--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Luther Vandross was a musician who sang…" description: "\"Luther Vandross was a musician who sang. So after a while he was also the number one background singer in New York, so he would sing for Bette Midler, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/marcus-miller-28262_fame_luther-vandross-was-a-musician-who-sang_961663.jpg" --- # Luther Vandross was a musician who sang. So after a while… ![“Luther Vandross was a musician who sang. So after a while he was also the number one background singer in New York, so he would sing for Bette Midler, he sang on "Fame," he sang for David Bowie, he sang for - whoever needed backgrounds, he would arrange the parts and hook your record up. He also…” quote by Marcus Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/marcus-miller-28262_fame_luther-vandross-was-a-musician-who-sang_961663.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/marcus-miller-28262_fame_luther-vandross-was-a-musician-who-sang_961663.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/marcus-miller-28262_fame_luther-vandross-was-a-musician-who-sang_961663.jpg) > “Luther Vandross was a musician who sang. So after a while he was also the number one background singer in New York, so he would sing for Bette Midler, he sang on "Fame," he sang for David Bowie, he sang for - whoever needed backgrounds, he would arrange the parts and hook your record up. He also sang on commercials. McDonald's, Budweiser.” [Marcus Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-miller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Vandross’s versatility made him a top background vocalist, shaping many famous recordings and ads. **In simple terms:** He was a sought‑after background singer and arranger. Key Takeaway Recognize and value behind‑the‑scenes talent. Themes music career collaboration Mood appreciative reflective Type industry career When to use this quote - recording sessions - commercial jingles - live performances - artist mentorship Key Concepts arrangement studio work versatility Questions to Reflect On - How can we better acknowledge supporting musicians? - What skills make a great background vocalist? A Different Perspective Background singers often lack public credit despite crucial contributions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Background Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/background-singer-1157052/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bette-midler/) [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Fame Sang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame-sang-1784815/) [Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hook/) [Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luther/) [Luther Vandross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luther-vandross-1784814/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician/) [Sang Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sang-fame-1784816/) [Vandross Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vandross-musician-1784817/) ## Related quotes > [Luther Vandross and I met in Roberta Flack's band. He was singing background, I was playing bass, and Roberta was beautiful. She's like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/luther-vandross-and-i-met-in-roberta-flack-s-band-he-was-singing/) [Marcus Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-miller/) > [Luther Vandross was doing fine, but he said, "Man, I want to do my own project." So he got us all to do a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/luther-vandross-was-doing-fine-but-he-said-man-i-want-to-do-my-own/) [Marcus Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-miller/) > [I wasn't a great background singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-hill/i-wasn-t-a-great-background-singer/) [Faith Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-hill/) > [Tank is my boy. I'm the first artist he's ever been on the road with. We go all the way back to 'Pony.' He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginuwine/tank-is-my-boy-i-m-the-first-artist-he-s-ever-been-on-the-road-with/) [Ginuwine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginuwine/) > [I've always been a little bit in the background as a singer and even as an acoustic-guitar player, although I crank it up and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-wilson/i-ve-always-been-a-little-bit-in-the-background-as-a-singer-and-even/) [Nancy Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-wilson/) > [I made a living being a background singer for years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katey-sagal/i-made-a-living-being-a-background-singer-for-years/) [Katey Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katey-sagal/) > [That's the nice thing about being in Mr. Big, is I'm not only the guitar player. I'm the background singer, and so I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gilbert/that-s-the-nice-thing-about-being-in-mr-big-is-i-m-not-only-the/) [Paul Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gilbert/) > [Being a background singer is one thing, but being on stage as the star is something else again. When you walk out there with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-russell/being-a-background-singer-is-one-thing-but-being-on-stage-as-the-star/) [Brenda Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-russell/) > [When you're a background singer, you're there to support the artist. The transition is up to the person. You have to follow your heart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-hill/when-you-re-a-background-singer-you-re-there-to-support-the-artist/) [Judith Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-hill/) > [Most importantly for me growing up, it was a spirituals, it was a gospels, it was James Cleveland, Aretha Franklin, Marion Williams; and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/most-importantly-for-me-growing-up-it-was-a-spirituals-it-was-a/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [How did I write 'Spin Me?' I listened to Luther Vandross's 'I Wanted Your Love.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-burns/how-did-i-write-spin-me-i-listened-to-luther-vandross-s-i-wanted-your/) [Pete Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-burns/) > [I remember Luther Vandross had turned me on to Versace in 1990. I remember a girl ironing the jeans for me and she was,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-daddy-kane/i-remember-luther-vandross-had-turned-me-on-to-versace-in-1990-i/) [Big Daddy Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-daddy-kane/) > [Prince didn't want to sound like Michael Jackson. Neither of them wanted to sound like Luther Vandross. They didn't want to sound like David…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warryn-campbell/prince-didn-t-want-to-sound-like-michael-jackson-neither-of-them/) [Warryn Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warryn-campbell/) > [I get a lot of my inspiration from the Jackson 5 and Luther Vandross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-fisher/i-get-a-lot-of-my-inspiration-from-the-jackson-5-and-luther-vandross/) [Jordan Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-fisher/) > [Id love to a duet with Luther Vandross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-easton/id-love-to-a-duet-with-luther-vandross/) [Sheena Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-easton/) ## More by Marcus Miller > [It's a great thing about being a musician; you don't stop until the day you die, you can improve. So it's a wonderful thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/it-s-a-great-thing-about-being-a-musician-you-don-t-stop-until-the/) [Marcus Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-miller/) > [I think jazz is a beautiful, democratic music. It encourages musicians with very strong, and many times, very different points of view to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/i-think-jazz-is-a-beautiful-democratic-music-it-encourages-musicians/) [Marcus Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-miller/) > [Luther Vandross was doing fine, but he said, "Man, I want to do my own project." So he got us all to do a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/luther-vandross-was-doing-fine-but-he-said-man-i-want-to-do-my-own/) [Marcus Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-miller/) > [It's so important to me to make the music right that I didn't have time to be intimidated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/it-s-so-important-to-me-to-make-the-music-right-that-i-didn-t-have/) [Marcus Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-miller/) > [I brought the music out to L.A., and the producer Tommy LaPuma heard it and he said - "Man, I love it. Let's do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/i-brought-the-music-out-to-l-a-and-the-producer-tommy-lapuma-heard-it/) [Marcus Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-miller/) > [Miles Davis had been in retirement for five or six years and he was coming out of retirement and he was looking for young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/miles-davis-had-been-in-retirement-for-five-or-six-years-and-he-was/) [Marcus Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-miller/) > [I revisited some music that I had written for Miles Devis. I used to work with Miles in the '80s. We did an album…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/i-revisited-some-music-that-i-had-written-for-miles-devis-i-used-to/) [Marcus Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-miller/) > [Watching Michael Jackson was like taking a history lesson and a lesson on the future at the same time. If that weren’t enough, Michael…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/watching-michael-jackson-was-like-taking-a-history-lesson-and-a/) [Marcus Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-miller/) > [There's a lot of guys who have great technique, people practicing a lot and you hear them, but there's not that many people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/there-s-a-lot-of-guys-who-have-great-technique-people-practicing-a/) [Marcus Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-miller/) > [I got so many emails and text messages, my phone blew up because it couldn't handle everybody. It's like almost being at your own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/i-got-so-many-emails-and-text-messages-my-phone-blew-up-because-it/) [Marcus Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-miller/) > [Miles Davis came in a couple of days and said, "Oh, man, I love that. Keep going." So he said, "Let me know when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/miles-davis-came-in-a-couple-of-days-and-said-oh-man-i-love-that-keep/) [Marcus Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-miller/) > [It happened to be, from '73 to '78, the five years that, our most glorious years for bass players. We had Larry Graham, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/it-happened-to-be-from-73-to-78-the-five-years-that-our-most-glorious/) [Marcus Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-miller/) > [Scott Tixier is an exciting young jazz violinist and is making an international name for himself. I heard him in France and was immediately…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/scott-tixier-is-an-exciting-young-jazz-violinist-and-is-making-an/) [Marcus Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-miller/) > [I'm 13 to 17, 18 years old; I thought that's what the world was like. It never occurred to me that this was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/i-m-13-to-17-18-years-old-i-thought-that-s-what-the-world-was-like-it/) [Marcus Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-miller/) > [I was already playing the clarinet and the piano. My father's a piano player. But I wanted to play in a funk band, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/i-was-already-playing-the-clarinet-and-the-piano-my-father-s-a-piano/) [Marcus Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-miller/) [Explore all 19 Marcus Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-miller/) ## More Fame quotes > [Most celebrated men live in a condition of prostitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/most-celebrated-men-live-in-a-condition-of-prostitution/) [Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-augustin-sainte-beuve/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) > [Some people say that 'Drag Race' is about glory and immortalizing yourself in the Hall of Fame. For me, it's about shaking RuPaul down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trixie-mattel/some-people-say-that-drag-race-is-about-glory-and-immortalizing/) [Trixie Mattel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trixie-mattel/) > [The News of the World made me more famous than being in Atomic Kitten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/the-news-of-the-world-made-me-more-famous-than-being-in-atomic-kitten/) [Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/) > [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [Five World Series rings, 3000-plus hits, the fame, the fortune and playing for the second most historic franchise in baseball... These are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mookie-betts/five-world-series-rings-3000-plus-hits-the-fame-the-fortune-and/) [Mookie Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mookie-betts/) > [There's nothing like getting feedback that's positive and supportive. That's what I'm all about. I'm really just genuinely doing good music. I'm not looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-villarreal/there-s-nothing-like-getting-feedback-that-s-positive-and-supportive/) [Tiffany Villarreal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-villarreal/) > [Don't crave fame, do what you do and just apply. I don't think many of them here today are that interested in fashion. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-wilson/don-t-crave-fame-do-what-you-do-and-just-apply-i-don-t-think-many-of/) [Louise Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-wilson/) > [If I had never gotten famous or rich, I think I'd be equally neurotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-romano/if-i-had-never-gotten-famous-or-rich-i-think-i-d-be-equally-neurotic/) [Ray Romano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-romano/) > [Unfortunately, celebrity is a powerful thing. It can influence people, but if it can influence people in a good way, then that's a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-furnish/unfortunately-celebrity-is-a-powerful-thing-it-can-influence-people/) [David Furnish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-furnish/) > [I think you either live a real life or you live a weird celebrity pseudolife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-michelle-gellar/i-think-you-either-live-a-real-life-or-you-live-a-weird-celebrity/) [Sarah Michelle Gellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-michelle-gellar/) > [I am uninterested in Jennifer Aniston's take on anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-dillon/i-am-uninterested-in-jennifer-aniston-s-take-on-anything/) [Tim Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-dillon/) > [The Baseball Hall of Fame is something every player dreams about, but being a member of God's Hall of Fame is the greatest achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-carter/the-baseball-hall-of-fame-is-something-every-player-dreams-about-but/) [Gary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-carter/) > [I don't want to have anything to do with that: just the fame without personal respect for your privacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-till/i-don-t-want-to-have-anything-to-do-with-that-just-the-fame-without/) [Lucas Till](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-till/) > [I wanted to have money; I wanted to be special; I wanted people to like me; I wanted to be famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-wanted-to-have-money-i-wanted-to-be-special-i-wanted-people-to-like/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) [Browse all 6,971 Fame quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Luther Vandross was a musician who sang. So after a while he was also the number one background singer in New York, so he would sing for Bette Midler, he sang on \"Fame,\" he sang for David Bowie, he sang for - whoever needed backgrounds, he would arrange the parts and hook your record up. He also sang on commercials. McDonald's, Budweiser.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marcus Miller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/luther-vandross-was-a-musician-who-sang-so-after-a-while-he-was-also/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fame" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/luther-vandross-was-a-musician-who-sang-so-after-a-while-he-was-also/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/marcus-miller-28262_fame_luther-vandross-was-a-musician-who-sang_961663.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/marcus-miller-28262_fame_luther-vandross-was-a-musician-who-sang_961663.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/432/marcus-miller-28262_fame_luther-vandross-was-a-musician-who-sang_961663.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Luther Vandross was a musician who sang. So after a while he was also the number one background singer in…” — Marcus Miller", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Marcus Miller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-miller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Luther Vandross was a musician who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/luther-vandross-was-a-musician-who-sang-so-after-a-while-he-was-also/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-miller/luther-vandross-was-a-musician-who-sang-so-after-a-while-he-was-also/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```