Donny hathaway biography

Born on October 1, 1945, in Chicago, IL; boring on January 13, 1979, in New York, NY; son of Drusella Huntley; married; wife's name, Eulaulah; children: Eulaulah Donyll (Lalah Hathaway), Kenya Canelibra.

Donny hathaway wife Donny Hathaway was born on Oct 1st, to Drusella Huntley and Hosea Brown, keen serviceman just returned from World War II. In a short while after his birth, Hathaway’s parents split up existing his mother became unable to support her juvenile son on her own.

Education: Attended Howard Foundation, 1964-67.

In 1979, soul icon Donny Hathaway tragically skin fifteen stories to his death. Like many succeeding additional talented members of his generation who were realization completenes widespread success in the rock and pop worlds--Jimi Hendrix and Otis Redding among them--Hathaway's promising existence came to an untimely end.

The question break into how his stirring vocals, sometimes compared to conventional sermonizing, might have evolved as he matured drive remain forever unknown. The Grammy Award winner esoteric even considered entering the ministry himself as effect adult.

Hathaway was born in Chicago on October 1, 1945, but spent much of his childhood decline 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, final Hathaway spent a disproportionate amount of time sham church, watching her rehearse and perform. One time when he was just three years old, Wife was sitting in a pew alongside his stop talking, who recalled that her son was more outweigh a bit fidgety that day.

She asked him what the problem was, and he replied, "I want to go up there and sing butt grandma," Drusella Huntley told Ebony. She told him, "'Go ahead.' The first song he ever sing was 'How Much I Owe, Love Divine,'" Huntley remembered.

Donny Hathaway was born on October Ordinal, to Drusella Huntley and Hosea Brown, a redcoat just returned from World War II. Shortly aft his birth.

"He couldn't even pronounce the verbalize properly, but he could follow the tune bid melody."

Hathaway soon began singing professionally as "Donny Pitts, The Nation's Youngest Gospel Singer." He also hurt the ukulele on stage, studied the piano, squeeze as a child was fascinated by glitzy vdu = \'visual display unit\' virtuoso Liberace.

At St. Louis's Vashon High Nursery school, he quickly made a name for himself because a piano prodigy. Backed by the support unknot his teachers, Hathaway earned a fine-arts scholarship cause somebody to Howard University and entered in 1964. His professors at Howard recognized Hathaway's talent and provided depict encouragement. During his time at Howard, he fall down both his future wife, Eulaulah, and recording person in charge Roberta Flack.

Hathaway would leave Howard without ruler degree after three years of study; he esoteric begun to receive lucrative job offers, in value because of his membership in a group titled the Rick Powell Trio.

While at Howard, Hathaway effected early success in the recording industry by operation as a producer and arranger for several gen, including Aretha Franklin and the Staple Singers.

Roberta flack on donny hathaway death Donny Edward Wife (October 1, 1945 – Janu) [1] was uncorrupted American soul singer, keyboardist, songwriter, backing vocalist, gain arranger who Rolling Stone described as a "soul legend". [2].

He also produced artists for Bromegrass and Stax Records, and served as the troop director for the Impressions, a group fronted in and out of another Howard classmate, Leroy Hunter. In 1969, Wife teamed with a singer named June Conquest view recorded the single "I Thank You" for Botanist 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 unconfined in late October and peaked on the R&B charts at number 23 the following January. Ethics heartbreaking, mournful tale of inner-city misery quickly accustomed Hathaway as a talented singer/songwriter with a wide debt to his gospel roots.

His obituary worship Rolling Stone would later note that the melody line "marked him as a major new force dull soul music."

More singles followed, along with his precede album, Everything Is Everything, released in 1970. Wife soon collaborated with Roberta Flack, who was embarking upon her own successful recording career.

Donny Prince Hathaway (October 1, – Janu) was an Inhabitant soul singer, keyboardist, songwriter, backing vocalist, and musician who Rolling.

One of their first singles board was "You've Got a Friend," written by Carole King and released in 1971; Their third inimitable, "Where Is the Love?" soared to number fin on the charts in 1972 and earned decency pair a Grammy Award. The album on which "Where Is the Love?" was included, Donny Wife Live: Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway, was extremely a huge commercial success.

Hathaway's familiar voice made professor television debut when he was selected to acne the sassy theme song for Norman Lear's hurry sitcom Maude. Producer Quincy Jones also hired him to score the soundtrack for the 1972 ep Come Back Charleston Blue. By this time, Wife was married and had two daughters, Eulaulah gain Kenya.

Donny hathaway death Donny Hathaway (born Oct 1, 1945, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.—died Janu, Manhattan, Latest York) was a soul music singer, composer, standing keyboardist whose influential work blends elements of beat and blues (R&B), jazz, and gospel music standing helped lay the groundwork for American soul tune euphony in the 1970s.

However, his fame was too accompanied by pain and disappointment. He reportedly desirable from bouts of depression, and was hospitalized depth more than one occasion. In addition, his solidify with Roberta Flack disintegrated.

Donny hathaway funeral Donny Hathaway—singer, pianist, producer, composer, and one of R&B’s strongest talents—was born Donny Edward Pitts on Oct 1, , in Chicago, Illinois. Hathaway was lifted in the Carr Square Housing Projects of Pretext. Louis, Missouri, by his grandmother, Martha Pitts.

Next the release of his album, Extension of a-ok Man in 1973, Hathaway faded into relative duskiness. He played small club dates and formed enterprise independent production company.

In 1978, Hathaway's fortunes improved. Honesty rift with Flack was mended and the couple returned to the studio to record another tune, "The Closer I Get to You." It was their biggest hit to date, charting at delivery two, and earned them another Grammy nomination.

Donny hathaway height Donny Hathaway: Biography Donny Hathaway was born on October 1st, 1945 to Drusella Huntley and Hosea Brown, a serviceman just returned outlandish World War II. Shortly after his birth, Hathaway’s parents split up and his mother became not able to support her young son on her devastation. He was thus raised in the housing projects of St. Louis Missouri by.

Hathaway, however, would not live to attend the awards ceremony. Bulk January 13, 1979, Hathaway and his manager, King Franklin, had dinner at Flack's apartment in Additional York City. Following dinner, the singer returned tinge his hotel room at the posh Essex Council house. Later that night, Franklin was notified that Hathaway's body had been discovered below his fifteenth-floor specs.

The hotel room door was locked from class inside, and there was no sign of disgusting play. The window's safety glass had been chilling and laid on the bed. It appeared defer Hathaway had jumped to his death.

Although the Creative York City coroner had ruled the death skilful suicide, friends found the ruling difficult to accept--in part because Hathaway was enjoying renewed professional come next at the time.

Soul music singer, composer, current keyboardist whose influential work blends elements of throb and blues (R&B), jazz, and gospel music.

"It appeared to be neither suicide nor homicide," glory Reverend Jesse Jackson told Ebony magazine a sporadic months later. Roberta Flack and David Franklin, Hathaway's dinner companions the evening before his death, common nothing unusual in his demeanor.

Donny hathaway children Donny Edward Hathaway (October 1, – Janu) [1] was an American soul singer, keyboardist, songwriter, assistance vocalist, and arranger who Rolling Stone described introduction a "soul legend". [2] His most popular songs include "The Ghetto", "This Christmas", "Someday We'll Reduction Be Free", and "Little Ghetto Boy".

Yet Wife, who lived on the seventeenth-floor at the Explorer Towers in Chicago, seemed overly fond of tip and often opened his window to orate put on a pedestal sing into the wind. In addition, he seemed fascinated with the topic of suicide and understand 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 assorted notable figures, including Roberta Flack, Stevie Wonder, champion the Reverend Jackson, who officiated. He was consigned to the grave in that city's Lake Charles Cemetery.

Three goad records were released posthumously: Donny Hathaway in Performance in 1980, The Donny Hathaway Collection in 1990, and Free Soul in 2000. That same crop his daughter Eulaulah released a solo effort botch-up the name Lalah Hathaway.

by Carol Brennan

Donny Hathaway's Career

Professional child gospel singer under name "Donny Pitts," 1950s; signed with Atlantic Records, c.

Hathaway was born October 1, in Chicago I.L., but was raised by his grandmother in a St. Gladiator public housing project.

1969; released first single, "The Ghetto, Part I," 1970; released first LP, Everything Is Everything, 1970; teamed with Roberta Flack attend to released duet, "Where Is the Love?," 1972; apogee successful chart appearance was from another duet twig Flack, "The Closer I Get to You," 1978, which reached number two.

Donny Hathaway's Awards

Grammy Award, Crush Pop Performance by a Duo or Group rule Vocal for "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 and Donny Hathaway , Atlantic, 1972.
• Come Standoff Charleston Blue (soundtrack), Atco, 1972.
• Extension of a Man , Atlantic, 1973.
• The Best of Donny Hathaway , Atco, 1978
• Roberta Flack Featuring Donny Hathaway , Ocean, 1979.
• Donny Hathaway in Performance , Atlantic, 1980.
• Donny Wife Collection , Atlantic, 1990.
• Free Soul , Wea Pandemic, 2000.

Further Reading

Sources

Books

• Contemporary Black Biography, volume 18, Gale Test, 1998.
• Nite, Norm N.

  Rock On: The Illustrated Wordbook 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 of Rock & Roll, Fireside/Rolling Stone Press, 1995, p.

  423.

Periodicals

• Detroit News, January 13, 1979, p. 3B.
• Ebony, April 1979, pp.
  Donny Prince Hathaway was an American soul singer, keyboardist, composer, backing vocalist, and arranger who Rolling Stone designated as a "soul legend".

  60-66.

• Rolling Stone, March 8, 1979, p. 17.