Donny Edward Hathaway was an American soul singer, keyboardist, songwriter, and arranger. Hathaway signed with Atlantic Records in 1969 and with his first single for the Atco label, "The Ghetto", in early 1970, Rolling Stone magazine "marked him as a major new force in soul music." His enduring songs include "The Ghetto", "This Christmas", "Someday We'll All Be Free", "Little Ghetto Boy", "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know", signature versions of "A Song for You", "For All We Know", "Where Is the Love" and "The Closer I Get to You", two of many collaborations with Roberta Flack. "Where Is the Love" won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals in 1973. At the height of his career, Hathaway was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. On January 13, 1979, Hathaway's body was found outside the luxury hotel Essex House in New York City; his death was ruled as suicide.
Michael William Masser was an American songwriter, composer and producer of popular music.
Love Lives Forever is the sixth studio album by American soul singer Minnie Riperton. Released posthumously in 1980, it was co-produced by her husband Richard Rudolph and released on her then-label Capitol Records. It consists of tracks Riperton recorded in 1978 during vocal sessions prior to her death, and music recorded after her early death, occurred on July 12, 1979.
"Tonight, I Celebrate My Love" is a romantic ballad written by lyricist Gerry Goffin with Michael Masser and recorded by Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack for their 1983 album of duets: Born to Love: issued as lead single the track – produced by Masser – became a million-selling international hit.
"The Closer I Get to You" is a romantic ballad performed by African American jazz, soul, R&B, and folk singer-songwriter Roberta Flack and African American soul musician Donny Hathaway. The song was written by James Mtume and Reggie Lucas, two former members of Miles Davis's band, who were members of Flack's band at the time. Produced by Atlantic Records, the song was released on Flack's 1977 album Blue Lights in the Basement, and as a single in 1978. It became a major crossover hit, becoming Flack's biggest commercial hit after her success with her 1973 solo single, "Killing Me Softly with His Song". Originally set as a solo-single, Flack's manager, David Franklin, suggested a duet with Hathaway, which resulted in the finished work.
The 1972 Atlantic release Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway is a million-selling duet album by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway produced by Joel Dorn and Arif Mardin.
Roberta Flack Featuring Donny Hathaway is Roberta Flack's ninth album, released in 1980.
Live & More is a two-disc live album between Roberta Flack and Peabo Bryson.
The Best of Roberta Flack is Roberta Flack's first compilation album, released in 1981.
I'm the One is an album by Roberta Flack released in May 1982 which reached #59 on the album chart in Billboard whose R&B album chart afforded the album a #16 peak.
Oasis is Roberta Flack's first solo album of newly recorded songs since 1982's I'm the One. Released 1 November 1988, Oasis features the number-one U.S. singles, "Oasis" (R&B), and "Uh-uh Ooh-ooh Look Out ".
Born to Love is a 1983 studio album of duets by Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack, released on Bryson's label Capitol Records. The album yielded the million-selling hit single "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love", written by Gerry Goffin and Michael Masser.
Softly with These Songs: The Best of Roberta Flack is Roberta Flack's third compilation album and was released in 1993.
The Christmas Album is Roberta Flack's first holiday album and was released in 1997. The song, "As Long as There's Christmas", was from the direct-to-video Disney film, Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas. The album was reissued by Punahele Productions under the title Holiday in 2003; this version omitted "As Long as There's Christmas".
On May 14, 1988, the Atlantic Records label held its 40th Anniversary Celebration by staging a non-stop concert lasting almost 13 hours starting at noon and ending just shortly before 1am the following morning at Madison Square Garden, New York. The event was dubbed "It's Only Rock And Roll".
Bustin' Loose is a soundtrack album released by Roberta Flack in 1981. It was recorded for the movie of the same title starring Richard Pryor. Luther Vandross and Peabo Bryson contributed vocals to the album and Vandross wrote the song, "You Stopped Loving Me", which he later performed himself on his debut album Never Too Much.
"If Ever I See You Again" is the title of a 1978 hit single by Roberta Flack. The song was composed by Joseph "Joe" Brooks and served as the title song for the eponymous 1978 film If Ever I See You Again, which Brooks directed and also starred in with Shelley Hack as his leading lady. Male vocalist Jamie Carr sang the theme song on the film's soundtrack.
"Making Love" is a 1982 song written by Burt Bacharach, Bruce Roberts, and Carole Bayer Sager to serve as the theme song for the film of the same name in which, as recorded by Roberta Flack with Bacharach/ Bayer Sager producing, it played under the closing credits: a Top 20 hit single for Flack, "Making Love" was included on the singer's 1982 album release I'm the One.
