I interviewed Luther for a television show in 2001. He was promoting the release of his fifteenth CD. He had a lot of trouble with the lights, that evening. He was sweating profusely but he powered through the interview with a smile, dabbing away the sweat with a handkerchief. He answered all my questions; even the ones about his squabbles with En Vogue.

A year later Sony/Legacy asked me to write the liner notes for his greatest hits collection. Luther remembered me from our 2001 meeting and approved my selection. I was honored.

Little did I know he was not in good health. He suffered a stroke in April 2003, a few months before The Essential Luther Vandross was released. He never recovered, and after two years out of the spotlight he passed away on July 1, 2005.