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With next year marking 20 years since Luther Vandross’ passing, “Luther ReLives” continues to spread the music legend’s beautiful music and legacy across various parts of the U.S., including Suffolk.

Held at the Suffolk Center of Cultural Arts on Saturday, Sept. 28, Suffolk Events and Entertainment, Inc. presented “A Night to Remember featuring William ‘Smooth’ Wardlaw” as part of “Luther ReLives,” a tribute band to the late R&B legend. Following a serenading performance from opening act J-Luv singing songs such as Lenny Williams’ “‘Cause I Love You” and Aly Us’ “Follow Me,” Wardlaw provided a soulful, energetic and nostalgic performance dressed as Vandross and effortlessly singing his famed hits such as “Never Too Much,” “Any Love,” “A House is Not a Home,” “Bad Boy/Having A Party,” and much more.

Following his performance, Wardlaw had a chance to talk about the show. The Alexandria native says the entire band is working to bring more popularity to “Luther ReLives,” which has performed in D.C., Georgia, Philadelphia, Maryland and more.

“We’ve been doing this since 2010,” Wardlaw said. “It’s been growing, the people has accepted us as a Luther tribute. It has been wonderful to all of us, and they want more. I am just privileged to be an assessment to this group. I love what I do, and hopefully up in heaven that Luther is very proud of me!”

Wardlaw says it all started when he was discovered by his manager Deginal Boykin.

“I was at a club doing a happy hour in Maryland and he just so happened to see my talent, and we got to get together,” he said. “But we’ve been knowing each other way before we got the tribute. So it’s been like, going on 30 years now, me and him. So we finally put it together in 2010. It was a growing process, it didn’t just happen over time. We had the idea to do it, ‘cause everybody kept telling me ‘Oh, you sound like Luther! …You should do this!’ I’m like, ‘Hmmm, yeah, I should do this huh, right?’”

Wardlaw noted the success of the band as well as the difficulty of tributing a music legend like Vandross.

“If you’re going to do something like a tribute as a man that is that talented, you better come correct. And I think I have proven myself to do that. So, it’s an honor,” Wardlaw said.

Wardlaw notes that he began singing around age six to seven while at home, in the church, and in high school. While doing the tribute band, he also shares that he also sings his own music, with songs such as “I Promise,” “Mama, I Love You,” and “Nobody Loves You Like I Do” on Spotify and iTunes. 

“I am getting ready to go into the studio, again, and bring out some more new music out as we speak,” he said.

Wardlaw encourages Suffolk fans to spread the word about “Luther ReLives” and expressed the experience of reliving Vandross’ work through the concert.

“It’s a great show, it’s an electrifying show, energized as you see. You won’t regret what you see,” Wardlaw said. 

For more information about “Luther ReLives,” go to smoothsings.com/home.

Editor’s note: Updated second passage at 3:00 p.m., Friday, Oct. 4 to reflect correct date.