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formance, Male. “Treat You Right” Square Garden in October as it ran Franklin’s What You See Is What
went Top Five R&B, and the set was through January 1992. “Power of You Sweat. In 1992, without a
a million seller by March 1990. (By Love/Love Power” was named Best new album out, he kept his name
1997, it was triple platinum.) Be- R&B Song at the 1991 Grammys, before the public with special
tween the release of the hits album and the Power of Love album won appearances, starting with the
and his next regular studio album, Vandross another trophy for Best soundtrack to the film Mo’ Money,
Power of Love, which appeared in R&B Vocal Performance, Male. released in June, which featured
April 1991, Vandross as usual lent a song called “The Best Things
his talents to other artists’ record- One might have supposed that all in Life Are Free” (not the 1927
ings. He sang background vocals was well in the world of Luther standard by Buddy DeSylva, Lew
for Quincy Jones (Back on the Vandross, but on January 2, 1992, Brown, and Ray Henderson, but a
Block), Paul Jackson, Jr. (Out of the he filed suit in Los Angeles Supe- newly written composition) that
Shadows), and David Lasley (Sol- rior Court against Sony Music En- he performed with Janet Jackson,
diers on the Moon). He contributed tertainment (which had acquired Bell Biv DeVoe, and Ralph Tresvant
a song, “There’s Only You,” to the CBS Records), citing California (which is to say, four of the five
soundtrack of the 1990 film Made Labor Code Section 2855, which members of New Edition). It hit
in Heaven. He wrote and produced limits personal service contracts to number one on the R&B chart and
the song “Who Do You Love” for seven years. By then, he had been went Top Ten pop. Next, Vandross
Whitney Houston’s album I’m Your with CBS/Sony for nearly 11 years, wrote and performed the theme
Baby Tonight. And he served as fulfilling a ten-album contract song “Heart of a Hero” for the
an arranger, producer, and back- that still had three albums to go. soundtrack of the movie Hero,
ground vocalist on Lisa Fischer’s Vandross was not the first or the released in October 1992, and the
So Intense, released the same day last recording artist to file such a same month he contributed a per- that chart less than half the tenure back to Europe for another round Walter Afanasieff, whose recent
as Power of Love. suit, and whether he really wanted formance of “The Christmas Song” enjoyed by Power of Love; on the of dates. clients included Carey, Michael
to void his contract, believing that to the seasonal charity album A R&B chart, it crested at number Bolton, and Celine Dion. The result
Vandross’ seventh album, Power Epic still hadn’t done enough to Very Special Christmas, Vol. 2. He three, Vandross’ first new album Vandross also paid visits to his was the modestly titled Songs,
of Love suggested that the pop sell his records to the pop audi- made more modest contributions not to reach number one. Three friends in recording studios, re- released September 27, 1994. The
breakthrough he had achieved ence, or simply intended to use the to two albums released in the first further singles charted -- “Heaven sulting in appearances on the 1994 album was prefaced by a cover of
with “Here and Now” would be suit to induce the record company quarter of 1993, Dionne Warwick’s Knows,” a cover of the Bee Gees’ albums Paid Vacation by Richard the 1981 Lionel Richie/Diana Ross
sustained. The advance single, a to renegotiate his deal on more Friends Can Be Lovers and Eddie “How Deep Is Your Love,” and Marx, Restless by Bob James, and hit “Endless Love,” on which Van-
medley of Vandross and Marcus favorable terms, is unclear. Not Murphy’s Love’s Alright. “Never Let Me Go” -- but none World Tour by Jason Miles. But he dross sang a duet with Carey. The
Miller’s song “Power of Love” with for the first or last time, the record was a substantial hit. The falloff clearly knew something had to be single peaked at number two on
the Sandpebbles’ 1967 hit “Love company in question settled qui- Never Let Me Go, Vandross’ eighth in sales was actually minor; the done to revitalize his own record- the pop charts, a new high for Van-
Power,” not only topped the R&B etly, not wishing to test the law. album, was released on June 1, album took one month longer to ing career. An idea came from Sony dross, even outpacing its number
charts, but also went Top Five The terms of the settlement were 1993, prefaced by the single “Little go platinum than Vandross albums president Tommy Mottola and his seven showing on the R&B charts.
pop, and the LP, Vandross’ seventh not reported, but thereafter, Van- Miracles (Happen Every Day).” usually did. But for the first time, then-wife, superstar Mariah Carey. The album went to number two
R&B number one, was his second dross had his own vanity label, his Maybe the promotional staff at the singer’s momentum was slow- Vandross had put at least one oldie R&B and number five pop, another
to penetrate the pop Top Ten. A records going out under the Epic/ Epic Records was demoralized ing. Despite this, he continued his on every one of his albums: why crossover high for the singer. With
million seller by June 1991, it went LV imprint. by the recent lawsuit, or perhaps usual round of activities, initially not do an all-covers album? For follow-up singles in revivals of
double platinum two years later changing musical styles, notably touring Europe to promote the most other artists, this would have Heatwave’s 1978 hit “Always and
in the wake of the further singles As usual, following the release of the rise of hip-hop, were affect- album; appearing in the small part seemed like a typically clichéd Forever” (Top 20 R&B and a pop
“Don’t Want to Be a Fool” (Top Five Power of Love, Vandross found ing matters, but the commercial of a hitman in the film The Meteor record company concept, com- chart entry) and the double-sided
R&B, Top Ten pop), “The Rush” (Top the time to work with other art- response to Vandross’ new music Man in August; launching a U.S. mercial but artistically stifling. For “Going in Circles”/”Love the One
Ten R&B and a pop chart entry), ists. He appeared on 1991 albums was slightly disappointing. The arena tour that began in Septem- Vandross, who was steeped in pop You’re With” (the former previ-
and “Sometimes It’s Only Love” by BeBe & CeCe Winans (Different single reached the R&B Top Ten ber and ran through November; music history and who had done ously a hit for both the Friends of
(Top Ten R&B). Vandross’ national Lifestyles), Patti LaBelle (Burnin’), but was only a minor pop chart en- and, in November, singing a duet some of his best work reimagin- Distinction and the Gap Band; the
tour to support the album began Richard Marx (Rush Street), and try, and Never Let Me Go, despite with Frank Sinatra of Rodgers & ing the music of others, it was a latter the Stephen Stills hit), which
in September 1991 and included Kevin Owens (That Time Again), marking a new pop chart peak for Hart’s “The Lady Is a Tramp” as natural. He even agreed to give went Top 40 R&B and was another
four sold-out nights at Madison and he co-wrote and produced the Vandross at number six, stayed in the leadoff track on Sinatra’s cel- up the production reins to a Sony pop chart entry, the album was
song “Doctor’s Orders” on Aretha ebrated Duets album. Then it was stalwart, the commercially savvy an immediate million-seller and
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