Two-time Grammy Award-winning songstress Lalah Hathaway wowed a celebrity-filled audience at the live recording for her upcoming album, lalah hathaway LIVE! at the Troubador in Los Angeles this past April. Celebrities including Patti LaBelle, Anita Baker, Erica Campbell, Kenny Lattimore, Daley, Laurieann Gibson, Deitrick Haddon, Yvette Nicole Brown, Angie Fisher and Luenell watched Lalah deliver the stunning R&B vocals she’s known for on the same stage that her father, the late great Donny Hathaway, recorded his seminal LIVE album on in 1972. Evening highlights included Lalah performing some of her father’s classics such as “A Song For You” and “Little Ghetto Boy” and Anita Baker watching as Lalah sang her rendition of Baker’s timeless hit “Angel”.
Today (Oct. 30), the gifted singer drops the album lalah hathaway LIVE!. She says of the album, “This album is a dream fulfilled! It means everything to me to have built this record with and for the fans, as I mark my 25th year as a recording artist. I cannot wait to take this show on the road!!!”
Having wrapped up a series of shows this summer, Lalah blesses Atlanta fans with a celebration concert at Centerstage the day of release.
Read what she has to say.
How did you come up with idea to record your next album at the Troubador?
We did two shows in April. I have enough music for two more records [gleams the singer]. The idea actually came from my friend, Donald Lawrence. He suggested I make a “best of” album. What I tried to do was capture the best of my career from 1990 until now.
What can we expect of lalah hathaway LIVE!?
Great music. I want to hear from fans whether it met their expectations. It’s much more interesting for fans to share what they heard.
Who can enjoy this album – generation X, Y or millennials?
I bridged a gap between what is old and what is new. By old, I mean historic, legendary and legacy music. At a point, it conveys the history of Blacks in America – old soul, R&B, gospel, the blues – I am bridging those genres to what’s going on now. Hopefully, I deliver for all the generations in your home in a way we experienced when we were younger. We listened to our parents’ records and they listened to their parents’ record. It was music that was handed down and metaphorically, they were like history books.
When you say music, are you talking about the lyrics, the sound…?
All of it. I am talking about the ethic, the intent, the lyric, the subject, the melody, the execution.
It’s a live album with me and the band. It’s all my A guys. It was a lot of fun. It was just the band doing what we do.
For more info visit: www.lalahhathaway.com; Facebook: /LalahHathaway; Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @lalahhathaway
Check out photos from the Troubador in Los Angeles where she recorded lalah hathaway LIVE! Photos (Credit: Arnold Turner).
