But all it would take was an older remix to pop up and I was reminiscing. All of this lead me to House, and along with elements of Techno and Eurodance in the 90s, I soaked it all up.Īs the 90s ended, I drifted…the Frankie mixes surfaced less frequently, leading me to take up the torch for collectives like Thunderpuss and Soul Solution. As the 80s progressed, I got into more than just the crossover R&B tracks, discovering artists like Luther Vandross, Rene & Angela, Chaka Khan, Five Star and Freddie Jackson, with Michael Jackson acting as a gateway melody for my eager ears to follow. The tone, the depth, the contrasting hard and soft elements…all of it resonates with me deeply. ![]() Soul music has been a passion of mine as long as I can remember, dating all the way back to hearing my mom’s Barry White’s Greatest Hits on a Saturday morning in our third-floor apartment in Syracuse. ![]() I was ravenous, finding remixes as varied as Loose Ends, Lisa Stansfield, Rufus & Chaka Khan, and the Pet Shop Boys. I remember moments in my life when a Frankie Knuckles remix moved me: the first time I heard the Def Mix of Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You,” being stopped dead in my tracks as the opening a capella of perhaps his best remix “The Pressure” evolved into a full-fledged gospel house explosion, and the moment that I started healing from a painful breakup thanks to being on the dance floor as his interpretation of “Unbreak My Heart” rocked me to my core. While Frankie’s original music is the stuff of legends, a case could be made that his remixes will always be the strongest part of his legacy. That’s a naive assumption in this day and age of David Guetta and Calvin Harris, but at the time it rocked my world. “Rain Falls,” “It’s Hard Sometimes,” “Workout”…his first album Beyond the Mix is a BEAST! This was also one of the first times I was aware that a DJ could actually be considered a musician as well. When Frankie dropped “The Whistle Song,” I was instantly taken. My first contact with Frankie’s music came in college working at radio stations that had dance shows on the weekend. And then, as with many other classic sounds, it returned with a vengeance. Its homeland of the United States may have given up on it like its predecessor disco, but Europe took up the House call and helped it evolve in different directions. If anything, imagine your eccentric uncle flying to Europe and loving it so much he stayed for a decade or so, because that’s what basically happened with House music. That’s not to say that Frankie’s influence on me, dance music, and music in general had disappeared. It’s made all the more profound because in some ways, I had almost forgotten about Frankie for a good decade. So let’s take a journey through the best of Luther Vandross’s musical legacy, and discover the songs that continue to move and inspire us decades after they were first recorded.Today marks one year since I heard the news that Frankie Knuckles passed away, and I still feel the sting of that information. From the funky grooves of “Never Too Much” to the poignant balladry of “Dance With My Father,” these songs represent the very best of Vandross’s artistry and offer a window into the soul of one of the greatest musicians of his time. In this article, we will be exploring the top 10 best Luther Vandross songs of all time, based on their impact on the music industry, their popularity with fans, and their enduring cultural significance. ![]() ![]() From his early days as a backup singer to his later career as a solo artist, Vandross consistently delivered powerful performances and timeless hits that continue to resonate with audiences today. With his smooth, soulful voice and heartfelt lyrics, he created a legacy of music that has inspired generations of fans and fellow musicians. Luther Vandross was one of the most talented and influential R&B artists of the 20th century.
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