Madonna is a vocal advocate for those afflicted with HIV and AIDS, and has been for nearly as long as she’s been a major pop star. Nonetheless, the singer had a minor snafu during the ongoing North American leg of her Celebration tour, when a portion of the show dedicated to AIDS remembrance displayed a photo of late R&B great Luther Vandross, who did not have the disease. She has since removed him from the montage.
The show setpiece, which occurs during the performance of “Live to Tell,” displays photos of famous AIDS casualties like Freddie Mercury, Keith Haring and Sylvester. During a date in Sacramento last weekend, Vandross, who died in 2005 at the age of 54, was included in the segment as well.
Madonna's Celebration tour still has several weeks left in its North American run.
Vandross’ family released a statement afterward, saying: “Luther Vandross passed away in 2005 due to complications from a stroke suffered two years earlier. While we appreciate Madonna’s recognition of those lives lost to AIDS, Luther was NEVER diagnosed with AIDS or the HIV Virus. We’re not sure where she or her production team received false medical information claiming otherwise. We’re currently in contact with her management to remove Luther Vandross from the tribute.”
Madonna’s reps confirmed to Rolling Stone on Feb. 27 that Vandross has been removed from the segment.
One of the defining R&B singers of the 1980s, Vandross died in 2005.
Though he never publicly came out as gay, Vandross’ sexuality was long speculated about during his heyday as one of the 1980s’ defining R&B singers, and close friends like Patti LaBelle have discussed it fairly openly since his death. Rumors that Vandross had HIV -- many of them expressed in the most lurid and cruel terms -- cropped up several times during his lifetime, and he once filed a libel suit against a British tabloid in 1985 that had claimed AIDS was responsible for his recent weight loss.
Vandross’ life is the subject of a feature-length documentary from director Dawn Porter — titled Luther: Never Too Much, the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January.
Madonna's tour was waylaid by a serious bacterial infection that lander her in the hospital in June.
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Madonna’s Celebration Tour continues to wind its way through the U.S., with five-night stands in both Los Angeles and Mexico City still to come in the coming months. The North American leg of the tour had to be postponed after the singer was hospitalized for a bacterial infection in June, which landed her in an intensive care unit.
"Thank you for your positive energy, prayers and words of healing and encouragement. I have felt your love," she wrote in an Instagram post the following month. "I’m on the road to recovery and incredibly grateful for all the blessings in my life.”
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