Luther Vandross’ niece talks about his 2004 Oprah interview

Although it has been nearly 20 years since the death of beloved singer and music legend Luther Vandross, his life and legacy are once again in the spotlight thanks to an upcoming documentary: Luther: Never too much.

But before fans reminisce, Vandross’ niece Seveda Williams talks about her feelings about a special memory of her uncle and Oprah Winfrey. In an interview with People around the “Bad Boy” singer’s interview with the famous TV presenter in 2004, after he had suffered a stroke a year earlierWilliams said that at the time she wasn’t entirely convinced about letting him appear on the show, but it was her grandmother who convinced her otherwise.

“He did an interview with Oprah, which I didn’t fully agree with, but my grandmother thought it would help other stroke patients to see that,” Williams explained. When asked why Vandross also agreed to appear on the show, she added, “He just wanted people to know that it’s extremely important to take good care of your health and that diabetes is not fun and neither is having a stroke due to diabetes.”

Reflecting on the final days of the “Here and Now” host, Williams revealed that he remains actively involved in singing despite his health condition.

“During his illness there was always singing, not just between him and me, but with all his friends. There were rehearsals – it was like a therapy session the whole time – the singers were there and pretended they were preparing for a tour. He was absolutely thrilled about it,” she said.

The story of Vandross’ rise to fame – from his humble beginnings as a singer on “Sesame Street” and as a background singer for David Bowie and Roberta Flack to his successful solo career –Luther: Never too much Was was acquired by CNN Films and OWN in MayThe premiere is scheduled for 2025 on CNN, OWN and Max.