Vandross graduated from William Howard Taft High School in the Bronx in 1969, and attended Western Michigan University for a year before dropping out to continue pursuing a career in music. Patricia sang with the vocal group The Crests and was featured on the songs "My Juanita" and "Sweetest One". His sisters, Patricia "Pat" and Ann, began taking Vandross to the Apollo Theater and to a theater in Brooklyn to see Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin. His family moved to the Bronx when he was nine. In 2003, Vandross wrote the song " Dance with My Father" and dedicated it to him the title was based on his childhood memories and his mother's recollections of the family singing and dancing in the house. Vandross' father died of diabetes when Vandross was eight years old. At the age of three, having his own phonograph, Vandross taught himself to play the piano by ear. Vandross was raised in Manhattan's Lower East Side in the NYCHA Alfred E. His father was an upholsterer and singer, and his mother was a nurse. He was the fourth child and second son of Mary Ida Vandross and Luther Vandross, Sr. was born on April 20, 1951, at Bellevue Hospital, in the Kips Bay neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City.
Many of his songs were covers of original music by other artists such as " If This World Were Mine" (duet with Cheryl Lynn), " Since I Lost My Baby", " Superstar", " I (Who Have Nothing)" and " Always and Forever". His hit songs include " Never Too Much", " Here and Now", " Any Love", " Power of Love/Love Power", " I Can Make It Better" and " For You to Love".
After Vandross left the group, he was signed to Epic Records as a solo artist and released his debut solo album, Never Too Much, in 1981. He later became a lead singer of the group Change, which released its Gold-certified debut album, The Glow of Love, in 1980 on Warner/RFC Records. Throughout his career, Vandross was an in-demand background vocalist for several artists including Todd Rundgren, Judy Collins, Chaka Khan, Bette Midler, Diana Ross, David Bowie, Ben E. He is noted for his sweet and soulful vocals. (Ap– July 1, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Soon after, he started recording commercial jingles and worked as a backup singer and arranger for such popular artists as David Bowie, Bette Midler and Barbara Streisand.Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. He became interested in R&B music during high school, and in 1972, his song "Everybody Rejoice" was picked up for the Broadway musical The Wiz. The youngest of four children, Vandross was raised by his mother after his father died. He won his first Grammy in 1991 for "Here and Now," two in 1992 for "Power of Love" and a fourth in 1997 for "Your Secret Love." He also won four 2004 Grammys before passing away in 2005. Though Vandross was a major R&B phenomenon, it wasn't until the early 1990s that he became a pop success. In 1981, Luther Vandross released his debut album, Never Too Much, which sold more than a million copies. Luther Vandross was a singer and songwriter whose smooth style and voice lent themselves to romantic ballads.