Q: What do Alexander O'Neal, Macy Gray, Christina Aguilera, Peabo Bryson, Chicago, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Patti Austin, Patti LaBelle, Gloria Estefan, Freddie Jackson, Bobby Womack, Destiny's Child, Ashanti, Boney James, Harry Connick Jr.,Faith Evans, Diana Ross, Menudo, Usher, Boyz II Men, Dismemberment Plan, Trey Songz, Chris Brown, Aretha Franklin, and 'NSync all have in common?

A. They've all released covers of Donny Hathaway's top notch Holiday tune "This Christmas"

They all pale in comparison to the original, which wins my vote for best holiday song ever. Hailing from Chicago, DH came up working as a songwriter, session musician and producer at Chicago's Twinight Records. After participating in projects by The Staple Singers, Jerry Butler, Aretha Franklin, and Curtis Mayfield, he recorded his first single in 1969. "This Christmas" was released as single by Hathaway for Atco records in 1970.

TC is also the song that was chosen by the Fuller Park Teen Band Trace for their recent Holiday Show. Guitar teacher Randy grew up under the tutelage of Hathaway's guitarist Phil Upchurch and remembers walking miles with his guitar in hand to the park each day to soak it all in. He refers to "This Christmas" as the Black National anthem, suggesting that its the most recognizable song of all in the black community. If the crowd's response ("Play it on boy!") to Trace's performance is any indication, I'd have to agree.

A few years after its release, DH's collaboration with Roberta Flack took him to the top of the charts and won him the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for the duet "Where Is the Love" in 1973. Unfortunately, due to substance abuse problems,Donny Hathaway's life and career was cut short on January 13, 1979, when his body was found outside the luxury hotel Essex House in New York City; his death was ruled a suicide.

This Christmas

Happy Holidays to you all! FI Will be on hiatus until after the New Year. See you here in 2009!