Mourners honor R&B great Luther Vandross

NEW YORK, July 6 (UPI) -- Mourners visited a New York funeral chapel Wednesday to remember Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Luther Vandross, who died at 54.

Vandross, considered by many the greatest Rhythm & Blues singer in history, died Friday in a hospital in Edison, N.J.

The singer never fully recovered from an April 2003 stroke at his New York home that left him in a coma for two months, a hospital spokeswoman told Access Hollywood.

Vandross sold 25 million albums and won eight Grammys during his career, including one for his final album, "Dance With My Father," in 2004.

A memorial service was set for Friday at New York's Riverside Church.