Philadelphia Inquirer | 07/02/2005 | R&B star Luther Vandross dies at 54

Grammy award winner Luther Vandross, whose deep, lush voice on such hits as “Here and Now” and “Any Love” sold more than 25 million albums while providing the romantic backdrop for millions of couples worldwide, died yesterday. He was 54.

Since suffering a stroke in his Manhattan home in 2003, the R&B crooner stopped making public appearances, but he managed to continue recording. In 2004, he captured four Grammys as a sentimental favorite, including best song for the bittersweet “Dance With My Father.”

Mr. Vandross, who was in a wheelchair and appeared weak at the time, delivered a videotaped thank you: “Remember, when I say goodbye, it’s never for long. Because” – and he broke into his familiar hit – “I believe in the power of love.”