2003 studio album by Luther Vandross
Dance with My Father Released June 10, 2003 (2003-06-10 ) Recorded April 2002–April 2003 Studio Genre R&B [ 1] Length 67 :18 Label J Producer
Dance with My Father is the thirteenth and final studio album by American singer Luther Vandross . It was released by J Records on June 10, 2003 in the United States and served as the follow-up to his self-titled studio album (2001). The album, especially its title track, was dedicated to Vandross's late father Luther Vandross, Sr. and features production credits from Nat Adderley Jr. , Shep Crawford , and Marcus Miller as well as guest appearances by singer Beyoncé , R&B trio Next , and rappers Foxy Brown , Queen Latifah , and Busta Rhymes .
Upon its release, Dance with My Father debuted atop the US Billboard 200 chart with first week sales of 442,000 units, becoming his first and only album to do so. It also marked his eighth and first album in the twelve years to top the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Critically acclaimed, Dance with My Father earned Vandross two American Music Awards in the Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist and the Favorite Soul/R&B Album categories as well as four Grammy Awards wins out of five nominations, including Song of the Year and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Dance with My Father ", Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "The Closer I Get to You ", his duet with Beyoncé, and Best R&B Album .
Dance with My Father was released to generally positive reviews from music critics. In his review for Allmusic , David Jeffries summed that "Dance with My Father isn't able to maintain the high standards it often achieves, but Vandross' voice is always compelling and the background singers live up to the superior arrangements throughout. With nearly 70 minutes of music on the disc to choose from, more savvy listeners will be able to program their CD players for a more focused and rewarding listen." He rated the album four out of five stars.[ 2] Writing for The Guardian , Adam Sweeting declared the album "one of Vandross's very finest recordings." He found that "always a class act, a kind of top-of-the-range Lexus among soulmen, Vandross has clung to his traditional strengths – lush melodies and artful arrangements, sung with that elegantly beseeching voice – while incorporating some discreet nods to modernity."[ 3]
BBC Music critic Jack Smith called Dance with My Father "another faultless, high-gloss collection of love songs to follow his 2001 Luther Vandross release [...] Now in his early-50s, Vandross is so much the master of his craft, you cant help but want him to stretch out a little, take a few chances, maybe get a collaborator with some more imaginative ideas for instrumentation to match his own impeccable vocal arrangements. But if you like your R&B to be smooth and your songs to be grown-up, you're not going to argue too much."[ 1] Los Angeles Times editor described the album as "a beautifully sung, ultra-nostalgic ballad cataloging childhood memories of his long-departed dad. But more to the point, [it] better updates the singer-songwriter-producer's time-tested strengths as a butter-voiced chronicler of romance."[ 5] Gail Mitchell, writing for Billboard , found that Dance with My Father was "signature Luther: hot-buttered vocals dripping over lush ballads, with occasional midtempo spikes [...] Vandross proves, again, that he's a gifted vocalist who transcends time."[ 9]
Upon its release, Dance with My Father debuted atop the US Billboard 200 chart with first week sales of 442,000 units, becoming Vandross' first and only album to do so,[ 14] while also marking his best sales week in the Nielsen SoundScan era.[ 14] The album was his eighth and first album in the twelve years to top the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[ 15] By October 2003, Dance with My Father had sold 1.2 million copies in the United States.[ 16] On April 14, 2004, it was certified Double Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RAA) for domestic shipments figures in excess of 2.0 million units.[ 17]
Dance with My Father track listingTitle Writer(s) Producer(s) 1. "If I Didn't Know Better" Vandross 4:07 2. "Think About You " Vandross 5:04 3. "If It Ain't One Thing" (featuring Foxy Brown ) Vandross 4:13 4. "Buy Me a Rose " Jim Funk Erick Hickenlooper Shep Crawford 3:48 5. "The Closer I Get to You " (duet with Beyoncé ) Nat Adderley, Jr. 6:25 6. "Lovely Day " (featuring Busta Rhymes ) 5:57 7. "Dance with My Father " Vandross 4:26 8. "She Saw You" 5:44 9. "Apologize" Vandross 4:59 10. "Hit It Again" (featuring Queen Latifah ) Vandross 4:37 11. "Right in the Middle" Vandross 4:50 12. "Once Were Lovers" Rideout Fonzi Thornton Vandross Vandross 4:34 13. "Lovely Day (Part II)" (featuring Busta Rhymes and Next ) LaPread Richie Withers Scarborough Vandross 3:54 14. "They Said You Needed Me" 4:40 Total length: 67:18
Sample credits
"Lovely Day (Part II)" contains excerpts from the composition "Say Yeah" as performed by The Commodores .
Adapted from AllMusic.[ 18]
Nat Adderley Jr. – arranger, keyboards, piano, producer, string arrangements
Tawatha Agee – background vocals
Sanford Allen – concert master
Alli – art direction
June Ambrose – stylist
Skip Anderson – arranger, keyboards, programming, soloist, vibraphone
Ray Bardani – engineer, mixing, string engineer
Beyoncé – primary artist
Big Bub – background vocals
Jeff Bova – sound design
Al Brown – string contractor
Al Brown & His Tunetoppers – string contractor
Foxy Brown – featured artist, guest artist, vocals
Sharon Bryant – background vocals
Busta Rhymes – featured artist, guest artist, vocals
Shep Crawford – instrumentation, producer
Carl Cyrius – assistant engineer
Jason Dale – assistant engineer
Jill Dell'Abate – production coordination
DJ Kay Gee – remix producer
James Ervin – choreographer
Jim Ervin – choreographer
Eddie F. – remix producer
Paul J. Falcone – vocal engineer, vocal recording
Phil Hamilton – guitar
Reggie Hamilton – bass
Ivan Hampden – arranger, drum programming, drums, keyboard programming
Cissy Houston – guest artist, background vocals
Loren Howard – mixing assistant
Roger Innocent – hair stylist
Michael J – background vocals
Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar
Brion James – guitar
Chris James – piano
Joyce James – performer, background vocals
Bashiri Johnson – percussion
Jeff Jones – hair stylist, make-Up
Beyoncé Knowles – primary artist
Chris LeBeau – art producer, artwork
Darren Lighty – remix producer
Richard Marx – drum programming, keyboard programming
Michael McCoy – assistant engineer
Rick McDonald – background vocals
Daniel Milazzo – assistant engineer
Byron Miller – bass
Marcus Miller – arranger, drum programming, engineer, keyboard programming, producer, background vocals
Claudius Mittendorfer – assistant engineer
Cindy Mizelle – background vocals
Robbie Nevil – guitar, keyboards
Flip Osman – assistant engineer
April Owens – group member, performer, background vocals
Dave Perini – assistant engineer
James Porte – arranger, drum programming, keyboard programming
Herb Powers Jr. – mastering
Queen Latifah – featured artist, guest artist, primary artist, vocals
Jerome Ramos – bass
Rex Rideout – arranger, drum programming, keyboard programming
RL – background vocals
Matt Snedecor – assistant engineer
Jason Stasium – assistant engineer
Max Szadek – assistant, personal assistant
Candace Thomas – group member, performer, background vocals
Fonzi Thornton – vocal contractor, background vocals
Luther Vandross – executive producer, primary artist, producer, vocal arrangement, vocals, background vocals
Gabriel Varde – engineer, tracking
Víctor Vega – guitar
Reed Vertelney – arranger, drum programming, keyboard programming
Jamie Wallace – assistant engineer
Stan Wallace – engineer
Rick Watford – guitar
Ricky Watford "Bishop" – guitar
Kevin Westenberg – photography
Brenda White-King – background vocals
James "D-Train" Williams – background vocals
Jay Williams – guitar
Stevie Wonder – guest artist, harmonica, soloist
"You Can Ask" Giz – engineer, mixing
^ a b Smith, Jack. "Review of Luther Vandross – Dance With My Father" . BBC Music . Retrieved November 27, 2024 .
^ a b Jeffries, David. "Dance with My Father – Luther Vandross" . Allmusic .
^ a b Sweeting, Adam (2003-06-26). "Luther Vandross: Dance With My Father" . The Guardian . Retrieved 2013-04-04 .
^ Jones, Vanessa (2003-06-20). "Dance With My Father Review" . Entertainment Weekly : 72. Archived from the original on April 9, 2013. Retrieved 2013-04-04 .
^ a b Nichols, Natalie (2003-06-22). "Romance with special poignancy" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 2013-05-17 .
^ Waliszewski, Bob. "Luther Vandross – Dance With My Father – Album Review" . Plugged In (publication) . Archived from the original on 2013-04-11. Retrieved 2013-04-04 .
^ Walters, Barry (2003-06-03). "Dance With My Father" . Rolling Stone . Retrieved 2013-04-04 .
^ Checkoway, Laura (August 21, 2003). "LUTHER VANDROSS – DANCE WITH MY FATHER (J)" . Vibe . Archived from the original on November 30, 2004. Retrieved September 24, 2024 .
^ Mitchell, Gail (June 14, 2003). "Music News: Dance With My Father" . Billboard . Retrieved November 27, 2024 .
^ "Vandross, 50 Cent Honored With Two AMAs" . Billboard . November 17, 2003. Retrieved November 28, 2024 .
^ "R&B/Hip-Hop Acts Lead Grammy Nominees" . Billboard . December 4, 2003. Retrieved November 28, 2024 .
^ Susman, Gary (January 8, 2004). "Beyonce, Soul Food lead NAACP Noms" . Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved November 28, 2024 .
^ "OutKast Snags Two Soul Train Awards" . Billboard . March 21, 2004. Retrieved November 28, 2024 .
^ a b Martens, Todd (June 18, 2003). "Ailing Vandross Dances Atop Album Chart" . Billboard . Retrieved November 27, 2024 .
^ a b "Luther Vandross Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)" . Billboard . Retrieved July 27, 2018.
^ Martens, Todd (October 27, 2003). "Hot Product" . Billboard . Retrieved November 27, 2024 .
^ a b "American album certifications – Luther Vandross – Dance with My Father" . Recording Industry Association of America .
^ "Dance with My Father – Luther Vandross | Credits | AllMusic" . AllMusic . Retrieved 11 December 2016 .
^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 293.
^ "ARIA Urban Chart – Week Commencing 15th September 2003" (PDF) . The ARIA Report (708): 14. September 15, 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 22, 2008. Retrieved April 19, 2023 – via National Library of Australia .
^ "Albums : Top 100" . Jam! . July 10, 2003. Archived from the original on December 10, 2004. Retrieved April 12, 2023 .
^ "R&B : Top 50" . Jam! . June 26, 2003. Archived from the original on July 3, 2003. Retrieved January 29, 2023 .
^ "Luther Vandross | Artist | Official Charts" . UK Albums Chart . Retrieved July 27, 2018.
^ "Luther Vandross Chart History (Billboard 200)" . Billboard . Retrieved July 27, 2018.
^ "Billboard 200: Year End 2003" . Billboard . Retrieved July 27, 2018 .
^ "R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: Year End 2003" . Billboard . Retrieved July 27, 2018 .
^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2004" . Billboard . Retrieved September 15, 2020 .
^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2004" . Billboard . Retrieved September 15, 2020 .
^ "Canadian album certifications – Luther Vandross – Dance with My Father" . Music Canada . Retrieved February 8, 2024 .
^ "British album certifications – Luther Vandross – Dance with My Father" . British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved February 8, 2024 .
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