Uploaded April 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) was an American soul and R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer. Over his career, he achieved eleven consecutive RIAA-certified platinum albums and sold over 40 million records worldwide. Known as the "Velvet Voice", Vandross was recognized by Rolling Stone as one of the 200 greatest singers of all time (2023) and was named one of the greatest R&B artists by Billboard. NPR also included him among its 50 Great Voices. He won eight Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year in 2004 for "Dance with My Father". He has been inducted into both the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame and the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Vandross began his music career in the late 1960s performing at the Apollo Theater in New York City as part of a local musical ensemble. The group later appeared on the television show Sesame Street in the early 1970s. He eventually established himself as a sought-after backing vocalist, contributing to albums by Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway, Todd Rundgren, Evelyn "Champagne" King, Judy Collins, Chaka Khan, Bette Midler, Diana Ross, David Bowie, Ben E. King, Stevie Wonder, and Donna Summer. In 1980, he served as the lead vocalist for the post-disco group Change on their Gold-certified album The Glow of Love, released on Warner/RFC Records.
After Vandross left the group, he was signed to Epic Records as a solo artist and released his debut solo album, Never Too Much, in 1981. The following year, he was credited as the primary producer on Aretha Franklin's album Jump to it, which topped the Billboard R&B Albums chart. His hit songs include "Never Too Much", "Here and Now", "Any Love", "Power of Love/Love Power", "I Can Make It Better", and "For You to Love". He also recorded several covers of songs originally performed by other artists, including "Since I Lost My Baby", "Superstar", "I (Who Have Nothing)", and "Always and Forever".
Vandross collaborated on several notable duets, including "The Closer I Get to You" with Beyoncé, "Endless Love" with Mariah Carey, and "The Best Things in Life Are Free" with Janet Jackson of which the latter two were hit songs in his career. The tribute album So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross was released shortly after his death. In 2024, Kendrick Lamar and SZA released the chart-topping single "Luther", paying homage to Vandross and sampling his rendition of "If This World Were Mine", a duet with Cheryl Lynn. That same year, he was the subject of the documentary Luther: Never Too Much, which chronicles his life, career, and legacy.
Ooh, every year at Christmas time
I hear the people laughin'
Smilin', bein' happy again
Ooh, at Christmas time
Merry, Merry Christmas (Every day of the year)
Merry, Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to the world
I wish happiness and love for every boy and every girl
'Cause the holiday makes me feel this way
Merry, Merry Christmas (Every day of the year)
Merry, Merry Christmas
What a joy it is to find
Happy people joined together for the love of Christmas time
Ooh, and they feel that way every Christmas day
Merry, Merry Christmas
Merry, Merry Christmas
Ooh, every year at Christmas time
I hear the people laughin' (They smile)
Smilin', bein' happy again
Ooh, at Christmas time
Merry, Merry Christmas (Every day of the year)
Merry, Merry Christmas
Ooh, I wish that every day of the year
Could have the love that we feel on Christmas day
(Feel on Christmas day, ooh)
Ooh, every year at Christmas time
I hear the people laughin' (They smile, they smile)
Smilin', bein' happy again
Ooh, at Christmas time
Merry, Merry Christmas (Every day of the year)
Merry, Merry Christmas
(Of the year, may Christmas time be every day)
Every year at Christmas time
Merry, Merry Christmas (Every day of the year)
Merry, Merry Christmas
(Of the year, may Christmas time be every day)
Every year at Christmas time
Merry, Merry Christmas (Every day of the year)
Merry, Merry Christmas
(Of the year, may Christmas time be every day)
At Christmas time
Merry, Merry Christmas (Every day of the year)
Merry, Merry Christmas
(Of the year, may Christmas time be every day)
Every day of the year at Christmas time
Merry, Merry Christmas (Every day of the year)
Christmas time (Merry, Merry Christmas)
Merry, Merry, Merry
(Of the year, may Christmas time be every day)
Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas time
Merry, Merry Christmas (Every day of the year)
Merry, Merry Christmas
Have a Merry, Merry
(Of the year, may Christmas time be every day)
A Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas time
Merry, Merry Christmas (Every day of the year)
A Christmas time (Merry, Merry Christmas)
Of the year, may Christmas time be every day, ooh
Merry, Merry Christmas
Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) was an American soul and R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer. Over his career, he achieved eleven consecutive RIAA-certified platinum albums and sold over 40 million records worldwide. Known as the "Velvet Voice", Vandross was recognized by Rolling Stone as one of the 200 greatest singers of all time (2023) and was named one of the greatest R&B artists by Billboard. NPR also included him among its 50 Great Voices. He won eight Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year in 2004 for "Dance with My Father". He has been inducted into both the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame and the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Vandross began his music career in the late 1960s performing at the Apollo Theater in New York City as part of a local musical ensemble. The group later appeared on the television show Sesame Street in the early 1970s. He eventually established himself as a sought-after backing vocalist, contributing to albums by Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway, Todd Rundgren, Evelyn "Champagne" King, Judy Collins, Chaka Khan, Bette Midler, Diana Ross, David Bowie, Ben E. King, Stevie Wonder, and Donna Summer. In 1980, he served as the lead vocalist for the post-disco group Change on their Gold-certified album The Glow of Love, released on Warner/RFC Records.
After Vandross left the group, he was signed to Epic Records as a solo artist and released his debut solo album, Never Too Much, in 1981. The following year, he was credited as the primary producer on Aretha Franklin's album Jump to it, which topped the Billboard R&B Albums chart. His hit songs include "Never Too Much", "Here and Now", "Any Love", "Power of Love/Love Power", "I Can Make It Better", and "For You to Love". He also recorded several covers of songs originally performed by other artists, including "Since I Lost My Baby", "Superstar", "I (Who Have Nothing)", and "Always and Forever".
Vandross collaborated on several notable duets, including "The Closer I Get to You" with Beyoncé, "Endless Love" with Mariah Carey, and "The Best Things in Life Are Free" with Janet Jackson of which the latter two were hit songs in his career. The tribute album So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross was released shortly after his death. In 2024, Kendrick Lamar and SZA released the chart-topping single "Luther", paying homage to Vandross and sampling his rendition of "If This World Were Mine", a duet with Cheryl Lynn. That same year, he was the subject of the documentary Luther: Never Too Much, which chronicles his life, career, and legacy.
Ooh, every year at Christmas time
I hear the people laughin'
Smilin', bein' happy again
Ooh, at Christmas time
Merry, Merry Christmas (Every day of the year)
Merry, Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to the world
I wish happiness and love for every boy and every girl
'Cause the holiday makes me feel this way
Merry, Merry Christmas (Every day of the year)
Merry, Merry Christmas
What a joy it is to find
Happy people joined together for the love of Christmas time
Ooh, and they feel that way every Christmas day
Merry, Merry Christmas
Merry, Merry Christmas
Ooh, every year at Christmas time
I hear the people laughin' (They smile)
Smilin', bein' happy again
Ooh, at Christmas time
Merry, Merry Christmas (Every day of the year)
Merry, Merry Christmas
Ooh, I wish that every day of the year
Could have the love that we feel on Christmas day
(Feel on Christmas day, ooh)
Ooh, every year at Christmas time
I hear the people laughin' (They smile, they smile)
Smilin', bein' happy again
Ooh, at Christmas time
Merry, Merry Christmas (Every day of the year)
Merry, Merry Christmas
(Of the year, may Christmas time be every day)
Every year at Christmas time
Merry, Merry Christmas (Every day of the year)
Merry, Merry Christmas
(Of the year, may Christmas time be every day)
Every year at Christmas time
Merry, Merry Christmas (Every day of the year)
Merry, Merry Christmas
(Of the year, may Christmas time be every day)
At Christmas time
Merry, Merry Christmas (Every day of the year)
Merry, Merry Christmas
(Of the year, may Christmas time be every day)
Every day of the year at Christmas time
Merry, Merry Christmas (Every day of the year)
Christmas time (Merry, Merry Christmas)
Merry, Merry, Merry
(Of the year, may Christmas time be every day)
Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas time
Merry, Merry Christmas (Every day of the year)
Merry, Merry Christmas
Have a Merry, Merry
(Of the year, may Christmas time be every day)
A Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas time
Merry, Merry Christmas (Every day of the year)
A Christmas time (Merry, Merry Christmas)
Of the year, may Christmas time be every day, ooh
Merry, Merry Christmas
