Died On This Date (January 13, 1979) Donny Hathaway / Influential Soul Singer
themusicsover Donny Hathaway
October 1, 1945 – January 13, 1979
Donny Hathaway was a soul singer and musician who is best remembered for his duets with former college classmate, Roberta Flack. The two recorded a series of hits throughout the ’70s. That catalog includes “The Closer I Get to You,” “You’ve Got a Friend,” and “Where is the Love” which scored the pair a #1 single as well as a Grammy in 1973. Hathaway released several hit albums of his own as well. He began his career as a studio musician and songwriter in Chicago where he collaborated with the likes of Aretha Franklin and the Staple Singers. He soon became the house producer for Curtis Mayfield’s Curtom Records. As a songwriter, one of Hathaway’s best known compositions is “This Christmas,” a song he co-wrote and has since become a holiday standard, having been recorded by Diana Ross, *NSYNC, Gloria Estefan, and many more. It has been reported that Hathaway suffered from serious depression and likely, paranoid schizophrenia which lead to numerous hospital stays and heavy medication. On January 13, 1979, Donny Hathaway was found dead on the sidewalk 15 floors beneath his New York City hotel room. There was no sign of foul play so his death was ruled a suicide.
What You Should Own
Jay Reatard was an up-and-coming indie rock/garage punk singer-songwriter who had been building a solid following since he came on to the scene during the final years of the 20th century. He released his first albums on Goner Records in 1998 and continued to be prolific through his final releases on indie stalwart, Matador Records. Along the way he established himself as a critics’ darling while building his cultish following. In the early morning hours of January 13, 2010, Jay Reatard was found dead in his bed. Early reports indicated that he died in his sleep and that drugs and alcohol may have contributed, but actual cause of death was not immediately released. He was 29.
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