Donny Hathaway › Similar Artists

Stevie Wonder - 36% match to Donny Hathaway

Steveland Judkins, 13 May 1950, Saginaw, Michigan, USA. Born Judkins, Wonder now prefers to be known as Steveland Morris after his mother’s married name. He was born with rerolental fibroplasia, a disease of the eyes that affects prematurely born babies. This caused permanent blindness but despite this handicap, Wonder began to learn the piano at the age of seven, and h Read more

D'Angelo - 33% match to Donny Hathaway

Marvin Gaye - 31% match to Donny Hathaway

Marvin Pentz Gay Jnr., 2 April 1939, Washington, DC, USA, d. 1 April 1984, Los Angeles, California, USA. Gaye was named after his father, a minister in the Apostolic Church. The spiritual influence of his early years played a formative role in his musical career, particularly from the 70s onwards, when his songwriting shifted back and forth between secular and religious topi Read more

Curtis Mayfield - 30% match to Donny Hathaway

3 June 1942, Chicago, Illinois, USA, d. 26 December 1999, Roswell, Georgia, USA. As songwriter and vocalist with the Impressions, Mayfield established an early reputation as one of soul music’s most intuitive talents. In the decade between 1961 and 1971, he penned a succession of exemplary singles for his group, including ‘Gypsy Woman’ (1961), ‘It’s Read more

Leon Ware - 29% match to Donny Hathaway

Minnie Riperton - 28% match to Donny Hathaway

8 November 1947, Chicago, Illinois, USA, d. 12 July 1979, Los Angeles, California, USA. A former singer with the Gems, Riperton recorded under the name ‘Andrea Davis’ prior to joining the Rotary Connection. She remained with this adventurous, black pop/psychedelic group between 1967 and 1970, before embarking on a solo career. In 1973 the singer began working with Read more

The Impressions - 27% match to Donny Hathaway

Formed in Chicago in 1957 and originally known as the Roosters, this group comprised Jerry Butler (8 December 1939, Sunflower, Mississippi, USA), Curtis Mayfield (b. 3 June 1942, Chicago, Illinois, USA, d. 26 December 1999), Sam Gooden (b. 2 September 1939, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA), and brothers Richard Brooks and Arthur Brooks (both born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA). Read more

Bobby Womack - 26% match to Donny Hathaway

4 March 1944, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. A founder member of the Valentinos, this accomplished musician also worked as a guitarist in Sam Cooke’s touring band. He scandalized the music fraternity by marrying Barbara Campbell, Cooke’s widow, barely three months after the ill-fated singer’s death. Womack’s early solo singles, ‘Nothing You Can Do’ and t Read more

The Isley Brothers - 26% match to Donny Hathaway

Three brothers, O’Kelly (25 December 1937, d. 31 March 1986), Rudolph (b. 1 April 1939) and Ronald Isley (b. 21 May 1941), began singing gospel in their home-town of Cincinnati, USA, in the early 50s, accompanied by their brother Vernon, who died in a car crash around 1957. Moving to New York the following year, the trio issued one-off singles before being signed by the Read more

Aretha Franklin - 25% match to Donny Hathaway

25 March 1942, Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Aretha Franklin’s music is steeped in the traditions of the church. Her father, Rev. C.L. Franklin, was a Baptist preacher who, once he had moved his family to Detroit, became famous throughout black America for his fiery sermons and magnetic public appearances. He knew the major gospel stars Mahalia Jackson and Clara Ward, who in Read more

Frank McComb - 25% match to Donny Hathaway

15 July 1970, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. McComb began playing piano as a child, studying formally from the age of 12. In his mid-teens he formed his own trio, working locally and developing his technique. He was also attracting attention as a singer. In 1991, he became musical director of the Rude Boys, an R&B band, and the following year toured with Fresh Prince (aka Will Sm Read more

The O'Jays - 24% match to Donny Hathaway

The core of this long-standing soul group, Eddie LeVert (16 June 1942, Birmingham, Alabama, USA) and Walter Williams (b. 25 August 1942, USA), sang together as a gospel duo prior to forming the Triumphs in 1958. This doo-wop-influenced quintet was completed by William Powell (b. 20 January 1942, USA, d. 26 May 1977), Bill Isles and Bobby Massey and quickly grew popular aroun Read more

Ohio Players - 23% match to Donny Hathaway

Formed in Dayton, Ohio, USA, this multi-talented unit originated from four members of the Ohio Untouchables, saxophonists Ralph ‘Pee Wee’ Middlebrooks and Clarence ‘Satch’ Satchell, bass player Marshall Jones and guitarist Leroy ‘Sugarfoot’ Bonner. The Ohio Untouchables forged a reputation as a powerful instrumental group by providing the backing t Read more

Isaac Hayes - 22% match to Donny Hathaway

20 August 1942, Covington, Tennessee, USA d. 10 August 2008, Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Hayes’ formative years were spent playing piano and organ in various Memphis clubs. He fronted several groups, including Sir Isaac And The Doo-dads, the Teen Tones and Sir Calvin And His Swinging Cats, and recorded a handful of rudimentary singles. However, it was not until 1964 that h Read more

Roberta Flack - 22% match to Donny Hathaway

10 February 1937, Asheville, North Carolina, USA. Born into a musical family, Flack graduated from Howard University with a BA in music. She was discovered singing and playing jazz in a Washington nightclub by pianist Les McCann, who recommended her talents to Atlantic Records. Two classy albums, First Take andChapter Two, garnered considerable acclaim for their skilful, oft Read more