Born October 1st, 1945 (died January 13th, 1979)
Key Tracks "The Ghetto, Pt. 1" "Where Is the Love"
Influenced Alicia Keys, R. Kelly, John Legend

Donny Hathaway died in 1979, but his warm, suave soul has never been more influential. He's been name-checked in songs by Amy Winehouse, Nas, Common and Fall Out Boy (the new "What a Catch, Donnie"), and Justin Timberlake calls "(Another Song) All Over Again," from FutureSex/LoveSounds, "my homage to Donny Hathaway." It's easy to hear why Hathaway still appeals to modern-pop and neo-soul singers alike. He was equally comfortable with smooth ballads ("The Closer I Get to You") and rolling funk ("The Ghetto"). He was a master of melisma (while never overdoing it), and his smoky voice wrapped superbly around his female duet partners, most notably Roberta Flack. No wonder Timberlake calls him "the best singer of all time."