1981 Luther Vandross – Never Too Much

,

Never Too Much is the debut solo studio album by American singer Luther Vandross. It was released by Epic Records on August 12, 1981. Composed by Vandross himself, the album reached number 19 on the US Billboard 200, also peaking at number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Never Too Much earned Vandross two Grammy Award nominations in 1982, including Best New Artist and Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male.

The album’s title track topped the Black Singles chart for two weeks. Vandross’s rendition of Dionne Warwick’s 1964 “A House Is Not a Home” became one of his signature songs, and received attention for its transformation into an “epic”, since its duration was extended to seven minutes.

Tracks

1  Never Too Much (Luther Vandross) 03:50
2  Sugar And Spice (Luther Vandross) 04:58
3  Don’t You Know That (Luther Vandross) 04:02
4  I’ve Been Working (Luther Vandross) 06:34
5  She’s A Super Lady (Luther Vandross) 05:06
6  You Stopped Loving Me (Luther Vandross) 05:15
7  A House Is Not A Home (Burt Bacharach; Hal David) 07:07

Musicians

1 Never Too Much

BassMarcus Miller
DrumsBuddy Williams
GuitarGeorg Wadenius
KeyboardsNat Adderley Jr
HornsPaul Riser
StringsPaul Riser
PercussionBashiri Johnson
PercussionCrusher Bennett
Background VocalsBrenda White
Background VocalsCissy Houston
Background VocalsMichelle Cobbs
Background VocalsSybil Thomas
Background VocalsTawatha Agee
Background VocalsYvonne Lewis
VocalsLuther Vandross


2 Sugar And Spice

BassMarcus Miller
DrumsBuddy Williams
GuitarGeorg Wadenius
SynthesizerEd Walsh
HornsPaul Riser
StringsPaul Riser
CongasBashiri Johnson
PercussionBashiri Johnson
Background VocalsBrenda White
Background VocalsCissy Houston
Background VocalsMichelle Cobbs
Background VocalsSybil Thomas
Background VocalsTawatha Agee
Background VocalsYvonne Lewis
VocalsLuther Vandross


3 Don’t You Know That

BassMarcus Miller
DrumsBuddy Williams
GuitarGeorg Wadenius
GuitarSteve Love
KeyboardsNat Adderley Jr
CongasBilly King
Background VocalsPhillip Ballou
Background VocalsTawatha Agee
VocalsLuther Vandross


4 I’ve Been Working

BassMarcus Miller
DrumsBuddy Williams
GuitarSteve Love
KeyboardsNat Adderley Jr
SynthesizerEd Walsh
CongasCrusher Bennett
PercussionCrusher Bennett
Background VocalsFonzi Thornton
Background VocalsNat Adderley Jr
Background VocalsNorma Jean Wright
Background VocalsTawatha Agee
Background VocalsPhillip Ballou
VocalsLuther Vandross


5 She’s A Super Lady

BassMarcus Miller
DrumsBuddy Williams
GuitarSteve Love
KeyboardsNat Adderley Jr
HornsPaul Riser
StringsPaul Riser
CongasBilly King
PercussionCrusher Bennett
PercussionBashiri Johnson
Background VocalsFonzi Thornton
Background VocalsNat Adderley Jr
Background VocalsNorma Jean Wright
Background VocalsPhillip Ballou
Background VocalsTawatha Agee
VocalsLuther Vandross


6 You Stopped Loving Me

BassMarcus Miller
DrumsBuddy Williams
GuitarSteve Love
KeyboardsNat Adderley Jr
Background VocalsPhillip Ballou
Background VocalsTawatha Agee
VocalsLuther Vandross


7 A House Is Not A Home

BassAnthony Jackson
BassMarcus Miller
DrumsBuddy Williams
GuitarGeorg Wadenius
KeyboardsNat Adderley Jr
PercussionCrusher Bennett
VocalsLuther Vandross

Liner Notes

Producer – Luther Vandross
Producer (Executive) – Larkin Arnold
Arranged By – Luther Vandross (Track 7)
Arranged By – Gary King, Nat Adderley Jr (Track 4)
Arranged By (Horns) – Leon Pendarvis (Track 7)
Arranged By (Rhythm) – Luther Vandross (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7)
Arranged By (Rhythm) – Nat Adderley Jr (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 6)
Arranged By (Strings) – Paul Riser (Track 3)
Arranged By (Strings) – Leon Pendarvis (Tracks 6, 7)
Arranged By (Vocals) – Luther Vandross
Contractor – Fonzi Thornton
Coordinator – Sephra Herman
Engineer – Carl Beatty
Engineer (Assistant) – Andy Hoffman, Don Wershba, Gregg Mann, Lincoln Clapp, Nicky Kalliongis
Mastered By – Greg Calbi
Mixed By – Michael H. Brauer
Recorded By – Michael H. Brauer

Art Direction – Karen Katz
Photography – William Coupon

Mastered At Sterling Sound
Recorded At Mediasound
Phonographic Copyright CBS Inc
Copyright CBS Inc