Donny Hathaway facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Donny Hathaway
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| 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. |
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| Years active | 1967–1979 |
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Donny Edward Hathaway (born October 1, 1945 – died January 13, 1979) was an American soul singer, keyboard player, and songwriter. He was known as a "soul legend" by Rolling Stone magazine. Some of his most famous songs include "The Ghetto", "This Christmas", and "Someday We'll All Be Free". He also sang amazing versions of songs like "A Song for You". Donny Hathaway often worked with singer Roberta Flack, creating hits like "Where Is the Love". He won a Grammy Award and was honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019 after his death. A documentary about him, Mister Soul – A Story About Donny Hathaway, was released in 2020.
Contents
Donny Hathaway's Early Life and Talents
Donny Hathaway was born in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, with his grandmother, Martha Pitts. She was a professional gospel singer. Donny started singing in the church choir with her when he was just three years old. He also began learning to play the piano at a young age.
He finished Vashon High School in 1963. Then, he studied music at Howard University in Washington, D.C.. There, he met Roberta Flack, who would become a famous singing partner. Donny left college in 1967 to start his music career.
His Amazing Music Career
Donny Hathaway began his career as a songwriter and producer for Curtis Mayfield's Curtom Records in Chicago. He helped create music for many artists, including the Staple Singers and Aretha Franklin.
In 1969, Donny signed with Atco Records. His first important song was "The Ghetto, Pt. 1". This song was on his first album, Everything Is Everything, released in 1970.
His second album, Donny Hathaway, came out in 1971. It featured his unique versions of popular songs. In 1972, he released an album of duets with Roberta Flack, called Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway. This album was a huge success. It included the hit song "Where Is the Love", which sold over a million copies!
One of Donny's most famous recordings is his 1972 album, Live. Many people call it one of the best live albums ever. It was recorded at concerts in Hollywood and New York City.
Donny also co-wrote and sang the popular Christmas song, "This Christmas". It was released in 1970 and is now a holiday favorite. Many artists have covered this song over the years.
In the mid-1970s, Donny worked on movie soundtracks. He also composed the theme song for the TV show Maude. His last studio album, Extension of a Man, came out in 1973. It featured the classic song "Someday We'll All Be Free".
Donny teamed up with Roberta Flack again in 1978 for the song "The Closer I Get to You". This song was a big hit, reaching No. 1 on the R&B chart.
Donny's Family Life
In 1967, Donny Hathaway married Eulaulah Vann. They met at Howard University, where they both studied music. They had two daughters, Lalah and Kenya. Both daughters became successful musicians. Lalah has a great solo career, and Kenya is a talented backing singer on TV shows like American Idol.
Health Challenges
During his career, Donny Hathaway faced some difficult health challenges. These challenges sometimes made it hard for him to work and affected his friendships. He received help and treatment for his condition. His wife, Eulaulah, said that he felt better when he followed his treatment plan. From 1973 to 1977, his health issues caused him to be hospitalized several times. This also affected his friendship with Roberta Flack, but they later became friends again and made more music together.
Donny Hathaway's Passing
In early 1979, Donny Hathaway was working on new music with Roberta Flack. On January 13, he was in a recording session. His friends noticed he was behaving unusually.
Hours later, Donny Hathaway passed away suddenly at the Essex House hotel in New York City. His death was a shock to many. Roberta Flack was very sad and included the songs they had finished together on her next album, Roberta Flack Featuring Donny Hathaway.
Donny Hathaway's funeral was led by Reverend Jesse Jackson. Later that year, the group the Whispers released a tribute song called "Song for Donny".
His Lasting Influence
Donny Hathaway's music has had a huge impact on soul music. His songs are considered a key part of American soul. Many famous artists, like Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, Amy Winehouse, and Justin Timberlake, have said he influenced them. Rolling Stone magazine named him one of the greatest singers of all time.
Amy Winehouse even sang about him in her song "Rehab," saying she learned from "Mr. Hathaway." His music continues to be loved and discovered by new generations.
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Album | Chart positions | Certifications | Record label | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B |
AUS |
UK |
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| 1970 | Everything Is Everything | 73 | 33 | — | — | — | Atco |
| 1971 | Donny Hathaway | 89 | 6 | — | — | — | |
| 1972 | Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway | 3 | 2 | 22 | 31 |
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Atlantic |
| 1973 | Extension of a Man | 69 | 18 | — | — | — | Atco |
| 1980 | Roberta Flack Featuring Donny Hathaway | 25 | 4 | — | — |
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Atlantic |
| "—" denotes the album failed to chart or was not certified | |||||||
Live albums
| Year | Album | Chart positions | Certifications | Record label | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B |
UK |
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| 1972 | Live | 18 | 4 | — |
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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
| Year | Album | Chart positions | Certifications | Record label | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B |
UK |
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| 1972 | Come Back Charleston Blue | 198 | — | — | — | Atco |
| "—" denotes the album failed to chart or was not certified | ||||||
Compilation albums
| Year | Album | Chart positions | Certifications | Record label | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B |
KOR (Int.) |
UK |
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| 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 | 135 |
— | — | — | — | 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 Hathaway | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2013 | Never My Love: The Anthology | — | — | 67 | — | — | Atco |
| "—" denotes the album failed to chart or was not certified | |||||||
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | Certifications | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B |
US A/C |
UK |
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| 1969 | "I Thank You Baby" (with June Conquest) | — | 45 | — | — | |
| 1970 | "The Ghetto – Part 1" | 87 | 23 | — | — | |
| "This Christmas" | 39 |
— | — | — | ||
| 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 |
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| "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 |
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| "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 Aretha Franklin
- Young, Gifted and Black (Atlantic, 1972)
With Phil Upchurch
- Upchurch (Cadet, 1969)
- The Way I Feel (Cadet, 1970)
Tributes to Donny Hathaway
Many artists have honored Donny Hathaway and his music:
- In 1999, singer Gabrielle mentioned Donny Hathaway in her song "When a Woman". She also covered "This Christmas".
- The soul group the Whispers released "Song for Donny" in 1979 as a tribute.
- In 2001, Alicia Keys performed "Someday We'll All Be Free" at a televised concert to honor the 9/11 victims.
- Singer Raul Midón created a tribute song called "Sittin' in the Middle" in 2005.
- In her 2006 song "Rehab", Amy Winehouse sang about learning from "Mr. Hathaway".
- Deniece Williams covered "Someday We'll All Be Free" in 2007.
- The band Fall Out Boy named their 2008 song "What a Catch, Donnie" after him.
- In 2010, Amy Winehouse sang Donny's song "We're Still Friends" live.
- The band MKTO referenced writing songs "like Hathaway" in their 2013 song "Classic".
- His music has been featured in TV shows like The Walking Dead (2017) and Euphoria (2019).
- In 2019, rapper JID mentioned Donny Hathaway in his song "Ladies, Ladies, Ladies".
- Donny's cover of John Lennon's "Jealous Guy" was used in the TV show Mythic Quest in 2021.
Images for kids
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The Essex House hotel in New York City.
See also
In Spanish: Donny Hathaway para niños
