Dance with My Father (album)

Dance with My Father is the thirteenth and final studio album by American R&B/soul singer Luther Vandross. It was released by J Records on June 10, 2003 in the United States and served as the follow-up to his self-titled studio album (2001). The album, especially its title track, was dedicated to Vandross's late father and features production credits from Nat Adderley Jr., Shep Crawford, and Marcus Miller as well as guest appearances by singer Beyoncé, R&B trio Next, and rappers Foxy Brown, Queen Latifah, and Busta Rhymes.

Upon its release, Dance with My Father debuted atop the US Billboard 200 chart with first week sales of 442,000 units, becoming his first and only album to do so. It also marked his eighth and first album in the twelve years to top the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Critically acclaimed, Dance with My Father earned Vandross two American Music Awards in the Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist and the Favorite Soul/R&B Album categories as well as four Grammy Awards wins out of five nominations, including Song of the Year and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Dance with My Father", Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "The Closer I Get to You", his duet with Beyoncé, and Best R&B Album.

Critical reception
Dance with My Father was released to generally positive reviews from music critics. In his review for Allmusic, David Jeffries summed that "Dance with My Father isn't able to maintain the high standards it often achieves, but Vandross' voice is always compelling and the background singers live up to the superior arrangements throughout. With nearly 70 minutes of music on the disc to choose from, more savvy listeners will be able to program their CD players for a more focused and rewarding listen." He rated the album four out of five stars. Writing for The Guardian, Adam Sweeting declared the album "one of Vandross's very finest recordings." He found that "always a class act, a kind of top-of-the-range Lexus among soulmen, Vandross has clung to his traditional strengths – lush melodies and artful arrangements, sung with that elegantly beseeching voice – while incorporating some discreet nods to modernity."

Track listing
Sample credits
 * "Lovely Day (Part II)" contains excerpts from the composition "Say Yeah" as performed by The Commodores.

Personnel
Adapted from AllMusic.


 * Nat Adderley Jr. – arranger, keyboards, piano, producer, string arrangements
 * Tawatha Agee – background vocals
 * Sanford Allen – concert master
 * Alli – art direction
 * June Ambrose – stylist
 * Skip Anderson – arranger, keyboards, programming, soloist, vibraphone
 * Ray Bardani – engineer, mixing, string engineer
 * Beyoncé – primary artist
 * Big Bub – background vocals
 * Jeff Bova – sound design
 * Al Brown – string contractor
 * Al Brown & His Tunetoppers – string contractor
 * Foxy Brown – featured artist, guest artist, vocals
 * Sharon Bryant – background vocals
 * Busta Rhymes – featured artist, guest artist, vocals
 * Shep Crawford – instrumentation, producer
 * Carl Cyrius – assistant engineer
 * Jason Dale – assistant engineer
 * Jill Dell'Abate – production coordination
 * DJ Kay Gee – remix producer
 * James Ervin – choreographer
 * Jim Ervin – choreographer
 * Eddie F. – remix producer
 * Paul J. Falcone – vocal engineer, vocal recording
 * Phil Hamilton – guitar
 * Reggie Hamilton – bass
 * Ivan Hampden – arranger, drum programming, drums, keyboard programming
 * Cissy Houston – guest artist, background vocals
 * Loren Howard – mixing assistant
 * Roger Innocent – hair stylist
 * Michael J – background vocals
 * Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar
 * Brion James – guitar
 * Chris James – piano
 * Joyce James – performer, background vocals
 * Bashiri Johnson – percussion
 * Jeff Jones – hair stylist, make-Up
 * Beyoncé Knowles – primary artist
 * Chris LeBeau – art producer, artwork
 * Darren Lighty – remix producer
 * Richard Marx – drum programming, keyboard programming
 * Michael McCoy – assistant engineer
 * Rick McDonald – background vocals
 * Daniel Milazzo – assistant engineer
 * Byron Miller – bass
 * Marcus Miller – arranger, drum programming, engineer, keyboard programming, producer, background vocals
 * Claudius Mittendorfer – assistant engineer
 * Cindy Mizelle – background vocals
 * Robbie Nevil – guitar, keyboards
 * Flip Osman – assistant engineer
 * April Owens – group member, performer, background vocals
 * Dave Perini – assistant engineer
 * James Porte – arranger, drum programming, keyboard programming
 * Herb Powers Jr. – mastering
 * Queen Latifah – featured artist, guest artist, primary artist, vocals
 * Jerome Ramos – bass
 * Rex Rideout – arranger, drum programming, keyboard programming
 * RL – background vocals
 * Matt Snedecor – assistant engineer
 * Jason Stasium – assistant engineer
 * Max Szadek – assistant, personal assistant
 * Candace Thomas – group member, performer, background vocals
 * Fonzi Thornton –  vocal contractor, background vocals
 * Luther Vandross –  executive producer, primary artist, producer, vocal arrangement, vocals, background vocals
 * Gabriel Varde – engineer, tracking
 * Víctor Vega – guitar
 * Reed Vertelney – arranger, drum programming, keyboard programming
 * Jamie Wallace – assistant engineer
 * Stan Wallace – engineer
 * Rick Watford – guitar
 * Ricky Watford "Bishop" – guitar
 * Kevin Westenberg – photography
 * Brenda White-King – background vocals
 * James "D-Train" Williams – background vocals
 * Jay Williams – guitar
 * Stevie Wonder – guest artist, harmonica, soloist
 * "You Can Ask" Giz – engineer, mixing

Award

 * rowspan="2" | 2003 || rowspan="2" | American Music Award || Favorite Soul/R&B Album || Won
 * Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist || Won
 * rowspan="13" | 2004 || BET Awards || Best Male R&B Artist ||
 * rowspan="5" | Grammy Award || Song of the Year || Won
 * Best Male R&B Vocal Performance || Won
 * Best R&B Song ||
 * Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals || Won
 * Best R&B Album || Won
 * rowspan="4" | NAACP Image Awards || Outstanding Album || Won
 * Outstanding Male Artist || Won
 * Outstanding Music Video || Won
 * Outstanding Song || Won
 * rowspan="3" | Soul Train Music Awards || Best Album of the Year ||
 * Best R&B/Soul Album – Male ||
 * Best R&B/Soul Single – Male || Won
 * 2005 || Soul Train Music Awards || Best R&B/Soul Single – Group, Band or Duo ||
 * }
 * rowspan="4" | NAACP Image Awards || Outstanding Album || Won
 * Outstanding Male Artist || Won
 * Outstanding Music Video || Won
 * Outstanding Song || Won
 * rowspan="3" | Soul Train Music Awards || Best Album of the Year ||
 * Best R&B/Soul Album – Male ||
 * Best R&B/Soul Single – Male || Won
 * 2005 || Soul Train Music Awards || Best R&B/Soul Single – Group, Band or Duo ||
 * }
 * Best R&B/Soul Album – Male ||
 * Best R&B/Soul Single – Male || Won
 * 2005 || Soul Train Music Awards || Best R&B/Soul Single – Group, Band or Duo ||
 * }
 * 2005 || Soul Train Music Awards || Best R&B/Soul Single – Group, Band or Duo ||
 * }
 * }