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Twisted Tales: Donny Hathaway Is Young, Gifted and Mentally Troubled

Donny Hathaway closed out his 1970 debut album with a saintly version of Nina Simone's 'To Be Young, Gifted and Black.' Not yet 25, a onetime child prodigy as a gospel singer, he'd already worked as a producer, arranger and session musician with Aretha Franklin, the Staple Singers and Curtis Mayfield by the time of his debut. This young black man from the projects of St. Louis was as gifted as they come.

But he was also terribly afflicted. The first song of the debut album, 'Voices Inside,' hinted at the trouble: Hathaway suffered from severe depression and paranoid schizophrenia. After the huge success of his 1972 duets album with fellow Howard University alum Roberta Flack, which produced the Top Five hit 'Where Is the Love,' the singer and composer was in great demand, agreeing to soundtrack work and recording the theme to 'Maude.' But heavy medication wasn't always enough to keep him out of the hospital, and his health problems forced him to curtail his career.

Hathaway seemed poised for a comeback when a reunion with Flack resulted in another big hit, 'The Closer I Get to You,' in 1978. The two singers were working on a second duets album when, in January 1979, Hathaway's body was found on a second-floor balcony below his 15th-floor hotel room in New York City. The glass had been carefully removed from the window of his room, and there was no sign of foul play. Investigators ruled his death a suicide. He was 33.

In death, Hathaway's influence has carried well beyond his own abbreviated career. Nas, Common, Jay-Z, Amy Winehouse and Fall Out Boy are just a few of the many artists who have paid tribute to him with samples, lyrics and dedications. Hathaway's daughter Lalah has her own recording career. Another daughter, Kenya, sings with the 'American Idol' band, and several 'Idol' finalists have expressed their admiration for the singer. With his legacy already nearly as long as his life, perhaps it was fitting that he named the last of his three studio albums 'Extension of a Man.'

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Dr. Dwight E. Miles

I remember this great young man and it still saddens me regarding his death.His apparent diagnosed conditions are significant risk factors for suicide regardless of race. There has been a steady increase in the number of African American males who die by suicide. In fact there rates although not as high as White males mirror the trends of White males and actually been higher than White males in the 20-24 and 25-29 age group. More research needs to be done is this area. We need to find out what are causing our brothers to commit suicide and come up with ways to significantly reverse this trend

June 20 2010 at 3:38 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mecca M

Donny Hathaway was a talent beyond compare. He left behind a beautiful catalog of songs and is one of my all time greats. His tragic end is a testament to the great need for Black mental health professionals. The stigma associated with mental health issues is staggering in America in general. Our community has a great need however for therapists who can relate to the experiences uniquely Black in America. Disagree? Buy a lecture on Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome by Dr. Joy Degruy-Leary...

December 13 2008 at 7:48 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply