''Never Let Me Go'' is the eighth studio album by American R&B singer and songwriter

Luther Vandross Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Known for his sweet and soulful vocals, Vandross has sold over 40 million records worldwide. He achieved eleven consecutive P ...

, released on May 26, 1993 in the US by Epic. It was his first studio album not to debut at #1 on the

R&B Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated J ...

chart. The album became the third consecutive top-ten album on the ''Billboard'' 200 for Vandross, peaking at number six, and was released to mixed to positive reviews, earning Vandross numerous awards and accolades including three

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

nominations at the 36th Grammy Awards in 1994. Vandross' cover of the

Bee Gees The Bee Gees were a musical group formed in 1958 by brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio were especially successful in popular music in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later as prominent performers in the disco music era in ...

hit, " How Deep Is Your Love" was nominated for

Best Male R&B Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance was awarded between 1968 and 2011. The award has had several minor name changes: *In 1968 it was awarded as Best R&B Solo Vocal Performance, Male *From 1969 to 1994 it was awarded as Best R&B V ...

at the 36th Grammy Awards in March 1994. In addition, the album's first two

singles Singles are people not in a committed relationship. Singles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series * ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe * ''Singles'' ...

" Little Miracles (Happen Every Day)" and " Heaven Knows" received nominations in the

Best R&B Song The Grammy Award for Best R&B Song (sometimes known as the R&B Songwriter's Award) has been awarded since 1969. From 1969 to 2000, it was known as the Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues Song. Beyoncé has won it a record four times, while Bab ...

category.

Track listing

Personnel

* Luther Vandross – lead vocals, vocal arrangements *

Marcus Miller William Henry Marcus Miller Jr. (born June 14, 1959) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his work as a bassist. He has worked with trumpeter Miles Davis, pianist Herbie Hancock, singer Luther Vandros ...

– keyboards (1-7, 9), bass (1-8, 10), drum programming (1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9), percussion programming (1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9), music arrangements (1-7, 9), additional drum programming (2, 4), additional keyboards (8, 10), backing vocals (9) *

Jason Miles Jason Miles (born June 30, 1951) is an American jazz keyboardist, composer, and record producer. Throughout his career, he has worked with trumpeter Miles Davis, bassist Marcus Miller, and singer Luther Vandross, as well as maintaining a successfu ...

– sound programming (1-5, 8, 9) *

Philippe Saisse Philippe Saisse is a French jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, record producer, and arranger. Career He was born in Marseille and raised in Paris. After studying at the Conservatoire de Paris he won a scholarship to the Berklee College of Mus ...

– acoustic piano (2), synthesizer (2), keyboard programming (2) * Reed Vertelney – keyboard programming (2, 4), drum programming (2, 4), music arrangements (2, 4) * Eric Persing – sound programming (3, 6, 7, 10) *

Hubert Eaves III Hubert Eaves III is a keyboardist, songwriter and record producer. In the early 1980s, he worked on hits by the dance act D-Train. He also did session work with Mtume. Biography Eaves was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he was taught piano ...

– keyboard programming (8), music arrangements (8) * Nat Adderley, Jr. – keyboards (10), music arrangements (10) *

Paul Jackson, Jr. Paul Milton Jackson Jr. (born December 30, 1959) is an American fusion/urban jazz composer, arranger, producer and guitarist. He was born and raised in Los Angeles. Jackson knew by the age of fifteen that he wanted to become a professional musi ...

– guitar *

Doc Powell Doc Powell is an American jazz guitarist and composer. He was born and raised in Spring Valley, New York. He attended college at University of Charleston. Career He has worked with Wilson Pickett, who chose him to be his musical director. He ha ...

– guitar (10) * Ivan Hampden – drum fills (2) * Michael White – cymbals (3) *

Kirk Whalum Kirk is a Scottish and former Northern English word meaning "church". It is often used specifically of the Church of Scotland. Many place names and personal names are also derived from it. Basic meaning and etymology As a common noun, ''kirk'' ...

– saxophone solo (10) * Joe Soldo – string contractor (10) *

Tawatha Agee Tawatha Agee (born November 14, 1954) is an American backing vocalist and songwriter. Her voice has been described in ''The New York Times'' as an "acrobatic, gospel-charged soprano." She was the lead singer of funk and soul band Mtume; her soulf ...

– backing vocals *

Lisa Fischer Lisa Fischer (born December 1, 1958) is an American singer and songwriter. She found success with her 1991 debut album ''So Intense'', which produced the Grammy Award–winning hit single "How Can I Ease the Pain". She has been a back-up singer ...

– backing vocals (1, 3, 5) *

Cissy Houston Emily "Cissy" Houston ( ''née'' Drinkard; born September 30, 1933) is an American soul and gospel singer. After a successful career singing backup for such artists as Roy Hamilton, Dionne Warwick, Elvis Presley, and Aretha Franklin, Houston embar ...

– backing vocals *

Paulette McWilliams Paulette McWilliams is an American singer and songwriter. She began her career singing with the bands The American Breed and Rufus, and has appeared as a backing vocalist on recordings and on tour for numerous artists. She worked with Marvin Gaye ...

– backing vocals * Cindy Mizelle – backing vocals (1, 3, 5, 9) * Kevin Owens – backing vocals (1, 5) * Tamira C. Sanders – backing vocals (1, 5, 9) *

Fonzi Thornton Alfonso "Fonzi" Thornton is a U.S. songwriter/producer and vocal contractor. In a career spanning 40 years, Thornton has sung backing vocals for top artists across many genres of music. His vocal credits can be found on the recordings of Aret ...

– backing vocals (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10), vocal contractor * Brenda White-King – backing vocals * Phillip Ballou – backing vocals (2, 9) * Michelle Cobbs – backing vocals (2) * Myrna Smith-Schilling – backing vocals (7, 10)

Production

– producer * Luther Vandross – producer * Ray Bardani – engineer, mixing * Michael Morongell – engineer *

Shelly Yakus Sheldon Gershon "Shelly" Yakus (born November 1945) is an American music engineer and mixer. Formerly chief engineer and vice president of A&M Records, he was nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. Yakus is referenced ...

– engineer * Bruce Roberts – recording (6) * Steve Barncard – assistant engineer * Bob Borbonus – assistant engineer * Fred Bova – assistant engineer * Thom Cadley – assistant engineer * Jonathan Little – assistant engineer * Gary Mannon – assistant engineer * Gary Myerberg – assistant engineer * Chad Munsey – assistant engineer * Mark Tindle – assistant engineer *

Dave Collins David S. Collins (born October 20, 1952) is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball from to . Collins is one of three players to have made it to the major leagues who played for the Rapid City Post 22 American Legion baseball program in ...

– mastering at A&M Mastering Studios (Hollywood, California). * Marsha Burns – production coordinator, manager * George Corsillo – art direction, design *

Matthew Rolston Matthew Russell Rolston is an American artist, photographer, Music video director, director and creative director, known for his lighting techniques and detailed approach to art direction and design. Rolston has been identified throughout his care ...

– photography * Hutaff Lennon – personal assistant * Elijah Reeder – personal assistant * Billy Bass – manager * Shep Gordon – manager * Alive Enterprises, Inc. – management company

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

1993 albums Epic Records albums Luther Vandross albums Albums produced by Luther Vandross Albums produced by Marcus Miller {{1990s-R&B-album-stub