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Vandross: Bowie Discovered Me Singing on a Couch
12 Apr
Summary
- Luther Vandross was discovered by David Bowie in 1974.
- Vandross was a shy, uncredited 'fourth Harlette' for Bette Midler.
- Vandross hid behind a curtain during performances as a backup singer.
In a resurfaced clip from the late 1990s, the late Luther Vandross shared details of his career beginnings. He recounted how David Bowie "accidentally" discovered him in 1974. Vandross was visiting a former schoolmate, guitarist Carlos Alomar, in a studio. Bowie, working on his "Young Americans" album, overheard Vandross singing from a couch and invited him to be part of the recording.
Vandross also revealed his time as the uncredited "fourth Harlette" for Bette Midler. He explained that his shyness led him to hide behind a curtain during performances, singing with a microphone and music stand. While other famous backup singers like Katey Sagal were mentioned, Vandross noted he was often unseen by audiences during his tenure with Midler.
