Luther Vandross documentary, ‘Never Too Much’, chronicles life of late singer

A new documentary chronicles the life of the late  singer Luther Vandross. The film features more than 40 years-worth of archive footage and interviews with names including Mariah Carey, Roberta Flack, and Dionne Warwick. 

Luther: Never Too Much is directed by biographical filmmaker Dawn Porter and produced by Jamie Foxx. Running at 160 minutes, with music arranged by Robert Glasper, the movie celebrates the legendary ‘Never Too Much’ singer’s talent and determination, while also taking aim at the record and pop culture industries that frequently did their best to stall his career. 

Often pigeonholed as R&B, despite his work being considered to have changed the genre’s entire sound, Vandross regularly came up against racism from within the music scene and sector. Meanwhile, fluctuations in his weight were also seen as an issue in the eyes of executives, who often typecast him as a background singer for rock stars or the faceless voice of advertising jingles. 

Nevertheless, during his 35-year career, Vandross would receive eight Grammy Awards, while the US radio giant NPR has since ranked him as one of the 50 Great Voices of all time. In 2021, 16 years after his death, he was posthumously inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame. The same year, what would have been his 70th birthday was commemorated with a Google Doodle. 

Hit singles such as ‘Never Too Much’, ‘Here and Now’, ‘Any Love, and ‘I Can Make It Better’ remain among Vandross’ best remembered. However, these barely scratch the songbook of a vocalist who put out 14 albums between 1981 and 2003, 11 of which were certified platinum in the US, with sales exceeding 40 million.

Solo work aside, by the time he died following complications after suffering a stroke, aged 54, he had collaborated with the likes of Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway, Todd Rundgren, Judy Collins, Chaka Khan, Bette Midler, Diana Ross, David Bowie, Ben E. King, Stevie Wonder, and Donna Summer. 

“It was a joy to work on this film,” said Porter in a statement. “Luther was a spectacularly talented performer, composer and producer. His influence was found in multiple genres, and it was a delight to discover each one. It has been so much fun to see longtime fans remember why they love him, and new fans come to understand his brilliance. Luther was a spectacularly talented performer, composer and producer. His influence was found in multiple genres, and it was a delight to discover each one.”

“The whole Giant Pictures team fell in love with Luther: Never Too Much following its stellar film festival run this year. The film is a huge crowd-pleaser and a must-see, not only for existing fans of Luther Vandross, but also for those discovering his incredible talents for the first time. We are excited to partner with Sony Music, Raindog Films and CNN Films on this nationwide theatrical release,” added Nick Savva, general manager of Giant Pictures, the company behind the production. 

Luther: Never Too Much is out now in select US cinemas and will premiere on Max next year. UK and worldwide distribution details are expected to be announced in the near future.

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