NEVER BEFORE Seen DETAILS About Donny Hathaway Is Just Plain SAD!

Donny Hathaway, an R&B legend, left an indelible mark on music despite a tragically short life, dying at just 33. Born on October 1, 1945, in Chicago, Illinois, to Dusella Huntley and Hosea Brown, Hathaway faced early challenges with his parents’ separation.

Raised by his mother and gospel legend grandmother, Martha Pittz, he was immersed in music from childhood, singing in the Trinity Baptist Church choir and playing piano. His first public performance, “How Much I Owe, Love Divine,” hinted at the iconic career ahead.

After high school, Hathaway pursued classical piano training at Vashon High School in St. Louis and earned a fine arts scholarship to Howard University in 1963 to study music theory.

There, he befriended Rick Powell, forming the Rick Powell Trio and dominating the DC jazz club scene at venues like Bohemian Caverns. Despite a church upbringing warning against secular music—haunted by the early deaths of legends like Sam Cooke—Powell encouraged Hathaway to step beyond gospel, igniting a fuse for his future success.

Dropping out of Howard in 1967 due to numerous job offers, Hathaway became a songwriter, session musician, and producer at Curtis Mayfield’s Curtom Records in Chicago, arranging for icons like Aretha Franklin.

In 1969, he released his debut single, “I Thank You Baby,” a duet with June Conquest, followed by his 1970 album *Everything Is Everything*, featuring the hit “The Ghetto Part One.” His 1971 self-titled album and 1972 collaboration with Roberta Flack, including “Where Is the Love,” soared on charts, with the latter going platinum. His 1972 album *Live*, recorded at The Troubadour and The Bitter End, remains one of the best live recordings in history.

Hathaway’s holiday classic “This Christmas” (1970) endures as a seasonal staple, while his 1973 album *Extension of a Man* featured emotional tracks like “Someday We’ll All Be Free.”

Despite success, personal demons loomed. Diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 1971 at 25, he was prescribed 14 medications daily. Initially, they helped, but Hathaway often stopped taking them when feeling better, leading to instability. From 1973 to 1977, his mental health spiraled, causing hospitalizations and a rift with Flack.

A brief redemption came in 1978 when he reunited with Flack for “The Closer I Get to You,” topping R&B charts. Yet, tragedy struck on January 13, 1979, after recording “Back Together Again” and “You Are My Heaven.”

Hathaway fell from the 15th floor of New York’s Essex House Hotel. Police ruled it a suicide, as the room was locked from inside, but family and friends disagreed, noting his jovial mood that night. His wife suggested an accident, given open windows and his unstable state off medication. Leaving behind three daughters, including singers Lalah and Kenya, Hathaway’s legacy of hope and heartbreak in Black American music lives on, even as the mystery of his death remains unresolved.