The Reno Jazz Orchestra (RJO) will celebrate Donny Hathaway's 80th birthday with a special production, "Someday We'll All Be Free: The Genius of Donny Hathaway," on September 27 and 28, 2025, at the Nugget Celebrity Showroom in Sparks, NV.
Hathaway, a pivotal figure in 1970s soul music, was a gifted singer, pianist, and composer whose work blended gospel, jazz, and R&B, often carrying powerful messages about civil rights. This unique RJO production, led by Music Director Dr. Greg Johnson, will feature an expanded roster of artists, including a string orchestra, original arrangements, guest vocalists, and a gospel choir. The concert will showcase Hathaway's well-known songs in the first half, with material from his album Extensions of a Man in the second.
Community outreach for the event will begin in mid-2025, involving local school districts and offering free tickets to students. Donny Hathaway's daughter, Donnita Hathaway, director of the Donny Hathaway Legacy Project, will participate in these efforts. Her organization aims to support individuals struggling with mental health, a cause deeply personal to her given her father's battle with paranoid schizophrenia and his suicide in 1979. Cliff Porter, who also leads a local mental health non-profit, will join Donnita Hathaway in the community outreach. Donnita Hathaway established her project to acknowledge her father's musical contributions, address the issue of suicide among young Black individuals, and share her own journey of healing through holistic methods.
You will not want to miss this incredible event!
Born in Chicago on October 1, 1945, Donny Hathaway was a legendary American R&B and Soul artist, renowned as a singer, keyboardist, composer, arranger, and producer. Celebrated by Rolling Stone as a soul music icon, his influential career, though cut short by his death at 33 in New York City on January 13, 1979, left an indelible mark with hits like "A Song for You," "The Ghetto," and "Someday We'll All Be Free." He also recorded popular duets with Roberta Flack, including "Where Is the Love" and "The Closer I Get to You," and his enduring Christmas song, "This Christmas," remains a holiday classic.
Explore this list of some of Donny's recordings.
This anthology, originally released by ATCO Records, was re-released by Rhino Entertainment Company in 2013. The anthology consists of 58 titles, including mono and promo versions of early songs, instrumentals, and live recordings.
The Donny Hathaway Legacy Project (DHLP) is a non-profit organization founded by Donnita Hathaway, the youngest daughter of the legendary soul singer, songwriter, and musician Donny Hathaway. Dedicated to honoring her father's profound musical contributions and shedding light on his personal struggles with mental illness, the DHLP provides culturally relevant, holistic mental and emotional health resources and education. The project specifically targets creative artists, Black communities, and young people, aiming to destigmatize mental health issues and offer accessible pathways to healing through various initiatives, including music therapy, educational workshops, and community events. Ultimately, the DHLP strives to transform the narrative around mental health in underserved communities, drawing inspiration from Donny Hathaway's life and his powerful message of "Someday We'll All Be Free."
Read more about the Donny Hathaway Legacy Project at the Project's official website.
