Born on April 20, 1951, in New York City, Luther Vandross’s unparalleled vocals and emotive performances have left an impact on the music industry. With a career spanning several decades, he became known for his smooth voice, earning him the title “The Velvet Voice.” Vandross’s contributions to the world of music include numerous hit songs, such as “Never Too Much,” “Here and Now,” and “Dance with My Father,” and eight Grammy Awards. Beyond his solo success, he also collaborated with various artists and earned widespread acclaim for his impeccable songwriting and production skills.
His career culminates in the new documentary Luther: Never Too Much, the first full-length feature to document the life and work of Vandross, who passed away in 2005 at the age of 54. Directed by the award-winning filmmaker and two-time Sundance alum Dawn Porter, the documentary will make its debut at the Sundance Film Festival this month on January 21.
Deviating from her usual focus on political documentaries, Porter intertwines the captivating songbook with cherished recollections from his immediate family, close friends, fellow musicians, collaborators, staff, background vocalists, and executives.
In an interview with NBC, Porter says, “I wanted people who knew him really well and who could tell you what it was like when he was not performing. I was really focused on his lyrics and who he was as a person, and I couldn’t wait to dive into that.”
Within the documentary, Porter extracts archival footage of his life, including 80 hours of performance clips, and over 2,000 stills. Compressed into 101 minutes, the documentary showcases an artist committed to the music. Additionally, Luther played a pivotal role in crafting and creatively shaping numerous iconic performance costumes, including those worn by his background singers. His wardrobe, characterized by a blend of timeless elegance and avant-garde designs, narrates the tale of an era, a genre, and the man behind the music. On the other side of the coin, the documentary doesn’t refrain from discussing his life struggles, including loneliness, struggles with weight, food addiction, and inquiries about his sexuality.
Although Porter heads up the project, it was not a solo effort entirely. Prior to Never Too Much’s upcoming debut, in 2015, Ged Doherty, co-founder of Raindog Films with actor Colin Firth, and Trish D. Chetty had been striving to bring a Vandross project to fruition. In the summer of 2022, Porter joined the venture, aspiring for a collaborative production reminiscent of Vandross’s own career. Executive producer credits also included Jamie Foxx and Datari Turner, along with Raindog Films who acquired stage and screen rights from Vandross’ estate and its partner, Primary Wave Music.
To bring the essence of Vandross’ music to life, director of photography Bryan Gentry infused the interviews with color, while Porter collaborated with musician Robert Glasper in the studio during the composition of the score.
With so many Hollywood veterans contributing to the documentary, the narrative of Luther’s life promises to unfold a compelling tale that captures the diverse facets of a Black music legend taken from us too soon. The documentary will also unfold so much people may not have known about Vandross. It’s Porter’s hope that people can understand and relate.
“Even though he died so young and tragically, his life was really a celebration of art, friendship and love. I can’t wait for people to see this. This is a present for all of his fans and the people who don’t know they’re about to become fans. It’s very special,” Porter said.
