Donny Hathaway
Donny Edward Hathaway born October 1, 1945 – January 13, 1979, Donny Hathaway was from Chicago, Illinois, although he grew up in St. Louis with his grandmother, Martha Cromwell, who was a respected Gospel singer in her own right.
Hathaway began singing in a church choir with his grandmother, a professional gospel singer, at the age of three. His grandmother taught him piano and music. He graduated from Vashon High School in 1963. He then studied music on a fine arts scholarship at Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he was a classmate and close friend of Roberta Flack and a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. He also was a part of a jazz trio that worked the Washinton DC area with drummer Ric Powell while there, but during 1967 left Howard without a degree, after receiving job offers in the music business in Chicago.
Donny worked as songwriter, session musician and producer. Working first at Chicago's Twinight Records, he later 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. After becoming a "house producer" for Mayfield's label, Curtom Records, he started recording there as a member of The Mayfield Singers. He 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".
Donny Hathaway - The Ghetto Donny Hathaway - I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know
In 1970, Donny released the album 'Everything Is Everything', (featuring 'The Ghetto', 'Believe To My Soul' and 'To Be Young, Gifted And Black'), followed a year later by the self titled album, 'Donny Hathaway' (featuring 'A Song For You').
Donny's later albums included 'Live' and 'Extension Of A Man', (including 'Flying Easy', 'Love Love Love', 'Someday We'll All Be Free' and 'Valdez In The Country').
Donny was also, throughout the decade, battling severe bouts of depression, which occasionally required him to be hospitalized.
Sessions for a second album of duets with Roberta were underway when, on the 13th January 1979, Donny was found dead, at the age of 33, on the sidewalk below the 15th floor window of his room in New York's Essex House Hotel.
Towards the end of his life he suffered from personal and identity problems, which hospitalised him from time to time.
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