His closest friend and singing partner, Fonzi Thornton, painted Vandross as a guy who loved life and never forgot who he was and where he came from despite the mega-stardom that made him one of the most popular singers of the ’80s. I thought with a name like Ronzoni, a black kid needed to be a good fighter or at least have a nickname. Carl Flemister, the minister who baptized Vandross a lifetime ago, recalled: “His parents told me his name was going to be Luther Ronzoni Vandross. Wonder sang gospel – a pained voice singing “I’ve had better days and sleepless nights” – and received rousing cheers, but it was his plea for peace that was most embraced by the crowd.Īt this requiem for a crooner, there was, as LaBelle predicted, more joy than tears. Let them know that terrorism and war and killing innocent people is not the way.” “Give a message to the true and committed people of Allah and Islam. “I pray that you will inspire all of us to write and sing songs,” he said of Vandross. Wonder then mourned as much for Vandross as the citizens of London who died in Thursday’s terror attack. Stevie Wonder, elegantly dressed in a dark suit, felt for the microphone and turned toward Vandross’ casket, saying, “I have a prayer.”
#LIST LUTHER VANDROSS SONGS CRACKED#
While LaBelle put up a smiling front as she read verse after verse Vandross’ devotion to his mom, her voice cracked toward the close and she had to dab at the tears welling in her eyes. LaBelle introduced the poem by telling the mourners packed into the church, “If Luther said he was going to bring her a dozen eggs at 2 o’clock on Tuesday, he’d be there.” Soul singer Patti LaBelle – wearing a bright yellow gown that announced this service was going to be a celebration of Luther’s life – read a poem that Mary Ida Vandross wrote for her late son titled “You Kept Your Promise.” Yesterday, 3,000 grieving fans, friends and family – together with music legends like Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin – braved downpours to pay their final respects to the R&B icon at Riverside Church.Īlong the 125th Street route to the fabled house of worship, crowds gathered to watch the hearse carrying Vandross’ gold-colored casket, and fans expressed their grief for the smooth groove singer with tears and shout-outs. IF you’re judged by the size of the crowd at your funeral on a rainy day, then count Luther Vandross among the greats.
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