HATHAWAY, DONNY - EXTENSION OF A MAN

Donny Edward Hathaway (October 1, 1945 - January 13, 1979) was an American soul singer, keyboardist, songwriter, backing vocalist, arranger and record producer. He was known for songs including "The Ghetto", "This Christmas", "Someday We'll All Be Free" and "Little Ghetto Boy", as well as for his interpretations of "A Song for You", "For All We Know", "Jealous Guy" and "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know". He also collaborated frequently with Roberta Flack, recording duets such as "Where Is the Love" and "The Closer I Get to You". Hathaway received one Grammy Award from four nominations, was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame, and was posthumously honoured with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019. The documentary film "Mister Soul - A Story About Donny Hathaway", directed by David Kleijwegt, premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2020. Hathaway was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Drusella Huntley and was raised by his grandmother, Martha Pitts, also known as Martha Crumwell, in the Carr Square housing project in St. Louis, Missouri. He began singing in a church choir and studying piano at the age of three. After graduating from Vashon High School in 1963, he attended Howard University in Washington, D.C., on a fine arts scholarship. There he met drummer Ric Powell, who later became a musical collaborator, and joined the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. In 1967, shortly before completing his degree, Hathaway and Powell left the university after accepting opportunities in the music industry, including work with Curtis Mayfield's Curtom Records in Chicago. Hathaway began his professional career as a songwriter, session musician, arranger and producer for Curtom Records. He arranged recordings by the Unifics, including "Court of Love" and "The Beginning of My End", and contributed to projects by the Staple Singers, Jerry Butler, Aretha Franklin, the Impressions and Curtis Mayfield. In 1969, he recorded his first single as a lead artist, the duet "I Thank You, Baby" with June Conquest, backed by "Just Another Reason". Later in 1969, Hathaway signed with Atco Records, a division of Atlantic Records, after being discovered by King Curtis. His first notable solo single, "The Ghetto, Pt. 1", was co-written with Leroy Hutson and appeared on his debut album, "Everything Is Everything" (1970), which Hathaway co-produced with Ric Powell and arranged. His second album, "Donny Hathaway" (1971), consisted primarily of interpretations of contemporary pop, soul and gospel songs. His third album, "Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway" (1972), was a collaborative release with Roberta Flack. The album included the single "Where Is the Love", which reached the top five of the US Billboard Hot 100 and topped the US R&B chart. It sold more than one million copies in the United States and was certified gold by the RIAA. The album also featured versions of "You've Got a Friend", "Baby I Love You" and "You've Lost That Loving Feeling". Also in 1972, Hathaway released the live album "Live", recorded at performances at the Troubadour in Hollywood and the Bitter End in New York City. Hathaway co-wrote and recorded the Christmas song "This Christmas", which was released in 1970 and has since been recorded by numerous artists in a variety of musical styles. During the early 1970s, he also contributed to film and television music, including the theme for the television series "Maude", and composed and conducted the soundtrack for the 1972 film "Come Back Charleston Blue". In the mid-1970s, he produced recordings for other artists, including the band Cold Blood. His final studio album, "Extension of a Man", was released in 1973. It included the singles "Love Love Love" and "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know", as well as "Someday We'll All Be Free" and the instrumental composition "I Love The Lord, He Heard My Cry". In interviews, Hathaway cited composers including Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy and Igor Stravinsky as influences on his musical development. In 1978, Hathaway reunited with Roberta Flack to record "The Closer I Get to You", which appeared on her album "Blue Lights in the Basement". The single reached number one on the US R&B chart and number two on the US Billboard Hot 100. Shortly before his death, Atlantic Records released the solo single "You Were Meant For Me". Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donny_Hathaway Studio albums Everything Is Everything (1970) Donny Hathaway (1971) Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway (1972, with Roberta Flack) Extension of a Man (1973) Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.