Donna Summers  (1948-  )

By Rivka Willick

Donna Summers is the Disco Queen. Her songs and success rivaled the Bee Gees in the late 70’s. If you went to any disco, you’d hear songs like “Bad Girls” and “Hot Stuff.”

The singer-songwriter was born LaDonna Andre Gaines on New Year’s Eve 1948. (Yes! Here’s another 80’s superstar born at the end of a year – just like John Denver 12-31-43 and Pattie Smith 12-30-46).  She grew up in Boston and started singing in a church choir.  She later remembered hearing her voice as a child and knowing that she’d be a singing star.   She performed with the rock band Crow as a teenager then crossed the Atlantic searching for opportunities.  She found them on the musical stage, first in Vienna Company’s production of “Hair” followed by “Porgy & Bess.”   

During her time in Europe she caught the attention of producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte who produced her first albums.  “Love to Love You Baby” became a worldwide hit and she returned to the USA. 

Her experiences singing gospel, musicals, rock and roll, and pop mixed with her sexy, sultry performances created a look and sound people were waiting for. She used an extended play format and synthesizers, the first for a female artist.  The music and length of her songs worked perfectly with the new Disco craze. She delivered one hit album after another. She became a platinum machine releasing three back to back #1 Billboard double albums in a row; the only performer to hold that record. 

In the 1980’s she moved away from the disco sound and worked collaboratively with artists like Bruce Springsteen (“Protection”), Michael Jackson (“State of Independence”), and Quincy Jones. In the mid 80’s Summers made a comment about her Christian beliefs which was interpreted as anti-gay. Her popularity dropped off for a while.  

She released several albums in the 1990s including the retrospective “Endless Summer.”  Summers is also an internationally known painter having sold over one million dollars in artwork to date.

References:
http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Donna-Summer-Biography/81D3EF8BBD4D091B482569EC00322E82

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0838595/bio