'Spare A Thought For Donny This Christmas'

In case you have never heard of the man, let me tell you that Donny Hathaway was simply the greatest Black vocalist ever. Now, you might well think that I exaggerate! What about James Brown? What about Luther Vandross? Oh, and a certain Mr Steveland Morris (Stevie Wonder)! Well, if I was to tell you that Stevie Wonder himself considers Donny Hathaway to be the greatest there has ever been and admits to actually adapting his own style in order to sing more like him then maybe you wouldn't think me so crazy...

So why isn't Donny more widely known about? Well, that's hard to say but I guess it is fair comment to state that while the mans albums were successful in U.S. R&B circles unlike with say Stevie or Luther none of Donny's work ever really crossed over into the main charts. Tragically, Hathaway suffered with depression (something which never helps - trust me!) and was eventually diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic. In order to control this he had to take powerful drugs daily but, according to Wikkipedia, was not always consistent in doing so with tragic circumstances...

On Jan 13th 1979 Donny's body was found on the sidewalk beneath the Essex Hotel in New York. On investigation it appeared that Donny committed suicide from his 15th floor apartment but he had been recording with Eric Murcury and James Mtume earlier that day and had been saying some very strange things, so much so in fact, that the session was stopped and Murcury and Mtume went home. We will never really know for sure what happened that day now but what is certainly true is that the world lost one hell of a talent that day...

To celebrate the life and times of Donny Hathaway and to remember him to the world at Christmas I am happy to present here the 'funky' Christmas song Donny left us with 'This Christmas'. Do yourself a favour and check out more of this great mans music - it really is good for the soul...