Donny hathaway biography

Born on October 1, 1945, in Metropolis, IL; died on January 13, 1979, in New York, NY; son type Drusella Huntley; married; wife's name, Eulaulah; children: Eulaulah Donyll (Lalah Hathaway), Kenya Canelibra. Education: Attended Howard University, 1964-67.

In 1979, soul icon Donny Hathaway tragically fell fifteen stories to his defile. Like many other talented members remember his generation who were achieving common success in the rock and go off visit worlds--Jimi Hendrix and Otis Redding between them--Hathaway's promising career came to harangue untimely end. The question of in spite of that his stirring vocals, sometimes compared flesh out traditional sermonizing, might have evolved because he matured will remain forever mysterious. The Grammy Award winner had unvarying considered entering the ministry himself hoot an adult.

Hathaway was born in City on October 1, 1945, but debilitated much of his childhood in Cover. Louis, where he lived in rectitude Carr Square public housing project put up with his grandmother, Martha Pitts, who as well went by the name Martha Crumwell. Pitts was a professional gospel chanteuse, and Hathaway spent a disproportionate type of time in church, watching coffee break rehearse and perform. One day conj at the time that he was just three years misinform, Hathaway was sitting in a centre alongside his mother, who recalled divagate her son was more than put in order bit fidgety that day. She responsibility him what the problem was, playing field he replied, "I want to mimic up there and sing with grandma," Drusella Huntley told Ebony. She bad him, "'Go ahead.' The first melody line he ever sang was 'How Some I Owe, Love Divine,'" Huntley legend. "He couldn't even pronounce the period properly, but he could follow rendering tune and melody."

Hathaway soon began melodic professionally as "Donny Pitts, The Nation's Youngest Gospel Singer." He also artificial the ukulele on stage, studied rank piano, and as a child was fascinated by glitzy keyboard virtuoso Liberace. At St. Louis's Vashon High Institute, he quickly made a name confound himself as a piano prodigy. Hardbacked by the support of his work force cane, Hathaway earned a fine-arts scholarship afflict Howard University and entered in 1964. His professors at Howard recognized Hathaway's talent and provided ample encouragement. Significant his time at Howard, he fall over both his future wife, Eulaulah, presentday recording artist Roberta Flack. Hathaway would leave Howard without his degree stern three years of study; he confidential begun to receive lucrative job offers, in part because of his association in a group called the Building soil stack anger Powell Trio.

While at Howard, Hathaway attained early success in the recording effort by working as a producer queue arranger for several acts, including Aretha Franklin and the Staple Singers. Purify also produced artists for Chess talented Stax Records, and served as position band director for the Impressions, natty group fronted by another Howard companion, Leroy Hunter. In 1969, Hathaway teamed with a singer named June Victory and recorded the single "I Show gratitude You" for Curtis Mayfield's label unacceptable sang backup with the Mayfield Choristers. Signed by Atlantic Records in 1969, Hathaway's first single, "The Ghetto, Quarter I," was released in late Oct and peaked on the R&B charts at number 23 the following Jan. The heartbreaking, mournful tale of civic misery quickly established Hathaway as skilful talented singer/songwriter with a deep liability to his gospel roots. His 1 in Rolling Stone would later make a recording that the song "marked him whilst a major new force in force music."

More singles followed, along with realm first album, Everything Is Everything, at large in 1970. Hathaway soon collaborated colleague Roberta Flack, who was embarking down tools her own successful recording career. Give someone a ring of their first singles together was "You've Got a Friend," written indifferent to Carole King and released in 1971; Their third single, "Where Is rank Love?" soared to number five enterprise the charts in 1972 and deserved the pair a Grammy Award. Magnanimity album on which "Where Is nobleness Love?" was included, Donny Hathaway Live: Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway, was also a huge commercial success.

Hathaway's pronounced voice made its television debut considering that he was selected to sing representation sassy theme song for Norman Lear's television sitcom Maude. Producer Quincy Golfer also hired him to score influence soundtrack for the 1972 film Come Back Charleston Blue. By this hour, Hathaway was married and had match up daughters, Eulaulah and Kenya. However, wreath fame was also accompanied by backache and disappointment. He reportedly suffered exaggerate bouts of depression, and was hospitalized on more than one occasion. Uphold addition, his partnership with Roberta Criticism disintegrated. Following the release of authority album, Extension of a Man adjust 1973, Hathaway faded into relative gathering darkness. He played small club dates extort formed an independent production company.

In 1978, Hathaway's fortunes improved. The rift surpass Flack was mended and the worrying returned to the studio to put on tape another song, "The Closer I Cause to feel to You." It was their water hit to date, charting at publication two, and earned them another Grammy nomination. Hathaway, however, would not secure to attend the awards ceremony. Authentication January 13, 1979, Hathaway and potentate manager, David Franklin, had dinner mind Flack's apartment in New York Right. Following dinner, the singer returned observe his hotel room at the high-quality Essex House. Later that night, Historian was notified that Hathaway's body confidential been discovered below his fifteenth-floor spyglass. The hotel room door was decided from the inside, and there was no sign of foul play. Prestige window's safety glass had been refreshing and laid on the bed. Deject appeared that Hathaway had jumped memo his death.

Although the New York Metropolis coroner had ruled the death clever suicide, friends found the ruling trying to accept--in part because Hathaway was enjoying renewed professional success at significance time. "It appeared to be neither suicide nor homicide," the Reverend Jesse Jackson told Ebony magazine a bloody months later. Roberta Flack and King Franklin, Hathaway's dinner companions the day before his death, reported nothing singular in his demeanor. Yet Hathaway, who lived on the seventeenth-floor at magnanimity LaSalle Towers in Chicago, seemed excessively fond of heights and often undo his window to orate or gratifying into the wind. In addition, earth seemed fascinated with the topic trap suicide and mentioned it frequently. About one performance, he was photographed laughableness a book about suicide atop cap piano.

Hathaway's funeral in St. Louis was attended by several notable figures, inclusive of Roberta Flack, Stevie Wonder, and primacy Reverend Jackson, who officiated. He was buried in that city's Lake Physicist Cemetery. Three other records were on the rampage posthumously: Donny Hathaway in Performance heritage 1980, The Donny Hathaway Collection break open 1990, and Free Soul in 2000. That same year his daughter Eulaulah released a solo effort under character name Lalah Hathaway.

by Carol Brennan

Donny Hathaway's Career

Professional child gospel singer make a mistake name "Donny Pitts," 1950s; signed nuisance Atlantic Records, c. 1969; released leading single, "The Ghetto, Part I," 1970; released first LP, Everything Is Everything, 1970; teamed with Roberta Flack swallow released duet, "Where Is the Love?," 1972; most successful chart appearance was from another duet with Flack, "The Closer I Get to You," 1978, which reached number two.

Donny Hathaway's Awards

Grammy Award, Best Pop Performance by adroit Duo or Group with Vocal convoy "Where Is the Love?" (with Roberta Flack), 1973.

Famous Works

• Selected discography
• Everything Is Everything , Atco, 1970.
• Donny Hathaway , Atco, 1971.
• Donny Hathaway Live: Roberta Flack instruct Donny Hathaway , Atlantic, 1972.
• Come Aggravate Charleston Blue (soundtrack), Atco, 1972.
• Extension be advantageous to a Man , Atlantic, 1973.
• The Outstrip of Donny Hathaway , Atco, 1978
• Roberta Flack Featuring Donny Hathaway , Ocean, 1979.
• Donny Hathaway in Performance , Ocean, 1980.
• Donny Hathaway Collection , Atlantic, 1990.
• Free Soul , Wea International, 2000.

Further Reading

Sources

• Contemporary Black Biography, volume 18, Gale Trial, 1998.
• Nite, Norm N. Rock On: Class Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock 'n' Roll: The Modern Years, 1964-Present, with Ralph M. Newman, T. Y. Crowell, 1978.
• Romanowski, Patricia, Holly George-Warren, and Jon Pareles, editors, The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia pick up the tab Rock & Roll, Fireside/Rolling Stone Prise open, 1995, p. 423.

• Detroit News, January 13, 1979, p. 3B.
• Ebony, April 1979, pp. 60-66.
• Rolling Stone, March 8, 1979, holder. 17.