USHER - USHER PAYS TRIBUTE TO SOUL HERO VANDROSS

R+B hunk USHER paid a special tribute to his hero LUTHER VANDROSS on yesterday's (20SEP05) OPRAH show in America by performing soul classic SUPERSTAR.

The YEAH! hitmaker joined PATTI LaBELLE in honouring the smooth singer, who died at the beginning of July (01JUL05), and offered talk show queen OPRAH WINFREY special memories of the legend.

He confessed, "Before I was born, he was making music. He's influenced me in so many ways as a vocalist, as a communicator... His music holds so much passion."

LaBelle performed another Vandross hit, HERE AND NOW, on the show and then remembered how generous her late pal was.

She explained, "(He would) buy you good clothes too. He bought me all this fierce Versace stuff. He treated his women to beautiful clothes... He was so classy."

Both artists feature on a new album tribute to Vandross, called SO AMAZING.