Forever, for Always, for Love
Forever, for Always, for Love is the second studio album by American R&B/soul singer-songwriter Luther Vandross, released on September 21, 1982, by Epic Records. It became Vandross' second album to chart in the top 20 on the Billboard 200 and was his second album to top the R&B Albums chart where it spent three weeks.
The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA, and earned Vandross his third nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male, but lost to Marvin Gaye for his song "Sexual Healing".
The hit "Since I Lost My Baby" was originally recorded by the Temptations in 1965, while the "Having a Party" part of the opening track was originally recorded by Sam Cooke in 1962. The album's opening track was heard during the opening credits of the 1990 film House Party. Rolling Stone gave the album a four-star rating, describing Vandross as "the most gifted male pop-soul singer of his generation".
In 2004, singer Lalah Hathaway covered the song "Forever, for Always, for Love" for the compilation album Forever, for Always, for Luther. She later included the song on her 2004 third album Outrun the Sky. In the same year Philadelphia rap-duo Young Gunz sampled "Better Love" on their top 40 hit "No Better Love" ft. Rell.
Personnel
- Luther Vandross – vocals, vocal arrangements, arrangements, rhythm arrangements, backing vocals, acoustic piano
- Nat Adderley, Jr. – keyboards, rhythm arrangements, arrangements, electric piano
- Ed Walsh – synthesizers
- Doc Powell – guitars
- Georg Wadenius – guitars
- Marcus Miller – bass, arrangements, rhythm arrangements, backing vocals
- Yogi Horton – drums
- Buddy Williams – drums
- Ralph MacDonald – percussion
- Paulinho da Costa – percussion
- Sammy Figueroa – percussion
- Lawrence Feldman – flute solo
- Tawatha Agee – backing vocals
- Michelle Cobbs – backing vocals
- Cissy Houston – backing vocals
- Yvonne Lewis – backing vocals
- Brenda White – backing vocals
- Phillip Ballou – backing vocals
- Paulette McWilliams – backing vocals
- Fonzi Thornton – backing vocals
- Norma Jean Wright – backing vocals
- Paul Riser – horn and string arrangements
- Leon Pendarvis – horn and string arrangements
- Sephra Herman – musical contractor
- Steve Prisby and Albert Schoonmaker – music copyists
- Dave Bargeron, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Jon Clarke, Ronnie Cuber, Jon Faddis, Lawrence Feldman, Peter Gordon, Tom Malone, Lou Marini, Alan Rubin, Dave Taylor and Gregory Williams – horns
- Jonathan Abramowitz, Lewis Bagowitz, Julien Barber, John Beal, Gene Bianco, Alfred Brown, Frederick Buldrini, Ron Carter, Lewis Eley, Judy Geist, Leo Kahn, Sidney Kaufman, Jesse Levy, Guy Lumia, Homer Mensch, Louann Montesi, Kermit Moore, Max Pollikoff, Sue Pray, Margaret Ross, Ora Shiran, Richard Sortomme, Emanuel Vardi, Helen Weiss, Marilyn Wright and Harry Zaratzian – strings
- Nat Adderley, Jr., Phillip Ballou, Paulette McWilliams, Fonzi Thornton, Luther Vandross and Brenda White
- Tawatha Agee, Brenda White, Cissy Houston, Yvonne Lewis and Michelle Cobbs
Production
- Larkin Arnold – executive producer
- Luther Vandross – producer
- Michael H. Brauer – recording, mixing
- Karat Faye – assistant engineer
- Andy Hoffman – assistant engineer
- Robin Laine – assistant engineer
- Scott Mabuchi – assistant engineer
- Harry Spiridakis – assistant engineer
- Greg Calbi – mastering at Sterling Sound
- Sephra Herman – production coordinator
- John Berg – design
- Peter A. Alferi – design
- Bill King – photography
- Hutaff Lennon Jr. – wardrobe design
- Alive Enterprises, Inc. – management