A Decades-Old Cassette Revealed An Unreleased Luther Vandross’ Cover Of The Beatles’ ‘Michelle’

The catalog division of Sony Music has released Luther Vandross‘ soulful, never-before-heard rendition of The Beatles’ ‘Michelle’.

As CNN reports, the cassette tape was labeled June 1, 1989.  Amidst a vast collection of Vandross’ music, the musical gem was found by Vandross’ longtime dear friend and background vocalist, Fonzi Thornton, while visiting the family to search through archives.

In the song, Luther puts is own spin on the classic turning the song into his own. Vandross’ version transformed the original by adding a more slow, soulful romance with layers of background vocals.

No additional information regarding the recording, including location or session players, has been uncovered to date. Details surrounding the recording remain a mystery. 

On Thursday, a new music video of Vandross’ rendition of “Michelle” debuted on YouTube.

The Beatles’ “Michelle,” written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, won the Grammy for song of the year in 1967.

Since the release of his 1981 debut solo studio album Never Too Much, Luther Vandross has won eight Grammy Awards (nominated 31 times), eight American Music Awards and five Soul Train Music Awards, including the Quincy Jones Award for Career Achievement in 1999. With eleven consecutive platinum/double platinum albums (13 overall) he achieved crossover status with eight Billboard Top 10 albums and several #1 chart-topping singles, resulting in a legacy that has influenced generations of singers and impacted a legion of loyal fans worldwide.

Vandross died in 2005 at age 54.

Click here to listen/download “Michelle,” pre-order the album on vinyl, CD, and pre-save at digital service providers.