Luther: Never Too Much

I didn’t really want to go. It was 1997, and as far as music was concerned, my interests had switched from the Gospel, Blues, and Soul music from my childhood days to the 80’s Pop, Soft Rock, Rap, and Southern Rap that I blasted to now, where I lived primarily in a world of Rock; gravitating between hard rock guitar-driven songs, to R.E.M. and so many other bands.

But there I was. Living in Sacramento, California, a place that I had just met a few months earlier, with a girlfriend I had met at about the same time. Back then I wore big hoop earrings, smoked good weed, and liked to walk around in my pajama pants with my suede pumas and ride my skateboard on Sac Town streets. I was always a sentimental guy, but my RnB ballad days were far behind me.

At least I thought so.

As fate would have it, my future mother-in-law was unable to come and attend a Luther Vandross concert with my future wife and I was the next man up in the batter’s box. I heard plenty of Luther, as we call(ed) him. Erica played the CDs every chance she got when I wasn’t bogarting the car radio and introducing her to rock, reggae, and punk. Those songs did not particularly move me, though I could appreciate the music.

The reality is, I KNEW LUTHER VANDROSS. My aunt, Pam, who along with my father and uncle are probably the ones most responsible for my love of music, had all of the Luther records in the house. When she was home from college, she’d play them and when she moved away, my sister/cousin Tracy and cousins would listen to “Bad Boy,” “Superstar,” and countless other Luther hits on the jukebox in the den.

I was too young to appreciate the depth of the music, but I knew that they liked it, so though I hadn’t started putting together my “Slow Jams” cassette tapes yet ( I was kid. What girls?), I still KNEW LUTHER VANDROSS.

So, though I didn’t particularly jump through the roof to go to the show, I didn’t mind. I figured I’d drink Long Island Iced-Teas, and eventually it wouldn’t matter if it was Luther, Huther, or his other cousin Nuther.

Two hours later, my mind was blown.

The show was an amazing experience from start to finish and it wasn’t the alcohol. His showmanship and vocal mastery awed me. I come from a musical family. My Aunt traveled the world in the 70’s as one of the lead vocalists in The Cornelieus Brothers and Sister Rose. We went to her performances. I had seen some great shows (mostly rap to this point). But this was different. Luther commanded the stage in a way that told everyone in that auditorium (it was an intimate, perfect setting), that he was there to touch our souls. I danced and sang all of the songs, Erica played so often.

I was amazed, stunned, speechless and every other hyperbole you can think of.

When it was over, all I could say was “Thank You.”

27 years later, my wife tells me she wants to see the Luther Vandross movie. I am the epitome of a walking oxymoron. I write movie scripts (and tv), but I struggle with sitting still in the theater. I’ll watch many movies at home, but my ADHD and every other popular disorder don’t’ let me be great in the movie theater. Plus, as you all are very well aware, my ass is blind and sitting so close that every movie is 3-D, isn’t fun for anyone including me.

But she wanted to see it and I figured I’d go with her.

For the next 1 hour and 45 minutes I was completely enthralled by Luther’s story. Not only was the music phenomenal, but the insight into his life was moving. I sang (too loud for sure and definitely off key), until she had to nudge me.

For the record, the dude from the couple sitting by us was way louder than me and he couldn’t sing either.

I don’t want to give anything away about the film, but I will say it was masterfully done, and the filmmakers deserve their accolades. I will say that I shed some tears that had nothing to do with his death. The humanity of it all was extremely moving.

There’s so much I want to say about the film. So much about Luther’s life I want to share that was revealed, but I can’t, and I won’t. Years ago in a complete jerk move, I revealed the secret of “THE SIXTH SENSE” to my brother before he saw it. I refuse to do that to anyone again.

When it was all done and the lights came back on, all I could say was “Thank You,” once again.