Dance with My Father (album)
Dance with My Father is the fourteenth and final studio album by American R&B/soul singer Luther Vandross. It was released by J Records on June 10, 2003 in the United States. The album, especially its title track, was dedicated to Vandross' late father 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.
| Dance with My Father | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 10, 2003 | |||
| Recorded | 2002-2003 | |||
| Studio | Various
| |||
| Genre | R&B[1] | |||
| Length | 67:18 | |||
| Label | J | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Luther Vandross chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Dance with My Father | ||||
| ||||
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.[2] 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.
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   |
| BBC Music | (favorable)[4] |
| The Guardian | |
| Entertainment Weekly | B[6] |
| Los Angeles Times | |
| Plugged In | (mixed)[8] |
| Rolling Stone | |
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.[3] 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."[5]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "If I Didn't Know Better" | Ezekiel Lewis, Vandross, Vertelney | 4:07 |
| 2. | "Think About You" | James Porte, Vandross | 5:04 |
| 3. | "If It Ain't One Thing" (featuring Foxy Brown) | Robbie Nevil, Vandross, Vertelney, Marchand | 4:13 |
| 4. | "Buy Me a Rose" | Jim Funk, Erick Hickenlooper | 3:48 |
| 5. | "The Closer I Get to You" (duet with Beyoncé) | Reggie Lucas, James Mtume | 6:25 |
| 6. | "Lovely Day" (featuring Busta Rhymes) | Ronald LaPread, Lionel Richie, Bill Withers, Clarence Scarborough | 5:57 |
| 7. | "Dance with My Father" | Vandross, Richard Marx | 4:26 |
| 8. | "She Saw You" | Marcus Miller, Vandross | 5:44 |
| 9. | "Apologize" | Rex Rideout, Vandross | 4:59 |
| 10. | "Hit It Again" (featuring Queen Latifah) | Rideout, Vandross | 4:37 |
| 11. | "Right in the Middle" | Vandross, Vertelney | 4:50 |
| 12. | "Once Were Lovers" | Rideout, Fonzi Thornton, Vandross | 4:34 |
| 13. | "Lovely Day (Part II)" (featuring Busta Rhymes and Next) | LaPread, Richie, Withers, Scarborough | 3:54 |
| 14. | "They Said You Needed Me" | Ivan Hampden Jr., Vandross | 4:40 |
Personnel
Adapted from AllMusic.[10]
- 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
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[16] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000^ |
|
*sales figures based on certification alone | ||
Award
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | American Music Award | Favorite Soul/R&B Album | Won |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist | Won | ||
| 2004 | BET Awards | Best Male R&B Artist | Nominated |
| Grammy Award | Song of the Year | Won | |
| Best Male R&B Vocal Performance | Won | ||
| Best R&B Song | Nominated | ||
| Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals | Won | ||
| Best R&B Album | Won | ||
| NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Album | Won | |
| Outstanding Male Artist | Won | ||
| Outstanding Music Video | Won | ||
| Outstanding Song | Won | ||
| Soul Train Music Awards | Best Album of the Year | Nominated | |
| Best R&B/Soul Album – Male | Nominated | ||
| Best R&B/Soul Single – Male | Won | ||
| 2005 | Soul Train Music Awards | Best R&B/Soul Single – Group, Band or Duo | Nominated |
References
- Martens, Todd (June 18, 2003). "Ailing Vandross Dances Atop Album Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 2009-03-21.
- Jeffries, David. "Dance with My Father – Luther Vandross". Allmusic.
- Smith, Jack. "Review of Luther Vandross – Dance With My Father". BBC Music. Retrieved 2013-04-04.
- 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. Retrieved 2013-04-04.
- 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. 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.
- "Dance with My Father – Luther Vandross | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
- "Luther Vandross | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
- "Luther Vandross Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
- "Luther Vandross Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". 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.
- "American album certifications – Luther Vandross – Dance with My Father". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.
