Jun 21, 2010 - Although Hathaway is perhaps best known for his duets with singer Roberta Flack, the body of work he left behind when he died 30 years ago.
Background information | |
---|---|
Birth name | Donny Edward Hathaway |
Also known as | Donny Pitts |
Born | October 1, 1945 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Origin | St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
Died | January 13, 1979 (aged 33) New York City, New York, U.S. |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | |
Instruments |
|
Years active | 1967–1979 |
Labels | |
Associated acts |
Donny Edward Hathaway (October 1, 1945 – January 13, 1979) was an American soul singer, keyboardist, songwriter, and arranger. Hathaway has been described as a 'soul legend' by Rolling Stone.[1] His enduring songs include 'The Ghetto', 'This Christmas', 'Someday We'll All Be Free', 'Little Ghetto Boy', 'I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know'. Hathaway is also renowned for his signature versions of 'A Song for You', 'For All We Know' together with 'Where Is the Love' and 'The Closer I Get to You', two of many collaborations with Roberta Flack. He's been inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame and won one Grammy from four nominations.[2][3][4][5] Hathaway was also posthumously bestowed with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.[6]
- 3Personal life
- 6Discography
Early life[edit]
Hathaway, the son of Drusella Huntley, was born in Chicago but raised with his grandmother, Martha Pitts, also known as Martha Crumwell, in the Carr Squarehousing project of St. Louis. Hathaway began singing in a church choir with his grandmother, a professional gospel singer, at the age of three and studying piano. He graduated from Vashon High School in 1963.[7] Hathaway then studied music on a fine arts scholarship at Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he met close friend Roberta Flack. At Howard, he was also a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Hathaway formed a jazz trio with drummer Ric Powell while there but during 1967 left Howard just before completing a degree, after receiving job offers in the music business.[8]
Career[edit]
Hathaway worked as songwriter, session musician and producer for Curtis Mayfield's Curtom Records in Chicago. He did the arrangements for hits by the Unifics ('Court of Love' and 'The Beginning of My End') and took part in projects by the Staple Singers, Jerry Butler, Aretha Franklin, the Impressions and Curtis Mayfield himself. After becoming a 'house producer' at Curtom, he also started recording there. Hathaway recorded his first single under his own name in 1969, a duet with singer June Conquest called 'I Thank You Baby'. They also recorded the duet 'Just Another Reason', released as the b-side. Former Cleveland Browns president Bill Futterer, who as a college student promoted Curtom in the southeast in 1968 and 1969, was befriended by Hathaway and has cited Hathaway's influence on his later projects.
That year, Hathaway signed to Atco Records, then a division of Atlantic Records, after being spotted for the label by producer/musician King Curtis at a trade convention. He released his first single of note, 'The Ghetto, Pt. 1', which he co-wrote with former Howard roommate Leroy Hutson, who became a performer, writer and producer with Curtom. The track appeared the following year on his critically acclaimed debut LP, Everything Is Everything, which he co-produced with Ric Powell while also arranging all the cuts.
His second LP, Donny Hathaway, consisted mostly of covers of contemporary pop, soul, and gospel songs. His third album Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway was an album of duets with former Howard University associate and label mate Roberta Flack that established him, especially on the pop charts. The album was both a critical and commercial success, including the Ralph MacDonald-penned track 'Where Is the Love', which proved to be not only an R&B success, but also scored Top Five on the pop Hot 100.[9] It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA on September 5, 1972.[10] The album also included a number of other covers, including versions of Carole King's 'You've Got a Friend', 'Baby I Love You', originally a hit for Aretha Franklin, and 'You've Lost That Loving Feeling'.
Perhaps Hathaway's most influential recording is his 1972 album, Live, which has been termed 'one of the best live albums ever recorded' by Daryl Easlea of the BBC.[11] The album can also be found on the British online music and culture magazine The Quietus' list of '40 Favourite Live Albums'.[12] It was recorded at two concerts: side one at the Troubadour in Hollywood, and side two at The Bitter End in Greenwich Village, Manhattan.
Donny Hathaway is also known as the co-composer and performer of the Christmas standard, 'This Christmas'. The song, released in 1970, has become a holiday staple and is often used in movies, television and advertising. 'This Christmas' has been covered by numerous artists across diverse musical genres, including the Whispers, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, Alexander O'Neal, Christina Aguilera, Chicago, Harry Connick, Jr., Dru Hill, *NSYNC, Gloria Estefan, Boney James, The Cheetah Girls, Chris Brown, Anthony Arnett (First Baptist Bracktown Christmas Celebration), Patti LaBelle and Mary J. Blige (A Mary Christmas), Seal, Train and CeeLo Green, among other artists.
Hathaway followed this flurry of work with some contributions to soundtracks, along with his recording of the theme song to the TV series Maude. He also composed and conducted music for the 1972 soundtrack of the movie Come Back Charleston Blue.[13] In the mid-1970s, he also produced albums for other artists including Cold Blood, where he expanded the musical range of lead singer Lydia Pense.
His final studio album, Extension of a Man came out in 1973 with two tracks, 'Love Love Love' and 'I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know' reaching both the pop and R&B charts. However, it was probably best noted for his classic ballad, 'Someday We'll All Be Free' and a six-minute symphonic-styled instrumental piece called 'I Love The Lord, He Heard My Cry'. He told UK music journalist David Nathan in 1973, 'I always liked pretty music and I've always wanted to write it.' Added the writer, 'He declined to give one particular influence or inspiration but said that Ravel, Debussy and Stravinsky were amongst whom he studied.'[14]
He returned to the charts in 1978 after again teaming up with Roberta Flack for a duet, 'The Closer I Get to You' on her album, Blue Lights in the Basement. The song topped the R&B chart and just missed the number 1 spot on the Hot 100 (reaching #2). Atlantic then put out another solo single, 'You Were Meant For Me' shortly before his sudden death.
Liner notes for later releases of his final solo album explain: 'Donny is no longer here, but the song 'Someday We'll All Be Free' gathers momentum as part of his legacy... Donny literally sat in the studio and cried when he heard the playback of his final mix. It's pretty special when an artist can create something that wipes them out.' Edward Howard, lyricist of the song, adds, 'It was a spiritual thing for me... What was going through my mind at the time was Donny, because Donny was a very troubled person. I hoped that at some point he would be released from all that he was going through. There was nothing I could do but write something that might be encouraging for him. He's a good leader for young black men'.
Personal life[edit]
Family[edit]
Hathaway met his wife, Eulaulah, at Howard University and they married in 1967.[8] They had two daughters, Eulaulah Donyll (Lalah) and Kenya Canc'Libra. Lalah has enjoyed a successful solo career, while Kenya is a session singer and one of the three backing vocalists on the hit TV program American Idol. Both daughters are graduates of the Berklee College of Music. Donny also has a third daughter, Donnita Hathaway.
Mental illness[edit]
During the best part of his career, Hathaway began to suffer from severe bouts of depression. It was found that he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and was known to take strong medication daily to try to control the illness. However, Eulaulah Hathaway has said that her husband was frequently less than diligent about following his prescription regimen.[8][8] Over the course of the 1970s, Hathaway's mental instability wreaked havoc on his life and required several hospitalizations. The effects of his depression and melancholia also drove a wedge in his and Flack's friendship; they did not reconcile for several years, and did not release additional music until the successful release of 'The Closer I Get To You' in 1978. Flack and Hathaway then resumed studio recording to compose a second album of duets.
Death[edit]
Essex House hotel
Sessions for another album of duets were underway in 1979. On January 13 of that year, Hathaway began a recording session at which producers/musicians Eric Mercury and James Mtume were present. Mercury and Mtume each reported that although Hathaway's voice sounded good, he began behaving irrationally, seeming to be paranoid and delusional. According to Mtume, Hathaway said that 'white people' were trying to kill him and had connected his brain to a machine, for the purpose of stealing his music and his sound.[8] Given Hathaway's behavior, Mercury said that he decided the recording session could not continue, so he aborted it and all of the musicians went home.[8]
Hours later, Hathaway was found dead on the sidewalk below the window of his 15th-floor room in New York's Essex House hotel. It was reported that he had jumped from his balcony.[15]The glass had been neatly removed from the window and there were no signs of struggle, leading investigators to rule that Hathaway's death was a suicide. However, his friends were mystified, considering that his career had just entered a resurgence. Flack was devastated and, spurred by his death, included the few duet tracks they had finished on her next album, Roberta Flack Featuring Donny Hathaway. According to Mercury, Hathaway's final recording, included on that album, was 'You Are My Heaven', a song Mercury co-wrote with Stevie Wonder.
Hathaway's funeral was conducted by the Reverend Jesse Jackson. Later in 1979, the Whispers recorded the tribute song, 'Song for Donny', for their self-titled breakthrough album. The song reached #21 on the R&B chart. That same year, they used that tribute song's arrangement to do a cover of Hathaway's song 'This Christmas,' turning the uptempo Christmas gem into a classic, sentimental love song, a staple of their well-received 'Happy Holidays To You' Christmas album.
Influence[edit]
According to Allison Keyes from NPR, Hathaway's solo recordings are 'part of the foundation of American soul music' and have 'influenced performers from R&B singers Alicia Keys & Aaliyah to rapper Common to singer-guitarist George Benson'.[16] He was named the 49th-greatest singer of all time in a 2010 list published by Rolling Stone.[17]Justin Timberlake called him 'the best singer of all time.'[17]Raúl Midón said that Hathaway is 'the strongest soul singer that ever existed' and compares his vocal technique to a classical vocalist.[16] 'When Donny sings any song, he owns it,' Stevie Wonder was quoted by David Ritz as saying.[2]Amy Winehouse called Hathaway her favorite artist of all time.[18]
Most rock critics during the 1970s found Hathaway's music largely inscrutable; Robert Christgau once called it 'bourgeoisification at its genteel worst'. The critic later regarded him as 'a synthesizer of limitless cultural aspiration' who 'conveyed a sense of roots' and was never content with 'the classbound pop fantasies of Ashford & Simpson', but mused that 'the idealistic credulousness of a project that incorporated pop, jazz, a little blues, lots of gospel, and the conservatory into an all-over black style is linked to the floridity that mars much of his work.'[19]
Discography[edit]
Studio albums[edit]
Year | Album | Chart positions[20] | US certifications [21] | Record label | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US | US R&B | UK[22] | ||||
1970 | Everything Is Everything | 73 | 33 | -- | -- | Atco |
1971 | Donny Hathaway | 89 | 6 | -- | -- | |
1972 | Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway | 3 | 2 | 31 | Gold | Atlantic |
1973 | Extension of a Man | 69 | 18 | -- | -- | Atco |
1980 | Roberta Flack Featuring Donny Hathaway | 25 | 4 | -- | Gold | Atlantic |
'—' denotes the album failed to chart or was not certified |
Live albums[edit]
Year | Album | Chart positions[20] | US certifications [21] | Record label | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US | US R&B | UK | ||||
1972 | Live | 18 | 4 | -- | Gold | Atco |
1980 | In Performance | 201 | 68 | -- | -- | Atlantic |
2004 | These Songs for You, Live! | -- | 78 | -- | -- | |
2014 | Live at the Bitter End, 1971 | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
'—' denotes the album failed to chart or was not certified |
Soundtrack albums[edit]
Year | Album | Chart positions[20] | US certifications | Record label | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US | US R&B | UK | ||||
1972 | Come Back Charleston Blue | 198 | -- | -- | -- | Atco |
'—' denotes the album failed to chart or was not certified |
Compilation albums[edit]
Year | Album | Chart positions[20] | US certifications | Record label | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US | US R&B | UK | ||||
1972 | The Most Beautiful Songs of Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway | -- | -- | -- | -- | Atlantic |
1978 | The Best of Donny Hathaway | -- | 51 | -- | -- | Atco |
1990 | A Donny Hathaway Collection | -- | -- | -- | -- | Atlantic |
2000 | Free Soul: The Classic of Donny Hathaway | -- | -- | -- | -- | WEA Int'l |
2010 | Someday We'll All Be Free | -- | -- | -- | -- | Atlantic |
Original Album Series | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
2011 | Flashback with Donny HHathaway | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
2013 | Never My Love: The Anthology | -- | -- | -- | -- | Atco |
'—' denotes the album failed to chart or was not certified |
Singles[edit]
Year | Single | Chart Positions[23] | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
US | US R&B | US A/C | UK[22] | ||
1969 | 'I Thank You Baby' (with June Conquest) | -- | 45 | -- | -- |
1970 | 'The Ghetto – Part 1' | 87 | 23 | -- | -- |
'This Christmas' | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
1971 | 'You've Got a Friend' (with Roberta Flack) | 29 | 8 | 36 | -- |
'You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' (with Roberta Flack) | 71 | 30 | -- | -- | |
1972 | 'Little Ghetto Boy' | 109 | 25 | -- | -- |
'Giving Up' | 81 | 21 | -- | -- | |
'I Thank You' (re-release) (with June Conquest) | 94 | 41 | -- | -- | |
'Where Is the Love' (with Roberta Flack) | 5 | 1 | 1 | 29 | |
'Come Back Charleston Blue' (with Margie Joseph) | 102 | -- | -- | -- | |
'I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know' | 60 | 20 | -- | -- | |
1973 | 'Love, Love, Love' | 44 | 16 | -- | -- |
'Come Little Children' | -- | 67 | -- | -- | |
1978 | 'The Closer I Get to You' (with Roberta Flack) | 2 | 1 | 3 | 42 |
'You Were Meant for Me' | -- | 17 | -- | -- | |
1980 | 'You Are My Heaven' (with Roberta Flack) | 47 | 8 | 46 | -- |
'Back Together Again' (with Roberta Flack) | 56 | 8 | -- | 3 | |
'—' denotes the single failed to chart or was not certified |
With Phil Upchurch
- Upchurch (Cadet, 1969)
- The Way I Feel (Cadet, 1970)
Tributes[edit]
- On soul group the Whispers' 1980 self-titled album, the group paid homage with 'Song for Donny', written by fellow soul singer Carrie Lucas. The song was set to the melody of Hathaway's 'This Christmas'.
- In 1999 Aaron Hall recorded a brief tribute version of 'Someday We'll All Be Free' on the third album for his group Guy titled Guy III, with Teddy Riley and Damion Hall
- In September 2001, Alicia Keys performed 'Someday We'll All Be Free' on the 9/11 televised tribute concert America: A Tribute to Heroes
- In 2005, neo-soul singer songwriter guitarist, Raul Midón (Blue Note) worked with Hathaway's longtime producer Arif Mardin (known for collaborations with the Bee Gees, Chaka Khan, Bette Midler, Norah Jones, and Aretha Franklin) and created a tribute song to Hathaway called 'Sittin' in the Middle'
- In her 2006 song 'Rehab', Amy Winehouse sings of learning from 'Mr. Hathaway' instead of going to rehab
- In 2007, Deniece Williams covered 'Someday We'll All Be Free' for her Love, Niecy Style album. Williams later shared that she broke down in tears in the studio while recording.
- In 2008, Ed Pavlic published Winners Have Yet to Be Announced (University of Georgia Press), poems re-imagining the life of Donny Hathaway
- The song 'What a Catch, Donnie', from Fall Out Boy's fourth studio album, Folie à Deux (2008), is named for Hathaway and mentions Roberta Flack, his writing partner
- Bizzy Bone's song entitled 'A Song for You', is a track that includes an interpolation of Donny Hathaway's original recording of the same name
- In the 2013 song 'Classic', band MKTO references writing songs 'like Hathaway'
- In 2017, in the episode 'The First Day of the Rest of Your Life' from AMC's The Walking Dead. The character of Sasha, played by Sonequa Martin-Green, commits suicide while listening to 'Someday We'll All Be Free.'
- In 2019, in the episode “And Salt the Earth Behind You” from HBO’s Euphoria. Hathaway’s cover of “A Song for You” plays during a montage of the day of the death of the father of the character of Rue Bennett, played by Zendaya.
References[edit]
- ^'Donny Hathaway: Two Rarities From New Anthology – Song Premiere'. rollingstone.com.
- ^ abLee Hildebrand (July 18, 2012). 'Donny Hathaway: Live + In Performance'. East Bay Express. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
- ^'Shout! Factory To Reissue Two Acclaimed Donny Hathaway Live Albums July 17'. allaboutjazz.com.
- ^'Donny Hathaway'. stlouiswalkoffame.org.
- ^'Donny Hathaway'. grammy.com.
- ^'Recording Academy™ To Honor Special Merit Awards Recipients With GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends™ on May 11'. pbs.org.
- ^Cheers, D. Michael (April 1979). 'The Mysterious Death of Donny Hathaway'. Ebony. XXXIV (6): 61–66. ISSN0012-9011. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
- ^ abcdefUnSung, Episode 104, TV One
- ^Steve Huey, Rovi. 'Donny Hathaway'. VH1. Viacom International Inc. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
- ^Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. pp. 312/3. ISBN0-214-20512-6.
- ^'Music - Review of Donny Hathaway - Live'. BBC. November 17, 1989. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
- ^'Features | The Quietus Writers' 40 Favourite Live Albums'. The Quietus. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
- ^'Come Back Charleston Blue'. Discogs.com. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
- ^David Nathan (January 1, 2009). 'Donny Hathaway: Reassessing His Musical Life'. Soulmusic.com. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved August 19, 2012.Cite uses deprecated parameter
|dead-url=
(help) - ^Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 322. CN 5585.
- ^ abAllison Keys (June 21, 2010). 'Donny Hathaway: Neglected Heart Of Soul'. National Public Radio. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
- ^ ab'100 Greatest Singers'. Rolling Stone. December 2, 2010. Retrieved April 6, 2012.
- ^'Island Records to release new Amy Winehouse album'. National Post. October 31, 2011. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
- ^Christgau, Robert (1981). 'Subjects for Further Research'. Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN0899190251. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
- ^ abcd'Donny Hathaway US albums chart history'. allmusic.com. Retrieved March 9, 2011.
- ^ ab'Donny Hathaway US certification history'. riaa.com. Retrieved March 9, 2011.
- ^ ab'Donny Hathaway Official Charts Company'. Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 9, 2011.
- ^'Donny Hathaway US singles chart history'. allmusic.com. Retrieved March 9, 2011.
External links[edit]
- Donny Hathaway at AllMusic
- Donny Hathaway on IMDb
- Donny Hathaway at Discogs
- Donny Hathaway at WhoSampled
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Donny_Hathaway&oldid=915514440'
Singer, songwriter
In 1979, soul icon Donny Hathaway tragically fell fifteen stories to his death. Like many other talented members of his generation who were achieving widespread success in the rock and pop worlds--Jimi Hendrix and Otis Redding among them-- Hathaway’s promising career came to an untimely end. The question of how his stirring vocals, sometimes compared to traditional sermonizing, might have evolved as he matured will remain forever unknown. The Grammy award-winner had even considered entering the ministry himself as an adult.
Hathaway was born in Chicago on October 1, 1945, but spent much of his childhood in St. Louis, where he lived in the Carr Square public housing project with his grandmother, Martha Pitts, who also went by the name Martha Crumwell. Pitts was a professional gospel singer, and Hathaway spent a disproportionate amount of time in church, watching her rehearse and perform. One day when he was just three years old, Hathaway was sitting in a pew alongside his mother, who recalled that her son was more than a bit fidgety that day. She asked him what the problem was, and he replied, “I want to go up there and sing with grandma,” Drusella Huntley told Ebony. She told him, “Go ahead.’ The first song he ever sang was ’How Much I Owe, Love Divine,”’ Huntley remembered. “He couldn’t even pronounce the words properly, but he could follow the tune and melody.”
Aspiring Gospel Singer
Hathaway soon began singing professionally as “Donny Pitts, The Nation’s Youngest Gospel Singer.” He also played the ukulele on stage, studied the piano, and as a child was fascinated by glitzy keyboard virtuoso Liberace. At St. Louis’s Vashon High School, he quickly made a name for himself as a piano prodigy. Backed by the support of his teachers, Hathaway earned a fine-arts scholarship to Howard University and entered in 1964. His professors at Howard recognized Hathaway’s talent and provided ample encouragement. During his time at Howard, he met both his future wife, Eulaulah, and recording artist Roberta flack. Hathaway would leave Howard without his degree after three years of study; he had begun to receive lucrative job offers, in part because
At a Glance…
Born October 1, 1945, in Chicago, IL; died January 13, 1979, in New York, NY; son of Drusella Huntley; married; wife’s name, Eulaulah; children: Eulautah Donyll (Lalah Hathaway), Kenya Canelibra. Education: Attended Howard University, 1964-67.
Career: Singer and songwriter, Professional child gospel singer under name “Donny Pitts,” 1950s; signed with Atlantic Records, c. 1969; released first single, “The Ghetto, Part I” in January 1970; song reached #23 on R&B charts; released first LP, Everything Is Everything, 1970; teamed with Roberta Flack and released duet, “Where Is the Love?,” 1972; song reached No. 5; most successful chart appearance was from another duet with Flack, “The Closer I Get to You,” 1978, which reached No. 2.
Awards: Grammy Award, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, 1973, for “Where Is the Love?” (with Roberta Flack).
of his membership in a group called the Rick Powell Trio.
Found Early Success
While at Howard, Hathaway achieved early success in the recording industry by working as a producer and arranger for several acts, including Aretha Franklin and the Staple Singers. He also produced artists for Chess and Stax Records, and served as the band director for the Impressions, a group fronted by another Howard classmate, Leroy Hunter. In 1969, Hathaway teamed with a singer named June Conquest and recorded the single “I Thank You” for Curtis Mayfield’s label and sang backup with the Mayfield Singers. Signed by Atlantic Records in 1969, Hathaway’s first single, “The Ghetto, Part I,” was released in late October and peaked on the R&B charts at No. 23 the following January. The heartbreaking, mournful tale of inner-city misery quickly established Hathaway as a talented singer/songwriter with a deep debt to his gospel roots. His obituary in Rolling Stone would later note that the song “marked him as a major new force in soul music.”
More singles followed, along with his first album, Everything Is Everything, released in 1970. Hathaway soon collaborated with Roberta Flack, who was embarking upon her own successful recording career. One of their first singles together was “You’ve Got a Friend,” written by Carole King and released in 1971; Their third single, “Where Is the Love?” soared to No. 5 on the charts in 1972 and earned the pair a Grammy Award. The album on which “Where Is the Love?” was included, Donny Hathaway Live: Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway, was also a huge commercial success.
Plagued By Personal Difficulties
Hathaway’s familiar voice made its television debut when he was selected to sing the sassy theme song for Norman Lear’s television sitcom Maude. Producer Quincy Jones also hired him to score the soundtrack for the 1972 film Come Back Charleston Blue. By this time, Hathaway was married and had two daughters, Eulaulah and Kenya. However, his fame was also accompanied by pain and disappointment. He reportedly suffered from bouts of depression, and was hospitalized on more than one occasion. In addition, his partnership with Roberta flack disintegrated. Following the release of his album, Extension of a Man in 1973, Hathaway faded into relative obscurity. He played small club dates and formed an independent production company.
A Promising Career Cut Short
In 1978, Hathaway’s fortunes improved. The rift with Flack was mended and the pair returned to the studio to record another song, “The Closer I Get to You.” It was their biggest hit to date, charting at No. 2, and earned them another Grammy nomination. Hathaway, however, would not live to attend the awards ceremony. On January 13, 1979, Hathaway and his manager, David Franklin, had dinner at Flack’s apartment in New York City. Following dinner, the singer returned to his hotel room at the posh Essex House. Later that night, Franklin was notified that Hathaway’s body had been discovered below his fifteenth-floor window. The hotel room door was locked from the inside, and there was no sign of foul play. The window’s safety glass had been removed and laid on the bed. It appeared that Hathaway had jumped to his death.
Although the New York City coroner had ruled the death a suicide, friends found the ruling difficult to accept--in part because Hathaway was enjoying renewed professional success at the time. “It appeared to be neither suicide nor homicide,” the Reverend Jesse Jackson told Ebony magazine a few months later. Roberta Flack and David Franklin, Hathaway’s dinner companions the evening before his death, reported nothing unusual inhis demeanor. Yet Hathaway, who lived on the seventeenth-floor at the LaSalle Towers in Chicago, seemed overly fond of heights and often opened his window to orate or sing into the wind. In addition, he seemed fascinated with the topic of suicide and mentioned it frequently. During one performance, he was photographed with a book about suicide atop his piano.
Hathaway’s funeral in St. Louis was attended by several notable figures, including Roberta Flack, Stevie Wonder, and the Reverend Jackson, who officiated. He was buried in that city’s Lake Charles Cemetery. Two other records were released posthumously: Donny; Hathawayin Performance in 1980 and The Donny HathawayCollection in 1990. That same year his daughter Eulaulah released a solo effort under the name Lalah Hathaway.
Selected discography
Singles
“The Ghetto, Part I,” Atco, January 1970.
![Donny hathaway funeral Donny hathaway funeral](/uploads/1/2/5/7/125737781/955291760.jpg)
(With Roberta Flack) “You’ve Got a Friend,” Atlantic, 1971.
“Little Ghetto Boy,” Atco, 1972.
“Giving Up,” Atco, May 1972.
(As June and Donnie; with June Conquest) “I Thank You,” Curtom, May 1972.
“I Love You More,” Atco, October 1972.
(With Roberta Flack) “Where Is the Love?” Atlantic, 1972.
“Love Love Love,” Atco, July 1973.
(With Roberta Flack) “The Closer I Get to You,” Atlantic, 1978.
Albums
Everything Is Everything, Atco, 1970.
Donny Hathaway, Atco, 1971.
Donny Hathaway Live: Roberta Flack and Donny
Hathaway, Atlantic, 1972.
Come Back Charleston Blue (soundtrack), Atco, 1972.
Extension of a Man, Atlantic, 1973.
The Best of Donny Hathaway, Ateo, 1978
Roberta Flack Featuring Donny Hathaway, Atlantic, 1979.
Donny Hathaway in Performance, Atlantic, 1980.
Donny Hathaway Collection, Atlantic, 1990.
Sources
Books
Nite, Norm N. Rock On: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock ’n’Roll: The Modern Years, 1964-Present, with Ralph M. Newman, T. Y. Crowell, 1978.
The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, edited by Patricia Romanowski, Holly George-Warren, and Jon Pareles, Fireside/Rolling Stone Press, 1995, p. 423.
Periodicals
Detroit News, January 13, 1979, p. 3B.
Ebony, April 1979, pp. 60-66.
Rolling Stone, March 8, 1979, p. 17.
--Carol Brennan