Working with Epic, Vandross released his debut album Never Too Much. In 1980, they had hits with 'The Glow of Love,' and 'Searching' which helped Vandross gain a recording contract with Epic Records. Vandross scored success as a guest singer in the group Change. He created and sang jingles for advertising campaigns including Kentucky Fried Chicken's 'We Do Chicken Right,' NBC's 'Proud As A Peacock' and the US Army's 'Be All You Can Be.' In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Vandross became well-known for creating jingles. After the group was dropped, Vandross bought the rights to each of the albums.
While they scored a successful single with 'It's Good For The Soul,' the group's albums Luther, and This Close To You, released in 1976 and 77 respectively did not do well. Not ready to go out on his own just yet, Vandross started a singing groupcalled Luther.
However, Flack felt Vandross had an incredible talent and prodded him to pursue his own career. He sang backing vocals for many big name artists including Diana Ross, Roberta Flack, Chaka Khan and Donna Summer. During the late sixties, he appeared in the first episode of Sesame Street and appeared as a vocalist on Quincy Jones album Best.Īfter a year at Western Michigan University, Vandross dropped out to pursue a career in music. Vandross started the group Listen My Brother in high school and managed to even play at the Apollo Theatre once. At roughly the same time, he heard Dionne Warwick sing 'Anyone Who Had A Heart' which turned Vandross on to music forever. At thirteen, Vandross and his family moved to the Bronx. When Vandross was eight, his father died of diabetes. was born in 1951 on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York.