation of music by Vandross out December 13.

Luther Vandross first captured the spotlight in the 1970s as a sought-after backup singer, collaborating with luminaries such as David Bowie, Roberta Flack, Quincy Jones, Chaka Khan, Bette Midler, and Carly Simon. As a solo artist, he became renowned for his relatable lyrics about love and mesmerizing live performances, characterized by dynamic bands, elaborate stage designs, and striking custom costumes worn by his background singers. Vandross achieved remarkable success, charting a Top 10 R&B hit every year from 1981 to 1994 and releasing 11 consecutive platinum records, with over 40 million albums sold worldwide.

“The Luther Vandross Estate is excited to be sharing Luther’s musical legacy with the GRAMMY Museum and its visitors through this upcoming exhibit. It is a special window into all of Luther Vandross’ talents – singer, of course; but also music producer, live performer, stage craft master, wardrobe designer, and songwriter. Showcasing all of these amazing elements of Luther the artist via the long-cherished possessions of his personal archives is a treat for die-hard fans and new ones,” says The Luther Vandross Estate.

“It’s incredible that with all the gifted singers out there, Luther was able to carve out his own totally unique space. No one could replicate Luther’s sound, his songwriting genius, or even his covers of other people’s songs. Luther was a complete and utter perfectionist with a very specific vision of how he wanted things to be. His shows were theatrical masterpieces, and Luther was involved in every detail of their production: his vocals, his background singers’ harmonies, their choreography and even his background singers’ gowns! The gown beading had to be exquisite and authentic. The furs had to be real. I would say, ‘Luther, no one’s gonna know if the furs are real!!’ To which he would reply: ‘ I will know!’ That was part of the magic of Luther, his unyielding commitment to excellence. It was truly an honor to have worked with my friend and big brother, Luther Vandross,” says Marcus Miller.

“Luther Vandross is a cherished icon who defined the smooth, jazz-inspired era of R&B and whose timeless love songs have graced countless weddings, graduations, and family reunions for the past several decades,” says Kelsey Goelz, Curator at the GRAMMY Museum. “The GRAMMY Museum is thrilled to provide fans a close look into his incredible achievements in the studio and onstage.”

Exhibit highlights:
~ Hand-beaded suits and jumpsuits worn by Vandross and his background singers during the Power of Love Tour in 1991
~ An emerald green hand-beaded suit and two matching gowns worn by Vandross’ background singers, alongside Vandross’ black tuxedo from his 1993-94 performances
~ Original fashion sketches of Vandross’ tour wardrobe
~ Handwritten lyrics and studio notes for “I Can Make It Better,” featuring an exclusive recording of Vandross crafting the song
~ Handwritten lyrics and original sheet music for several of Vandross’ hits, including “Think About You” and “Never Too Much”
~ Six of Vandross’ eight GRAMMY Awards®

For tickets and more information on the exhibit, please visit www.grammymuseum.org

Photo Credit: Norman Jean Roy

ABOUT LUTHER: NEVER TOO MUCH DOCUMENTARY
Luther: Never Too Much chronicles the story of a vocal virtuoso. Using a wealth of rarely seen archives, Vandross tells his own story with assistance from his closest friends and musical collaborators including Mariah Carey, Dionne Warwick, Valerie Simpson and Roberta Flack. The film relives the many stunning moments of Vandross’ Grammy® award-winning musical career, while exploring his personal life, health struggles, and a lifelong battle to earn the respect his music deserved.

Directed and executive produced by Dawn Porter, Luther: Never Too Much is produced by Trish D Chetty and Ged Doherty for Raindog Films; Jamie Foxx and Datari Turner for Foxxhole Productions; and Leah Smith for Trilogy Films. Executive producers are Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman for Sony Pictures Television Nonfiction; Tom Mackay and Richard Story for Sony Music Entertainment; Jon Platt and Brian Monaco for Sony Music Publishing; Colin Firth for Raindog Films; and Phil Thornton on behalf of Foxxhole Productions. Sony Music Vision is the distributor. CNN Films and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network hold television and SVOD rights for the US and Canada.

Giant Pictures will release the film theatrically in select cities beginning November 1, with preview screenings on October 30. Luther: Never Too Much will premiere on CNN, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, and Max in 2025.

Source: The Recording Academy