Chittlin Circuit - Luther Vandross Funeral Video

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Luther Vandross Funeral Video

The funeral service for eight-time Grammy winner Luther Vandross hit just the right notes Friday July 8, 2005: soulful, joyful and powerful, an echo of the late singer's unforgettable voice.
Family, friends and fans filled The Riverside Church for a celebration of Vandross' too-short life, a memorial service that morphed into a revival meeting before ending with an all-star rendition of his hit single "Power of Love/Love Power." Vandross' wide appeal was evident in the first few rows of mourners, where current hitmakers Usher and Alicia Keys shared space with music legends Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and Patti LaBelle.

"There are no sad faces here today," said longtime friend LaBelle, resplendent in a bright yellow dress with a diamond necklace and earrings. "It's not a mournful service. I'm celebrating because Luther would want us too."

Vandross, 54, died July 1 at a New Jersey hospital, two years after he suffered a debilitating stroke. He sold more than 25 million records in his long career, with hits like "Stop For Love," "Here and Now" and "Dance With My Father."

As Vandross' gold coffin sat at the foot of the altar, LaBelle read a poem written by the R&B icon's mother, Mary Ida, who was seated in the front row. Vandross' other family members, nine nieces and their 11 children, filled in the seats around the family matriarch to remember the man known to them as "Uncle Ronnie."

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