Mister Soul: The Legacy of Donny Hathaway
Like many great African-American soul singers, Donny Hathaway began his musical journey singing Gospel from a young age.
He received a scholarship to study music at Howard University, where he met his future duet partner, Roberta Flack, who would become a key figure in his career.
After university, Donny worked as a songwriter, session musician, and producer for Curtis Mayfield’s label, Curtom Records. Collaborating with the likes of Curtis Mayfield, the Staple Singers, and Aretha Franklin, Hathaway soon ventured into his own solo career, releasing his first single, I Thank You Baby (1969), a duet with June Conquest.
The single charted on the R&B charts, and his debut album, Everything Is Everything, followed in 1970. Featuring tracks like Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything), Misty, and The Ghetto, the album is often considered more of an “album experience” and is highly recommended for listeners.
Hathaway’s next studio album, Donny Hathaway (1971), included the widely recognised track He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother, although it became more famous in versions by The Hollies and Neil Diamond.
That same year, Hathaway provided backing vocals on Roberta Flack’s iconic Killing Me Softly With His Song.
In 1972, Hathaway released a live album, which featured renditions of What’s Going On, The Ghetto, You’ve Got a Friend, and John Lennon’s Jealous Guy.
Of particular note is his version of Jealous Guy on the live album Someday We’ll All Be Free (it’s in the playlist above!). It’s not just a remarkable performance but a sonic masterpiece. The sound quality is superb, and I believe much of it comes down to how the band plays, leaving space for each other to shine.
The Tragic Final Years of Donny Hathaway: Genius, Struggles, and Legacy
In 1972, Donny Hathaway also released an album with Roberta Flack, titled Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway. This album featured duets like You’ve Got a Friend and You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ (originally by The Righteous Brothers).
His final studio album, Extension of a Man, came in 1973, featuring tracks such as Someday We’ll All Be Free and Love, Love, Love.
After this, Donny Hathaway fell into a period of depression and was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. Following years of hospitalisations, he reunited with Roberta Flack to record The Closer I Get to You for her 1978 album Blue Lights in the Basement.
This led to plans for another duets album, but midway through production, Donny suffered a mental breakdown. He claimed that white people had connected a machine to his brain to steal his voice. The session was abruptly cancelled, and hours later, Donny Hathaway was found dead on the pavement 15 floors below his hotel balcony. Authorities concluded that he had likely jumped.
Many artists, including Justin Timberlake, Amy Winehouse, and Raul Midón, have named Donny Hathaway as their favourite singer. His final recording, You Are My Heaven, was co-written with Stevie Wonder, who once said: “When Donny sings any song, he owns it.”
Donny Hathaway Tunes | Related Pages
Killing Me Softly With His Song | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Killing Me Softly With His Song by Roberta Flack using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| Fm7 | Bbm7 |
Strumming my pain with his fingers…
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Killing Me Softly With His Song (Roberta Flack + Fugess) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Misty | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Misty by Ella Fitzgerald using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| Bbmaj7 | Fm7 Bb7 | Ebmaj7 |
Look at me, I’m as helpless as a kitten up a tree…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Misty. (Ella Fitzgerald) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
What’s Going On | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| Emaj9 | Emaj9 | C#m7 | C#m7 |
Mother, mother. There’s too many of you crying…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: What’s Going On (Marvin Gaye) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
You’ve Got A Friend | Chords + TAB
Learn how to play You’ve Got A Friend by Carol King using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recordings.
| Em | B7/F# | Em B7/F# | G B7/F# Em Em/D |
When you’re down and troubled and you need some lovin’ care…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: You’ve Got A Friend (Carole King) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Donny Hathaway on the web
