Donny Hathaway Essentials

Just a decade of solo output made the late Donny Hathaway one of R&B's most influential figures. In the '70s he lent soul-baring vocal passion to funky anthems and piano ballads alike, and he more than held his own with Roberta Flack across hitmaking duets like “Where Is the Love”—all while dabbling in live albums and soundtracks. His early days as a hired player and producer made him incredibly versatile, and he built his reputation in part with bold re-imaginings of tunes penned by Nina Simone, Leon Russell and John Lennon. Today his brief but glorious career echoes more widely than ever.