Jagged Edge is paying homage to an R&B pioneer. The famed quartet reimagined Luther Vandross‘ heartwarming ballad, “So Amazing,” and in true spirit of the late crooner, the men put their own spin on his classic record.
Vandross’ 1986 rendition is already a cover of Dionne Warwick’s 1983 single that he co-wrote with bassist Marcus Miller. Over the years, many artists have honored Vandross with their own versions of “So Amazing.” Whitney Houston sang it in his honor at the 1999 Soul Train Awards, whereas Stevie Wonder and Beyoncé won a Grammy for their version from the 2005 tribute album that came after his tragic death.
Of their new cover, Jagged Edge told VIBE exclusively, “Luther Vandross played a whole lot in our households, so the day he came to BET’s 106 and Park and told the world how much he thought of us—it was an out-of-body experience! We thought we’d honor him by putting our spin on ‘So Amazing,’ bringing his influence full circle. It’s our way of saying thank you to a legend who meant so much to us and to R&B.”
The 106 And Park reference in question can be seen below in this throwback snippet of the defunct series. Jagged Edge was surprised with Vandross’ presence around the five-minute mark.
“We actually have one of your greatest fans here,” host A.J. Calloway teased. When the group saw Vandross, one exclaimed, “Y’all trippin’!”
When asked to name what he liked about Jagged Edge, the 8x Grammy winner stated, “I’m a fan of Jagged Edge. I like good—no excellent singing and this is where you get it.”
The touching moment came ahead of their third album, Jagged Little Thrill, in 2001.
