''Donny Hathaway'' is the second

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

by American

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...

artist

Donny Hathaway Donny Edward Hathaway (October 1, 1945 – January 13, 1979) was an American soul singer, keyboardist, songwriter, and arranger whom ''Rolling Stone'' described as a "soul legend". His most popular songs include " The Ghetto", "This Christmas ...

, released on April 2, 1971, on

Atco Atco or ATCO may refer to: Businesses * ATCO, a Canadian diversified company involved in manufacturing, utilities, energy and technologies ** ATCO Electric, a subsidiary of the above company * Atco (British mower company), a mower manufacturing com ...

. The majority of songs featured on the collection were covers of pop,

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...

and

songs that were released around the same time. The most prominent of the covers were Hathaway's rendition of

Leon Russell Leon Russell (born Claude Russell Bridges; April 2, 1942 – November 13, 2016) was an American musician and songwriter who was involved with numerous bestselling records during his 60-year career that spanned multiple genres, including rock and ...

's "

A Song for You "A Song for You" is a song written and originally recorded by rock singer and pianist Leon Russell for his first solo album '' Leon Russell'', which was released in 1970 on Shelter Records. A slow, pained plea for forgiveness and understandin ...

" and a gospel-inflected cover of

Gladys Knight & the Pips Gladys Knight & the Pips were an American R&B, soul and funk family music group from Atlanta, Georgia, that remained active on the music charts and performing circuit for over three decades starting from the early 1950s. Starting out as simpl ...

' "

Giving Up "Giving Up" is a popular song written by Van McCoy that was introduced by Gladys Knight & the Pips with an April 1964 single release. Chart performance "Giving Up" was a Top 40 Pop hit, reaching No. 38 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. and a Top ...

", written by

Van McCoy Van Allen Clinton McCoy (January 6, 1940 – July 6, 1979) was an American musician, record producer, arranger, songwriter, singer and orchestra conductor. He is known for his 1975 internationally successful song " The Hustle". He has approximat ...

. This was the second of three solo studio albums that Hathaway released during his lifetime before his suicide in 1979. Atlantic producer

Jerry Wexler Jerry may refer to: Animals * Jerry (Grand National winner), racehorse, winner of the 1840 Grand National * Jerry (St Leger winner), racehorse, winner of 1824 St Leger Stakes Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Jerry'' (film), a 2006 Indian fil ...

took over most of the production duties, with Hathaway producing one track, the self-penned "Take a Love Song".

Track listing

#"Giving Up" (

) (6:20) #"

" (

) (5:25) #" Little Girl" (

Billy Preston William Everett Preston (September 2, 1946 – June 6, 2006) was an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter whose work encompassed R&B, rock, soul, funk, and gospel. Preston was a top session keyboardist in the 1960s, during which he ba ...

) (4:47) #"

He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" is a ballad written by Bobby Scott and Bob Russell. Originally recorded by Kelly Gordon in 1969, the song became a worldwide hit for the Hollies later that year and also a hit for Neil Diamond in 1970. It ...

" ( Bob Russell, Bobby Scott) (5:55) #"Magnificent Sanctuary Band" (

Dorsey Burnette Dorsey William Burnett Jr. (December 28, 1932 – August 19, 1979) was an American early rockabilly singer. With his younger brother Johnny Burnette and a friend named Paul Burlison, he was a founder member of The Rock and Roll Trio. He is als ...

) (4:24) #"She Is My Lady" (

George S. Clinton George Stanley Clinton, Jr. (born June 17, 1947) is an American composer, songwriter, arranger, and session musician. Biography Clinton was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. His musical career began in Nashville while earning degrees in music and ...

) (5:33) #" I Believe in Music" (

Mac Davis Morris Mac Davis (January 21, 1942 – September 29, 2020) was an American country music singer, songwriter, and actor. A native of Lubbock, Texas, he enjoyed success as a crossover artist, and during his early career he wrote for Elvis Presley, ...

) (3:38) #"Take a Love Song" (Hathaway, Nadine McKinnor) (4:53) #"

Put Your Hand in the Hand "Put Your Hand in the Hand" is a gospel pop song composed by Gene MacLellan and first recorded by Canadian singer Anne Murray from her third studio album '' Honey, Wheat and Laughter''. It became a hit single for the Canadian band Ocean, release ...

" (

Gene MacLellan Gene MacLellan (February 2, 1938 – January 19, 1995) was a Canadian singer-songwriter from Prince Edward Island. Among his compositions were " Snowbird", made famous by Anne Murray, "Put Your Hand in the Hand", " The Call", "Pages of Time ...

) (3:49)

Bonus tracks on CD

#"Be There" (Donny Hathaway, Charles Ostiguy) (3:02) #" This Christmas" (Hathaway, Nadine McKinnor) (3:51)

Personnel

*Donny Hathaway – lead vocals, keyboards (all tracks) *

Myrna Summers Myrna Summers (born March 30, 1949) is a gospel music singer who has performed professionally for over four decades and is now the Minister of Music at Reid Temple A.M.E. Church in Glenn Dale, Maryland. She has a commanding yet distinctive alto vo ...

– background vocals (tracks 1-7, 9) *Sammy Turner – background vocals (tracks 1-7, 9) *

King Curtis Curtis Ousley (born Curtis Montgomery; February 7, 1934 – August 13, 1971), known professionally as King Curtis, was an American saxophonist who played rhythm and blues, jazz, and rock and roll. A bandleader, band member, and session musicia ...

– tenor saxophone solo (track 1) * Joe Newman – trumpet solo (track 6) *

Chuck Rainey Charles Walter Rainey III (born June 17, 1940) is an American bass guitarist who has performed and recorded with many well-known acts, including Aretha Franklin, Steely Dan, and Quincy Jones. Rainey is credited for playing bass on more than 1,00 ...

– all bass guitars (tracks 1-7, 9) *

Phil Upchurch Philip Upchurch (born July 19, 1941) is an American jazz and blues guitarist and bassist. Career Upchurch started his career working with the Kool Gents, the Dells, and the Spaniels, before going on to work with Curtis Mayfield, Otis Rush, and ...

– electric bass guitar (8) *

J.R. Bailey James Ralph Bailey (June 17, 1937 – September 6, 1985) was an American R&B singer and songwriter. A member of The Cadillacs from 1956 to 1972, he also recorded as a solo artist. He worked as a background vocalist for singers such as Aretha Frankl ...

– background vocals (tracks 1-7, 9) *John Littlejohn – guitar, vocals *

Cissy Houston Emily "Cissy" Houston ( ''née'' Drinkard; born September 30, 1933) is an American soul and gospel singer. After a successful career singing backup for such artists as Roy Hamilton, Dionne Warwick, Elvis Presley, and Aretha Franklin, Houston embar ...

– background vocals (tracks 1-7, 9) *Judy Clay – background vocals (tracks 1-7, 9) *

Cornell Dupree Cornell Luther Dupree (December 19, 1942 – May 8, 2011) was an American jazz and R&B guitarist. He worked at various times with Aretha Franklin, Bill Withers, Donny Hathaway, King Curtis and Steve Gadd, appeared on David Letterman,

– guitar (tracks 1-7, 9) *Interdenominational singers – background vocals (tracks 1-7, 9) *Jack Jennings – percussion *Morris Jennings – drums (track 8) * Steve Novosel – additional bass guitar (track 8) *Sylvia Shemwell – background vocals (tracks 1-7, 9) * Myrna Smith – background vocals (tracks 1-7, 9) *Ivory Stone – background vocals (track 8) *Deirdre Tuck Corley – background vocals (tracks 1-7, 9) *Lillian Tynes – background vocals (track 8) *Ronnie Bright – background vocals (tracks 1-7, 9) *

Al Jackson Jr. Albert J. Jackson Jr. (November 27, 1935 – October 1, 1975) was an American drummer, producer, and songwriter. He was a founding member of Booker T. & the M.G.'s, a group of session musicians who worked for Stax Records and produced their ...

– drums (tracks 1-7, 9) *

Arif Mardin Arif Mardin (March 15, 1932 – June 25, 2006) was a Turkish-American music producer, who worked with hundreds of artists across many different styles of music, including jazz, rock, soul, disco and country. He worked at Atlantic Records for ov ...

, Donny Hathaway – string, horn and choral arrangements ;Technical *Howard Albert, Murray Allen, Ron Albert,

Gene Paul Gene William Paul (born August 20, 1944) is an American audio recording / mixing / mastering engineer, producer and musician. He was an engineer at Atlantic Recording Studios during their famed 1960s–80s period and is currently the chief mas ...

Jimmy Douglass Jimmy Douglass, also known as "The Senator", is an American recording engineer and record producer. His career has spanned more than four decades. Career In the early 1970s at Atlantic Records studios in New York City, he started his studio ...

– engineer *Loring Eutemey – cover *Michael Woodlon – cover photography

References

{{Authority control 1971 albums Donny Hathaway albums Albums produced by Donny Hathaway Albums produced by Arif Mardin Albums produced by Jerry Wexler Atco Records albums