Never Let Me Go (Luther Vandross album)

Never Let Me Go
Never Let Me Go
Studio album by Luther Vandross
Released	May 26, 1993 (US)
Recorded	October 1992–February 1993
Studio	A&M Studios (Los Angeles); Right Track (New York City); The Hit Factory (New York City); The Village (Los Angeles);
Genre	R&B; soul; pop;
Length	55:28
Label	Epic; Legacy;
Producer	Luther Vandross; Marcus Miller;
Luther Vandross chronology
Singles from Never Let Me Go
	"Little Miracles (Happen Every Day)"; Released: April 27, 1993; "Heaven Knows"; Released: September 7, 1993;

Never Let Me Go is the eighth studio album by American R&B/soul singer-songwriter Luther Vandross, 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 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 nominations at the 36th Grammy Awards in 1994. Vandross's cover of the Bee Gees hit, "How Deep Is Your Love" was nominated for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 36th Grammy Awards in March 1994. In addition, the album's first two singles "Little Miracles (Happen Every Day)" and "Heaven Knows" received nominations in the Best R&B Song category.

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
Chicago Tribune	^[2]
Robert Christgau	^[3]
Entertainment Weekly	B+^[4]
Los Angeles Times	^[5]
Music Week	^[6]
Rolling Stone	^[7]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Little Miracles (Happen Every Day)"	Luther Vandross, Marcus Miller	4:43
2.	"Heaven Knows"	Vandross, Reed Vertelney	5:00
3.	"Love Me Again"	Vandross, Miller	6:07
4.	"Can't Be Doin' That Now"	Vandross, Vertelney, Alan Scott	4:47
5.	"Too Far Down"	Vandross, Miller	6:14
6.	"Love Is On the Way (Real Love)"	Vandross, Miller	4:41
7.	"Hustle"	Vandross, Miller	5:45
8.	"Emotion Eyes"	Vandross, Hubert Eaves III	4:56
9.	"Lady, Lady"	Vandross, Miller	5:34
10.	"How Deep Is Your Love/Love Don't Love Nobody (Instrumental interlude medley)"	Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, Charles Simmons, Joseph Scott Jr, Joseph Jefferson	3:12
11.	"Never Let Me Go" (Johnny Ace cover)	Joseph Scott Jr.	4:29

Personnel

Luther Vandross – lead vocals, vocal arrangements
Marcus Miller – 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 – sound programming (1-5, 8, 9)
Philippe Saisse – 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 – keyboard programming (8), music arrangements (8)
Nat Adderley, Jr. – keyboards (10), music arrangements (10)
Paul Jackson, Jr. – guitar
Doc Powell – guitar (10)
Ivan Hampden – drum fills (2)
Michael White – cymbals (3)
Kirk Whalum – saxophone solo (10)
Joe Soldo – string contractor (10)
Tawatha Agee – backing vocals
Lisa Fischer – backing vocals (1, 3, 5)
Cissy Houston – backing vocals
Paulette McWilliams – 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 – 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

Marcus Miller – producer
Luther Vandross – producer
Ray Bardani – engineer, mixing
Michael Morongell – engineer
Shelly Yakus – 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 – mastering at A&M Mastering Studios (Hollywood, California).
Marsha Burns – production coordinator, manager
George Corsillo – art direction, design
Matthew Rolston – photography
Hutaff Lennon – personal assistant
Elijah Reeder – personal assistant
Billy Bass – manager
Shep Gordon – manager
Alive Enterprises, Inc. – management company

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1993)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)^[8]	107
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)^[9]	53
UK Albums (OCC)^[10]	11
US Billboard 200^[11]	6
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[12]	3

Year-end charts

Chart (1993)	Position
US Billboard 200^[13]	98
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[14]	24

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)^[15]	Platinum	1,000,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

^ link
^ "The Best Of Vandross On Record". Retrieved April 20, 2017.
^ "Robert Christgau: CG: luther vandross". Retrieved April 20, 2017.
^ "Never Let Me Go". 11 June 1993. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
^ Hunt, Dennis (May 30, 1993). "Vandross: Mr. Romantic". Retrieved April 20, 2017 – via LA Times.
^ Jones, Alan (June 5, 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Albums" (PDF). Music Week. p. 7. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
^ "Never Let Me Go". Retrieved April 20, 2017.
^ "Luther Vandross ARIA Chart History complete to 2024". ARIA. Retrieved July 26, 2024 – via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Luther Vandross – Your Secret Love" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
^ "Luther Vandross | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
^ "Luther Vandross Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
^ "Luther Vandross Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1993". Billboard. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
^ "R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: Year End 1993". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
^ "American album certifications – Luther Vandross – Never Let Me Go". Recording Industry Association of America.

This 1990s R&B/soul album–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[1] ^ link

[2] "The Best Of Vandross On Record". Retrieved April 20, 2017.

[3] "Robert Christgau: CG: luther vandross". Retrieved April 20, 2017.

[4] "Never Let Me Go". 11 June 1993. Retrieved April 20, 2017.

[5] Hunt, Dennis (May 30, 1993). "Vandross: Mr. Romantic". Retrieved April 20, 2017 – via LA Times.

[6] Jones, Alan (June 5, 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Albums" (PDF). Music Week. p. 7. Retrieved January 29, 2023.

[7] "Never Let Me Go". Retrieved April 20, 2017.

[ARIA_history_pages-8] "Luther Vandross ARIA Chart History complete to 2024". ARIA. Retrieved July 26, 2024 – via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.

[ac_Netherlands_Luther_Vandross-9] "Dutchcharts.nl – Luther Vandross – Your Secret Love" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 20, 2018.

[ac_UK_Luther_Vandross-10] "Luther Vandross | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved August 20, 2018.

[ac_Billboard200_Luther_Vandross-11] "Luther Vandross Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2018.

[ac_BillboardRandBHipHop_Luther_Vandross-12] "Luther Vandross Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2018.

[13] "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1993". Billboard. Retrieved January 22, 2021.

[year-end2-14] "R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: Year End 1993". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2018.

[United_StatesLuther_VandrossNever_Let_Me_GoalbumCertRef-15] "American album certifications – Luther Vandross – Never Let Me Go". Recording Industry Association of America.

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