> I always wondered why, in a historical sense, he was never considered
> one of the true greats.
Hathaway's low critical and popular standing is not due to a lack of
talent. Even before he started recording, he blew people away; I have
heard stories of people waiting in lines that wrapped around a block
to hear him perform. Any of the people he worked with will say Donny was
one of the all-time greats without hesistation. He had an ability to fuse
jazz, gospel, soul and funk in a way that had not been done
previously.
The reason people don't know about Donny is because he didn't make that
many records (Everything is Everything, Donny Hathaway Live, Extensions of
a Man, Donny Hathaway, the ones with Roberta Flack), and no solo releases
after 1974 or so. And I believe the reason for his lack of product was his
mental problems. He was chronically plagued with depression throughout his
life, culminating in his jumping/falling out of a window to his death in
1979. I have never been able to go deeper into this topic, because there's
very little information, but that's why I think he's neglected. Although,
I should add that many younger artists/producers/beatfreaks today give him
the props he deserves.
anthony