WATCH: Was Luther Vandross gay? New doc explores singer’s storied career & nuanced legacy
2006 investigative report from Out titled “The Secret Gay Life Of Luther Vandross,” his longtime friend Bruce Vilanch said the star told him he was “in the life,” and even alleged he was in a relationship with another man throughout the ’80s and early ’90s.Then in 2017, Vandross’s friend Patti LaBelle acknowledged he was, indeed, gay, but chose to stay closeted out of fear over how it could impact his career.
Her comments, in particular, sparked an outrage over “outing” someone against their will. Sure, Vandross had passed many years prior, but was it really Miss LaBelle’s place to speak on something he was intentionally keeping secret?And therein lies the question: Is it possible to talk about the importance of Luther Vandross’s incredible career for the LGBTQ+ community—and, in particular, Black, queer men—while respecting the fact that he’s no longer here to speak for himself?That is just one of the many angles explored in the upcoming documentary Luther: Never Too Much, which explores the breadth of the acclaimed singer’s unprecedented legacy and gives the hit-maker and culture-shifter his long-overdue flowers.To this day, Vandross’ version of “Hot Butterfly” remains an artifact from the career and the sound he explored before he became the centerpiece of soul that defined his career.
Taking its name from Vandross’ debut album and super-sexy breakthrough single, director Dawn Porter’s (John Lewis: Good Trouble) film recounts his incredible life story, as told by many of his closest friends, contemporaries, admirers, and scholars—including names like LaBelle, Dionne Warwick, and Mariah Carey.Never Too Much delves into the singer’s NYC upbringing, where he fell in love with music at a young age, his early days as a backup singer to stars like David Bowie & Bette Midler, his major solo artist breakthrough in the ’80s, the fatal car accident that nearly took his life, his lifelong struggles with weight, his emotional 2004 Grammy win for “Dance With My Father,” his.
