With the recent documentary on his life, fans were reminded of Luther Vandross’ journey to the upper echelon of R&B. As was common among many musicians, his journey included a stint as a premier background vocalist. Although it is hard to see a voice as distinct as Luther’s taking a back seat to anyone, he did have to pay his dues like everyone else.
Thankfully, in his case, it was those connections that guided him to become a music icon in his own right. In honor of what would’ve been his 75th birthday and his upcoming induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, let’s check out some of the iconic musicians that he backed up in his early years!