Photos and review by HARRIET KAPLAN
LOS ANGELES – The Musical Tribute to The Life & Times of Donny Hathaway at Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles was a wonderful night of music and storytelling that honored the soulful musician’s genius with honesty and gritty authenticity.
Hathaway suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and died in 1979 when he was found dead on the pavement below the window of his 15th-floor room in New York City’s Essex House hotel at 160 Central Park South.
The high-energy, multimedia musical tribute featured a talented cast of actors and vocalists that included Terrell Edwards, who masterfully portrayed Donny Hathaway and sang incredibly.
The night brought together a bevy of famous performers like Freda Payne (“For All We Know”), Rob Morrow (“Skip” – ATCO record executive) , Roberta Freeman (Roberta Flack: “Where Is The Love” duet with Andy Vargas), Vargas (“Love, Love, Love”), Sean Holt (“I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know”), Alison Porter (“Givin’ Up”), and Joshua Triplett, portraying a studio musician with whom Hathaway worked.
The Get Together Foundation, in cooperation with Rock Cellar production, presented The 988 Lifeline Charity Concert Event’s “Heart & Soul.” The goal is a major effort to raise awareness and funds to increase the level of care and support for those potentially at risk for suicide and for their families.
Donnita Hathaway was also on hand at the event. She is the daughter of Donny Hathaway and the founder of the Donny Hathaway Legacy Project, which is dedicated to the memory of her father. The organization provides mental health resources, education and resources to support creative artists and those in need.
Listen to the music of Donny Hathaway here:
