Luther Vandross - One Night With You: The Best Of Love, Volume 2 (1997)

One Night with You: The Best of Love, Volume 2 (issued internationally without 'Volume 2') is the third compilation album released by American singer Luther Vandross, released on September 15, 1997, by Epic Records. 

It is his second compilation album to be released stateside, and is a continuation of his triple-platinum selling first compilation The Best of Luther Vandross... The Best of Love (1989). One Night with You contains four newly recorded songs including the R. Kelly-penned and Grammy-nominated "When You Call on Me/Baby That's When I Come Runnin'" and selections compiled from his later studio albums such as Songs (1994), This Is Christmas (1995), Never Let Me Go (1993), Power of Love (1991) and Your Secret Love (1996).

The album also contains his then-biggest pop hits such as "Power of Love/Love Power", an alternate club mix of "The Best Things in Life Are Free" (a duet with Janet Jackson from the Mo' Money soundtrack) and a cover of the Lionel Richie/Diana Ross recording "Endless Love" with Mariah Carey, which became his biggest hit on the Billboard Hot 100 peaking at number two. 

The album was moderately successful, reaching the top 50 of the Billboard 200 album chart and peaking inside the top 20 within the R&B Albums chart. One Night with You was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2021.

One Night with You picked up where Luther Vandross' first hits collection left off, including the R&B/pop Top Ten hits "Power of Love/Love Power," "Don't Want to Be a Fool," "The Best Things in Life Are Free," and "Endless Love," as well as the R&B Top Ten hits "Little Miracles" and "Your Secret Love." 

Also included was the Grammy-winning "Love the One You're With." Fans may have found the omission of some R&B hits in favor of Vandross' interpretation of Rodgers & Hammerstein's "My Favorite Things" questionable, and the four new songs, despite boasting the hot songwriting pens of Diane Warren, R. Kelly, and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, did not generate any new hits of the kind that propelled Vandross' first hits album to triple-platinum status. 

Indeed, this second set was a sales disappointment. Maybe Vandross' fans already had these songs on the original albums. 

More likely, the album marked the end of his sometimes stormy relationship with Epic, and the company didn't push it.

Tracklist

1.  One Night With You (Everyday Of Your Life)   (Diane Warren) - 4:25

2.  When You Call On Me / Baby That's When I Come Runnin'   (R. Kelly) - 4:42

3.  It's All About You   (Ralph B. Stacy, Ron Neal & Dennis Bettis) - 5:29

4.  I Won't Let You Do That To Me   (Jimmy Harris III, Terry Lewis & James Wright) - 4:34

5.  Power Of Love / Love Power   (Luther Vandross, Marcus Miller & Teddy Vann) - 6:42

6.  Don't Want To Be A Fool  (Luther Vandross & Marcus Miller) - 4:36

7.  The Best Things In Life Are Free (Classic Club Edit)   (Jimmy Harris III, Terry Lewis, Ronnie DeVoe & Michael Bivins) - 4:03

8.  Little Miracles (Happen Every Day)   (Luther Vandross & Marcus Miller) - 4:43

9.  Endless Love   (Lionel Richie) - 4:20

10.  Always And Forever   (Rod Temperton) - 4:54

11.  Love The One You're With   (Stephen Stills) - 5:04

12.  Your Secret Love   (Luther Vandross & Reed Vertelney) - 4:12

13.  I Can Make It Better   (Luther Vandross & Marcus Miller) - 5:36

14.  Love Don't Love You Anymore (TM's Urban Mix)   (Luther Vandross) - 4:09

15.  My Favorite Things   (Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II) - 5:56

Companies, etc.

• Copyright © – Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
• Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Perspective Records
• Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
• Made By – Sony Music
• Distributed By – Sony Music

Credits

• Producer – Luther Vandross (tracks: 5 to 7, 9, 13 to 15), Marcus Miller (tracks: 5 to 7, 9, 14), Walter Afanasieff (tracks: 10 to 12)

Notes

Released: September 17, 1997 

Recorded: 1991–1997 

Genre: R&B, soul, pop, adult contemporary 

Producer(s): Luther Vandross, Nat Adderley Jr., Walter Afanasieff, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, R. Kelly, Marcus Miller, David Morales, Tony Moran, Ralph Stacy, Keith Thomas, Jim Wright

Length: 73:25

Label - Epic

Luther Vandross - Songs (1994)

Songs is the ninth studio album by American R&B/soul singer-songwriter Luther Vandross. It was released by Epic Records on September 20, 1994. 

The album, a collection of cover versions, produced the singles "Endless Love", "Always and Forever", and "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now". According to an interview both Vandross and Mariah Carey gave in Japan following the release of their duet "Endless Love", there was mention that Carey had given advice as to what songs Vandross would cover on this album.

Seeing that Luther has always had such great success in cover songs, the fact that he would eventually record an all-covers album should not be that surprising. 

 The public responded enthusiastically to the disc, sending it to the #5 position on the Hot 200 and to Double-Platinum status in sales. While SONGS isn't in the same league with Luther's eighties albums, it is his best album of the nineties. The song selection is well done for the most part, although I do wish that a few more chances had been taken with the arrangements. 

 Naturally, there's nothing here that matches his past landmark covers like "A House Is Not A Home" or "Superstar," but he does deliver a few a choice renditions that surpass the original versions.

That is certainly the case with his well-respected gospel-infused take on Steven Stills' "Love the One You're With" (#95 Pop, #28 R&B), which easily should have been a much bigger hit. 

 However, this is certainly not the only instance where Luther outdoes the original performer. His renditions of "Reflections" and "Always and Forever" (#58 Pop, #16 R&B, #25 Adult Contemporary) are more soulful and sexier than the original classic recordings, and he adds much need personality to the groovin' "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now." 

 Even more amazingly, Luther manages to brings a genuine poignancy to the generally bland ballads "Hello," "All the Woman I Need," and "The Impossible Dream." There's a pained beauty in Luther's interpretations that was completely glossed over in all the previous renditions. 

 The best cover of all, however, is definitely his spin-tingling cover of "Killing Me Softly," which is even more haunting and heartbreaking than Roberta Flack's original, which is a terrific recording in it's own right.

Luther also turns in good renditions of "Evergreen" and "Since You've Been Gone," however, he cannot top the legendary versions by Barbra Streisand and Aretha Franklin, respectively. 

 The remaining three sections are only average. "Going In Circles" and "What the World Needs Now Is Love" suffer slightly from intrusive arrangements, while the big hit "Endless Love" (#2 Pop, #7 R&B, #11 Adult Contemporary) never really hits it's intended mark due to the lack of vocal chemistry between Luther and duet partner Mariah Carey. 

 However, even these tracks are perfectly listenable, and do not sound jarring out of place in the context of the rest of the album. 

 In summary, SONGS is really one of the best pop cover albums in recent memory, and it never falls into the various traps that most records of this kind routinely do. Leave it to Luther to pull off the near-impossible.

Songs earned Vandross four nominations at the 1995 Grammy Awards for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Love the One You're With", Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "Endless Love", Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Always and Forever", and Best R&B Album. 

Track listing

1.  Love the One You're With  (Originally recorded by: Stephen Stills) - 5:03 

2.  Killing Me Softly  (Originally recorded by: Lori Lieberman) - 5:33 

3.  Endless Love  (duet with Mariah Carey) (Originally recorded by: Lionel Richie & Diana Ross) - 4:21 

4.  Evergreen  (Originally recorded by: Barbra Streisand) - 3:54 

5.  Reflections  (Originally recorded by: Diana Ross & the Supremes) - 3:21 

6.  Hello  (Originally recorded by: Lionel Richie) - 4:44 

7.  Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now  (Originally recorded by: McFadden & Whitehead) - 4:53 

8.  Always and Forever  (Originally recorded by: Heatwave) - 4:53 

9.  Going in Circles  (Originally recorded by: The Friends of Distinction) - 5:12 

10.  Since You've Been Gone  (Originally recorded by: Aretha Franklin) - 4:15 

11.  All the Woman I Need  (Originally recorded by: Linda Clifford as "All the Man I Need") - 4:54 

12.  What the World Needs Now  (Originally recorded by: Jackie DeShannon) - 5:18 

13.  The Impossible Dream (The Quest)  (Originally recorded by: Richard Kiley) - 5:16 

Personnel

• Luther Vandross – lead and backing vocals, BGV arrangements (1, 7, 10)
• Walter Afanasieff – arrangements (1, 3, 4, 5, 10-13), keyboards (1, 3, 4, 6-13), synthesizers (1-4, 6, 7, 8, 10-13), Hammond B3 organ (1, 5, 8, 9, 10), bass guitar (1), drums (1), percussion (1), rhythm programming (1, 3, 4, 6-13), acoustic piano (2), Synclavier (2, 3, 4, 6, 11, 12, 13), acoustic guitar (2, 3, 4, 6, 11, 12, 13), Moog bass (3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10-13), drum programming (3, 4, 6-13), additional programming (5), synth horns (10)
• Gary Cirimelli – digital programming, Macintosh programming, synthesizer programming
• Ren Klyce – digital programming, synthesizer programming
• Dan Shea – keyboards (2, 5, 6-10), synthesizers (2, 5, 8, 9), Moog bass (2, 5, 9), drum programming (2, 9), rhythm programming (2, 5, 9), arrangements (2, 6-9), programming (6, 8, 10)
• Dann Huff – guitar, nylon guitar solo (3)
• Michael Landau – additional guitar (2, 5, 7, 11)
• Michael Thompson – additional guitar (8)
• Stephen "Doc" Kupka – baritone saxophone (9)
• Emilio Castillo – tenor saxophone (9)
• David Mann – tenor saxophone (9)
• Lee Thornburg – trombone (9), trumpet (9), flugelhorn (9)
• Greg Adams – trumpet (9), flugelhorn (9), horn arrangements (9)
• Jeremy Lubbock – orchestra arrangements and conductor (3, 4, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13)
• Isobel Griffiths – orchestra contractor (3, 4, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13)
• The London Symphony Orchestra – orchestra (3, 4, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13)
• Narada Michael Walden – original arrangements (11)
• Tawatha Agee – backing vocals (1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 10, 13)
• Johnny Britt – backing vocals (1, 7, 8, 9, 11)
• Alexandra Brown – backing vocals (1, 7, 9, 11)
• Lynn Davis – backing vocals (1, 7, 9, 11)
• Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals (1, 7, 8, 9, 11)
• Phillip Ingram – backing vocals (1, 7, 8, 9, 11)
• Paulette McWilliams – backing vocals (1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 10, 13)
• Phil Perry – backing vocals (1, 7, 8, 9, 11)
• Brenda White-King – backing vocals (1, 5)
• Lisa Fischer – backing vocals (2, 5)
• Mariah Carey – lead vocals (3)
• Robin Clark – backing vocals (7, 9, 13)
• Cindy Mizelle – backing vocals (7, 9, 10)
• Fonzi Thornton – backing vocals (7, 9)
• Claytoven Richardson – backing vocals (8)
• Cissy Houston – backing vocals (10, 13), BGV arrangements (10)
• Darlene Love – backing vocals (10)
• Phillip Ballou – backing vocals (13)
• Kevin Owens – backing vocals (13)

Production

• Walter Afanasieff – producer
• Luther Vandross – co-producer
• Dana Jon Chappelle – engineer, recording, mixing (1, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12)
• Mick Guzauski – mixing (2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 11, 13)
• Paul Brown – vocal recording (Luther Vandross)
• Jay Healy – vocal recording (Mariah Carey)
• Hadyn Bendall – strings recording
• Kyle Bess – assistant engineer
• Gus Garces – assistant engineer
• David Gleeson – assistant engineer
• Bill Leonard – assistant engineer
• Chris Ludwinski – assistant engineer
• Kent Matcke – assistant engineer
• Gil Morales – assistant engineer
• Mike Reiter – assistant engineer
• David Reitzas – assistant engineer
• Mike Scott – assistant engineer
• Andy Smith – assistant engineer
• Bob Ludwig – mastering
• Marsha Burns – production coordinator
• Barbara Stout – production coordinator

Studios

• Mixed at The Hit Factory, Right Track Recording and Sony Music Studios (New York, NY); The Plant Studios (Sausalito, CA).
• Mastered at Gateway Mastering (Portland, ME).

Notes

Released:  September 20, 1994 (U.S.) 

Recorded:  1993–94

                   The Hit Factory

                   Right Track Recording

                   Sony Music Studios

                   (New York, New York)

                   The Record Plant

                   (Hollywood, California)

                   The Plant Recording Studios

                   (Sausalito, California)

                   Abbey Road Studios

                   (London, United Kingdom)

Genre:  Soul

Length:  1:01:40

Label - Epic Records

Luther Vandross - Never Let Me Go (1993)

"Never Let Me Go" is the eighth studio album by American R&B/soul singer Luther Vandross, released in May 1993. The title track was originally recorded by Johnny Ace.

Luther Vandross may have fallen a bit from his lofty perch among R&B stars, but it wasn't due to any dip in skills. "Never Let Me Go" contains more examples of his supple, fluid vocals, expert delivery, and sophisticated yet soulful style. Indeed, Vandross hasn't made many better overall albums from a strict singing standpoint; his voice is full and impressive in every register, and there's no sign of strain when he reaches to the top of an arrangement or extends notes and phrases. Perhaps there are signs of creative wear and tear; there's no real blockbuster single, and the final medley, which blends classics from the Spinners and the Bee Gees, sounds thrown together. A retooling might be in order.

Track listing

01.  Little Miracles (Happen Every Day)   (Luther Vandross, Marcus Miller)  - 4:43

02.  Heaven Knows   (Vandross, Reed Vertelney)  - 5:00

03.  Love Me Again   (Vandross, Miller)  - 6:07

04.  Can't Be Doin' That Now   (Vandross, Vertelney, Alan Scott)  - 4:47

05.  Too Far Down   (Vandross, Miller)  - 6:14

06.  Love Is On the Way (Real Love)   (Vandross, Miller)  - 4:41

07.  Hustle   (Vandross, Miller)  - 5:45

08.  Emotion Eyes  (Vandross, Hubert Eaves III)  - 4:56

09.  Lady, Lady   (Vandross, Miller)  - 5:34

10.  Medley: How Deep Is Your Love / Love Don't Love Nobody (Instrumental interlude)  (Bee Gees, Charles Simmons, Joseph Scott Jr, Joseph Jefferson)  - 3:12

11.  Never Let Me Go  (Joseph Scott Jr.)  - 4:29

Released:  May 26, 1993

Recorded at:  A&M Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California; Right Track Recording, New York City, New York; The Hit Factory, New York City; The Village, Los Angeles

Genre:  R&B, Soul

Label:  Epic

Producer:  Luther Vandross, Marcus Miller

Personnel:

Luther Vandross - vocals

Marcus Miller - electric bass, keyboards, drum & percussion programming

Paul Jackson, Jr. - guitar

Doc Powell - guitar

Kirk Whalum - saxophone

Nat Adderley, Jr. - keyboards

Ivan Hampden - drums

Michael White - percussion

Reed Vertelney - keyboard & drum programming

Philippe Saisse - synthesizer & keyboard programming, piano

Hubert Eaves III - keyboard programming

Lisa Fischer, Fonzi Thornton, Paulette McWilliams, Tawatha Agee, Brenda White-King, Tamira C. Sanders, Cindy Mizelle, Kevin Owens, Michelle Cobbs, Phillip Ballou, Myrna Smith-Schilling, Cissy Houston - background vocals