HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

LaDonna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948May 17, 2012), known professionally as Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter. She gained prominence during the
disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric p ...
era of the 1970s and became known as the " Queen of Disco", while her music gained a global following. Influenced by the
counterculture of the 1960s The counterculture of the 1960s was an anti-establishment cultural phenomenon that developed throughout much of the Western world in the 1960s and has been ongoing to the present day. The aggregate movement gained momentum as the civil rights mo ...
, Summer became the lead singer of a
psychedelic rock Psychedelic rock is a rock music genre that is inspired, influenced, or representative of psychedelic culture, which is centered on perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. The music incorporated new electronic sound effects and recording te ...
band named Crow and moved to New York City. In 1968, she joined a German adaptation of the musical '' Hair'' in Munich, where she spent several years living, acting, and singing. There, she met music producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte, and they went on to record influential disco hits together such as " Love to Love You Baby" and " I Feel Love", marking Summer's breakthrough into international music markets. Summer returned to the United States in 1976, and more hits such as " Last Dance", her version of " MacArthur Park", " Heaven Knows", " Hot Stuff", " Bad Girls", "
Dim All the Lights "Dim All the Lights" is a song by American recording artist Donna Summer released as the third single from her 1979 album '' Bad Girls''. It debuted at number 70 on August 25, 1979, and peaked that year at number two on November 10 and November 17 ...
", " No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" with
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...
, and " On the Radio" followed. Summer amassed a total of 32 chart singles on the US '' Billboard'' Hot 100 in her lifetime, including 14 top ten singles and four number one singles. She claimed a top-40 hit every year between 1976 and 1984, and from her first top-ten hit in 1976, to the end of 1982, she had 12 top-ten hits (10 were top-five hits), more than any other act during that time period. She returned to the Hot 100's top five in 1983, and claimed her final top-ten hit in 1989 with "
This Time I Know It's for Real "This Time I Know It's for Real" is a song by American singer-songwriter Donna Summer, released on February 13, 1989, as the first single from her 14th studio album, ''Another Place and Time'' (1989), by Atlantic Records and Warner Bros. Records. ...
". She was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach the top of the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart and charted four number-one singles in the US within a 12-month period. She also charted two number-one singles on the
R&B Singles The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by ''Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 p ...
chart in the US and a number-one single in the United Kingdom. Her last Hot 100 hit came in 1999 with "I Will Go with You (
Con te partirò "Con te partirò" (; "With You I Shall Depart") is an Italian song written by Francesco Sartori (music) and Lucio Quarantotto (lyrics). It was first performed by Andrea Bocelli at the 1995 Sanremo Music Festival and recorded on his album of the ...
)". While her fortunes on the Hot 100 waned in subsequent decades, Summer remained a force on the ''Billboard'' Dance Club Songs chart throughout her entire career. Summer died on May 17, 2012, from
lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from transformed, mali ...
, at her home in
Naples, Florida Naples is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the historical city (i.e. in the immediate vicinity of downtown Naples) was 19,115. Naples is a principal city of the Naples-Marco Island, Flori ...
. She sold over 100 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. She won five
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
s. In her obituary in ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' ( ...
'', she was described as the "undisputed queen of the Seventies disco boom" who reached the status of "one of the world's leading female singers." Moroder described Summer's work on the song "I Feel Love" as "really the start of electronic dance" music. In 2013, Summer was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and ...
. In December 2016, '' Billboard'' ranked her sixth on its list of the "Greatest of All Time Top Dance Club Artists".


Early life

LaDonna Adrian Gaines was born on December 31, 1948, in
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
,
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...
, to Andrew and Mary Gaines, and was third of seven children. She was raised in the Boston neighborhood of Mission Hill. Her father was a butcher, and her mother was a schoolteacher. Summer's performance debut occurred at church when she was ten years old, replacing a vocalist who failed to appear. She attended Boston's Jeremiah E. Burke High School where she performed in school musicals and was considered popular. In 1967, just weeks before graduation, Summer left for New York City, where she joined the
blues rock Blues rock is a fusion music genre that combines elements of blues and rock music. It is mostly an electric ensemble-style music with instrumentation similar to electric blues and rock (electric guitar, electric bass guitar, and drums, sometimes w ...
band Crow. After a record label passed on signing the group since it was only interested in the band's lead singer, the group agreed to dissolve. Summer stayed in New York and auditioned for a role in the
counterculture A counterculture is a culture whose values and norms of behavior differ substantially from those of mainstream society, sometimes diametrically opposed to mainstream cultural mores.Eric Donald Hirsch. ''The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy''. H ...
musical, '' Hair''. She landed the part of Sheila and agreed to take the role in the
Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and ...
production of the show, moving there in August 1968 after getting her parents' reluctant approval. She eventually became fluent in
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...
, singing various songs in that language, and participated in the musicals ' (the German version of ''
The Me Nobody Knows ''The Me Nobody Knows'' is a musical with music by Gary William Friedman and lyrics by Will Holt. It debuted off-Broadway in 1970 and then transferred to Broadway, making it one of the earliest rock musicals to play on Broadway, and the first Bro ...
''), '' Godspell'', and '' Show Boat''. Within three years, she moved to
Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...
,
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, and joined the Vienna Volksoper. She briefly toured with an ensemble vocal group called FamilyTree, the creation of producer Günter "Yogi" Lauke. In 1968, Summer released (as Donna Gaines) on Polydor her first single, a German version of the title "
Aquarius Aquarius may refer to: Astrology * Aquarius (astrology), an astrological sign * Age of Aquarius, a time period in the cycle of astrological ages Astronomy * Aquarius (constellation) * Aquarius in Chinese astronomy Arts and entertainment ...
" from the musical '' Hair'', followed in 1971 by a second single, a remake of
the Jaynetts The Jaynetts were an American girl group based in the Bronx, New York, who became a one-hit wonder in 1963 with the song " Sally Go 'Round the Roses", which reached No. 2 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Career Beginnings In 1954, Bronx-native Z ...
' 1963 hit, " Sally Go 'Round the Roses", from a one-off European deal with
Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American Decca's president. ...
. In 1969, she issued the single "If You Walkin' Alone" on
Philips Records Philips Records is a record label founded by the Dutch electronics company Philips. It was founded as Philips Phonographische Industrie in 1950. In 1946, Philips acquired the company which pressed records for British Decca's Dutch outlet i ...
. She married Austrian actor Helmuth Sommer in 1973, and gave birth to their daughter Natalia Pia Melanie "Mimi" Sommer, the same year. She provided backing vocals for producer-keyboardist Veit Marvos on his Ariola Records release ''Nice to See You'', credited as "Gayn Pierre". Several subsequent singles included Donna performing with the group, and the name "Gayn Pierre" was used while performing in ''Godspell'' with Helmuth Sommer during 1972. Their marriage subsequently ended in divorce, and she married singer-guitarist Bruce Sudano in 1980.


Music career


1974–1979: Initial success

While working as a model part-time and backing singer in Munich, Summer met producer Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte during a recording session for Three Dog Night at Musicland Studios. The trio forged a working partnership, and Donna was signed to their Oasis label in 1974. A demo tape of Summer's work with Moroder and Bellotte led to a deal with the European-distributed label Groovy Records. Due to an error on the record cover, Donna Sommer became Donna Summer; the name stuck. Summer's first album was '' Lady of the Night''. It became a hit in the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany and Belgium on the strength of two songs, " The Hostage" and the title track "Lady of the Night". "The Hostage" reached the top of the charts in France, but was removed from radio playlists in Germany because of the song's subject matter; a high ranking politician that had recently been kidnapped and held for ransom. One of her first TV appearances was in the television show, ''
Van Oekel's Discohoek ''Van Oekel's Discohoek'' was a Dutch television show, aired on VPRO in 1974-1975. The show, written by Wim T. Schippers and produced by Ellen Jens, starred Dolf Brouwers as the comedic character Sjef van Oekel, and parodied music television pr ...
'', which started the breakthrough of "The Hostage", and in which she gracefully went along with the scripted absurdity and chaos in the show. In 1975, Summer passed on an idea for a song to Moroder who was working with another artist; a song that would be called "Love To Love You Baby". Summer,
Moroder Moroder is a germanised version of the Ladin surname Mureda. Moroder ( oˈrodɐr is a surname from Val Gardena (province of Bolzano), present almost exclusively in Ortisei. The migrations, which began as early as the eighteenth century, within a ...
and Bellotte wrote the song together, and together they worked on a demo version with Summer singing the song.
Moroder Moroder is a germanised version of the Ladin surname Mureda. Moroder ( oˈrodɐr is a surname from Val Gardena (province of Bolzano), present almost exclusively in Ortisei. The migrations, which began as early as the eighteenth century, within a ...
decided that Summer's version should be released. Seeking an American release for the song, it was sent to Casablanca Records president Neil Bogart. Bogart played the song at one of his extravagant industry parties, where it was so popular with the crowd, they insisted that it be played over and over, each time it ended. Bogart requested that Moroder produce a longer version for discothèques. Moroder, Bellotte, and Summer returned with a 17-minute version. Bogart tweaked the title to "Love to Love You Baby (song), Love to Love You Baby", and Casablanca signed Summer, releasing the single in November 1975. The shorter 7" version of the single was promoted by radio stations, while clubs regularly played the 17-minute version (the longer version would also appear on the album). By early 1976, "Love to Love You Baby" had reached No. 2 on the US Hot 100 chart and had become a Gold single, while the album had sold over a million copies. The song generated controversy due to Summer's moans and groans, and some American stations, like those in Europe with the initial release, refused to play it. Despite this, "Love to Love You Baby" found chart success in several European countries, and made the Top 5 in the United Kingdom despite the BBC ban. Casablanca Records wasted no time releasing the follow-up album '' A Love Trilogy'', featuring " Try Me, I Know We Can Make It”. In 1977, Summer released the concept album ''
I Remember Yesterday ''I Remember Yesterday'' is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Donna Summer. It was released on May 13, 1977, seven months after the release of her previous album. Like her previous three albums, it was a concept album, this tim ...
''. The song " I Feel Love", reached No. 6 on the Hot 100 chart. and No. 1 in the UK. She received her first American Music Award nomination for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist. The single would attain Gold status and the album went Platinum in the US. Another concept album, also released in 1977, was '' Once Upon a Time'', a double album which told of a modern-day Cinderella "rags to riches" story. This album would attain Gold status. Summer recorded the song " Down Deep Inside" as the theme song for the 1977 film '' The Deep''. In 1978, Summer acted in the film '' Thank God It's Friday'', the film met with modest success; the song " Last Dance", reached No. 3 on the Hot 100. The soundtrack and single both went Gold and resulted in Summer winning her first
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
, for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Its writer, Paul Jabara, won both an
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
and
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...
for the composition. Summer also had "
With Your Love "With Your Love" is a song written by Marty Balin, Joey Covington and Vic Smith. The song was first recorded by Jefferson Starship and was the lead single of their 1976 album ''Spitfire''. In the US, the single peaked at number 12 on the ''Bill ...
" and " Je t'aime... moi non plus", on the soundtrack. Her version of the Jimmy Webb ballad, " MacArthur Park", became her first No. 1 hit on the Hot 100 chart. It was also the only No. 1 hit for songwriter Jimmy Webb; the single went Gold and topped the charts for three weeks. She received a Grammy nomination for
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The awar ...
. The song was featured on Summer's first live album, ''
Live and More ''Live and More'' is the first live album recorded by American singer-songwriter Donna Summer, and it was her second double album, released on August 28, 1978 by Casablanca Records. The live concert featured on the first three sides of this doub ...
'', which also became her first album to hit number one on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart and went double-Platinum, selling over 2 million copies. The week of November 11, 1978, Summer became the first female artist of the modern rock era to have the No. 1 single on the Hot 100 and album on the ''Billboard'' 200 charts, simultaneously. The song " Heaven Knows", which featured
Brooklyn Dreams ''Brooklyn Dreams'' is an American comic book limited series written by J. M. DeMatteis and illustrated by Glenn Barr. It was published by the DC Comics imprint, Paradox Press in 1994 and later collected into a trade paperback, published by DC u ...
singer Joe "Bean" Esposito; reached No. 4 on the Hot 100 and became another Gold single. In 1979, Summer won three American Music Awards for Single, Album and Female Artist, in the Disco category at the awards held in January. Summer performed at the world-televised Music for UNICEF Concert, joining contemporaries such as
ABBA ABBA ( , , formerly named Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid or Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida) are a Swedish supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The grou ...
,
Olivia Newton-John Dame Olivia Newton-John (26 September 1948 – 8 August 2022) was a British-Australian singer, actress and activist. She was a four-time Grammy Awards, Grammy Award winner whose music career included 15 top-ten singles, including 5 number-one s ...
, the
Bee Gees The Bee Gees were a musical group formed in 1958 by brothers Barry Gibb, Barry, Robin Gibb, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio were especially successful in popular music in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later as prominent performers in ...
, Andy Gibb,
Rod Stewart Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British rock and pop singer and songwriter. Born and raised in London, he is of Scottish and English ancestry. With his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the best-selling ...
,
John Denver Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. (December 31, 1943 – October 12, 1997), known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, activist, and humanitarian whose greatest commercial success was as a solo singe ...
, Earth, Wind & Fire, Rita Coolidge and Kris Kristofferson for a TV special that raised funds and awareness for the world's children. Artists donated royalties of certain songs, some in perpetuity, to benefit the cause. Summer began work on her next project with Moroder and Bellotte, '' Bad Girls''.
Moroder Moroder is a germanised version of the Ladin surname Mureda. Moroder ( oˈrodɐr is a surname from Val Gardena (province of Bolzano), present almost exclusively in Ortisei. The migrations, which began as early as the eighteenth century, within a ...
brought in Harold Faltermeyer, with whom he had collaborated on the soundtrack of film '' Midnight Express'', to be the album's arranger. In 1979, Summer gained 5 big hits such as " Hot Stuff" and " Bad Girls", "Heaven Knows", "
Dim All the Lights "Dim All the Lights" is a song by American recording artist Donna Summer released as the third single from her 1979 album '' Bad Girls''. It debuted at number 70 on August 25, 1979, and peaked that year at number two on November 10 and November 17 ...
", and No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)". The week of June 16, 1979, Summer would again have the number-one single on the Hot 100 chart, and the number-one album on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart; when "Hot Stuff" regained the top spot on the Hot 100 chart. The following week, "Bad Girls" would be on top of the US Top R&B albums chart.


1980–1985: ''She Works Hard For The Money'', unreleased album, new record label

Summer received four nominations for the 7th Annual American Music Awards in 1980, and took home awards for Female Pop/Rock and Female Soul/R&B Artist; and well as Pop/Rock single for " Bad Girls". In 1980, her single " On the Radio", reached No. 5, selling over a million copies in the US alone, making it a Gold single. " The Wanderer" reached #3 on the Hot 100. Summer would again receive a Grammy nomination for
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The awar ...
. Just over a week after the awards, Summer had her own nationally televised special, '' The Donna Summer Special'', which aired on ABC network on January 27, 1980. After the release of the '' On the Radio'' album, Summer wanted to branch out into other musical styles, which led to tensions between her and Casablanca Records. Casablanca wanted her to continue to record disco only. Summer was upset with President Neil Bogart over the early release of the single " No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)", because Casablanca didn't wait until her previous single, "
Dim All the Lights "Dim All the Lights" is a song by American recording artist Donna Summer released as the third single from her 1979 album '' Bad Girls''. It debuted at number 70 on August 25, 1979, and peaked that year at number two on November 10 and November 17 ...
", had peaked; she had penned "Dim All the Lights" alone, and was hoping for a number-one hit as a songwriter. Summer and the label parted ways in 1980, and she signed with Geffen Records, the new label started by David Geffen. Summer filed a $10 million lawsuit against Casablanca; the label counter-sued. In the end, she did not receive any money, but won the rights to her own lucrative song publishing. Summer's first Geffen album, '' The Wanderer'', featured an eclectic mixture of sounds, bringing elements of rock,
rockabilly Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the South. As a genre it blends the sound of Western musical styles such as country with that of rhythm and b ...
, new wave, and
gospel music Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music, and a cornerstone of Christian media. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is co ...
. ''The Wanderer'' was rushed to market; the producers of the album wanted more production time. The album continued Summer's streak of Gold albums with the " title track" peaking at 3 on the Hot 100 chart. Its follow-up singles were, " Cold Love", 33; and "
Who Do You Think You're Foolin' "Who Do You Think You're Foolin'" is a song by American singer Donna Summer from her album '' The Wanderer''. The song was written by Pete Bellotte, Sylvester Levay and Jerry Rix and produced by Bellotte and Giorgio Moroder Giovanni Giorgio Mo ...
", 40. Summer was nominated for
Best Female Rock Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for works (songs or albums) conta ...
for "Cold Love", and Best Inspirational Performance for " I Believe in Jesus" at the 1981 Grammy Awards. She would soon be working on her next album. It was to be another double album set. When David Geffen stopped by the studio for a preview, he was warned that it was a work in progress, but it was almost done. That was a mistake, because only a few tracks had been finished, and most of them were in demo phase. He heard enough to tell producers that it was not good enough; the project was canceled. It would be released years later in 1996, under the title '' I'm a Rainbow''. Over the years, a few of the tracks would be released. The song "Highway Runner" appears on the soundtrack for the film '' Fast Times at Ridgemont High''. "Romeo" appears on the '' Flashdance'' soundtrack. Both, "I'm a Rainbow" and " Don't Cry for Me Argentina" would be on her 1993 anthology album. David Geffen hired top R&B and pop producer Quincy Jones to produce Summer's next album, the eponymously titled '' Donna Summer''. The album took over six months to record as Summer, who was pregnant at the time, found it hard to sing. During the recording of the project, Neil Bogart died of cancer in May 1982 at age 39. Summer would sing at his funeral. The album included the top-ten hit "
Love Is in Control (Finger on the Trigger) "Love Is in Control (Finger on the Trigger)" is a Grammy-nominated single from Donna Summer's self-titled 1982 album. The single was her 12th top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Background Summer's 1980 '' The Wanderer'' album — her ina ...
"; for which she received a Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Summer was also nominated for
Best Female Rock Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for works (songs or albums) conta ...
for " Protection", penned for her by
Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originato ...
. Other singles included a cover of the
Jon and Vangelis Jon and Vangelis was a music collaboration between British rock singer Jon Anderson (lead vocalist of the progressive rock band Yes) and Greek synthesiser musician Vangelis. The duo released four albums between 1980 and 1991. History In 1974, V ...
song "
State of Independence "State of Independence" is a song written by Jon Anderson and Vangelis. Originally recorded by Jon and Vangelis for their 1981 album '' The Friends of Mr Cairo'', "State of Independence" was released as a single the same year but did not chart. ...
" ( 41 pop) and " The Woman in Me" (No. 33 pop). By then Geffen Records had been notified by Polygram Records, which now owned Casablanca, that Summer still needed to deliver to them one more album to fulfill her contract. Summer had her biggest success in the 1980s while on Geffen's roster with her next album '' She Works Hard for the Money'' and its title song—which were released by
Mercury Records Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it ...
in a one-off arrangement to settle Summer's split with the soon-to-be-defunct Casablanca Records, whose catalogue now resided with Mercury and Casablanca's parent company
PolyGram PolyGram N.V. was a multinational entertainment company and major music record label formerly based in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1962 as the Grammophon-Philips Group by Dutch corporation Philips and German corporation Siemens, to be a ...
. Summer recorded and delivered the album '' She Works Hard for the Money'' and Polygram released it on its Mercury imprint in 1983. The title song became a major hit, reaching 3 on the US Hot 100, as well as No. 1 on ''Billboard''s R&B chart for three weeks. It also garnered Summer another Grammy nomination, for
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The awar ...
. " Unconditional Love", which featured the British group
Musical Youth Musical Youth are a British-Jamaican reggae band formed in 1979 in Birmingham, England. They are best remembered for their 1982 single "Pass the Dutchie", which was a number 1 in multiple charts around the world. Their other hits include " Y ...
, and "
Love Has a Mind of Its Own "Love Has a Mind of Its Own" is a song from '' She Works Hard for the Money'', the 1983 album by Donna Summer. The song was written by Summer, Bruce Sudano and Michael Omartian, and produced by Omartian. It was issued as the third and final singl ...
" did not crack the top 40. The album itself was certified Gold, and climbed to 9 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart; the highest chart position of any female artist in male-dominated 1983. The song "
He's a Rebel "He's a Rebel" is a song written by Gene Pitney that was originally recorded by Vikki Carr and by the girl group the Blossoms. Produced by Phil Spector, the Blossoms' version was issued as a single credited to the Crystals, which topped the ...
" would win Summer her third Grammy Award, this time for Best Inspirational Performance. British director Brian Grant was hired to direct Summer's video for " She Works Hard for the Money". The video was a success, being nominated for Best Female Video and Best Choreography at the 1984 MTV Music Video Awards; Summer became one of the first African-American artists, and the first African-American female artist to have her video played in ''heavy rotation'' on
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
. Grant would also be hired to direct Summer's Costa Mesa HBO concert special, ''A Hot Summers Night''. Grant, who was a fan of the song "
State of Independence "State of Independence" is a song written by Jon Anderson and Vangelis. Originally recorded by Jon and Vangelis for their 1981 album '' The Friends of Mr Cairo'', "State of Independence" was released as a single the same year but did not chart. ...
", had an idea for a grand finale. He wanted a large chorus of children to join Summer on stage at the ending of the song. His team looked for local school children in Orange County, to create a chorus of 500 students. On the final day of rehearsals, the kids turned up and they had a full rehearsal. According to Grant, "It looked and sounded amazing. It was a very emotional, very tearful experience for everyone who was there." He thought if this was that kind of reaction in rehearsal, then what an impact it would have in the concert. After the rehearsal Grant was informed that he could not use the kids because the concert would end after 10 pm; children could not be licensed to be on stage at such a late hour (California had strict child labor laws in 1983). "It's a moment that I regret immensely: a grand finale concept I came up with that couldn't be filmed in the end". When the final sequence was filmed, Summer's daughter Mimi and her family members joined her on stage for "State of Independence". In late 1983, David Geffen enlisted "She Works Hard for the Money's" producer
Michael Omartian Michael Omartian (born November 26, 1945) is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, keyboardist, and music producer. He produced number-one records in three consecutive decades. He has earned 11 Grammy Awards nominations and won three. He spe ...
to produce ''
Cats Without Claws ''Cats Without Claws'' is the twelfth studio album by American pop singer Donna Summer, released on September 11, 1984. Summer had achieved monumental fame during the disco era of the 1970s, and in 1980 was signed to Geffen Records. She had had ...
''. Summer was happy that Geffen and his executives stayed out of the studio during the recording and thanked him in the album's liner notes, but her request for the lead single would be rejected. The album failed to attain Gold status in the US, her first album not to do so. It was first album not to yield a top-ten hit, since 1977's '' Once Upon a Time''.
The Drifters The Drifters are several American doo-wop and R&B/ soul vocal groups. They were originally formed as a backing group for Clyde McPhatter, formerly the lead tenor of Billy Ward and his Dominoes in 1953. The second group of Drifters, formed i ...
cover " There Goes My Baby" reached No. 21 and "
Supernatural Love "Supernatural Love" is the second single from Donna Summer's 1984 ''Cats Without Claws'' album. The song released on October 23, 1984 by Geffen Records (US) and Warner Bros. Records (UK). It was written by Summer, Michael Omartian and Bruce Sudan ...
" went to No. 75. She would win another Grammy for Best Inspirational Performance for the song "Forgive Me". On January 19, 1985, she sang at the nationally televised 50th Presidential Inaugural Gala the day before the second inauguration of
Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
.


1986–1989: ''All Systems Go'', ''Another Place and Time''

In 1986, Harold Faltermeyer wrote the title song for a German ski movie called '' Fire and Ice'', and thought Summer would be ideal to sing the song. He decided to reach out to Summer and, although she was not interested in singing the song, she was very much interested in working with Faltermeyer again. After a meeting with David Geffen he was on board with the project. Summer's main objective for the album was that it have stronger R&B influences; Faltermeyer who had just finished doing the soundtracks to '' Top Gun'' and '' Fletch'', was after a tough FM-oriented sound. On completion, Geffen liked what he heard, but his executives did not think there were enough songs that could be deemed singles. They wanted Faltermeyer to produce " Dinner with Gershwin", but he was already busy with another project, so another producer was found. They also substituted a previous recording called " Bad Reputation", songs like "
Fascination Fascination may refer to: Music *"Fascination", a stride piano composition by James P. Johnson recorded in 1917 (as a piano roll) and 1939 (acoustic) *''Fascination!'', a 1983 album by The Human League **"(Keep Feeling) Fascination", a 1983 song ...
", fell by the wayside. Geffen had shared the vision of moving Summer into the R&B market as a veteran artist, but these expectations were not met. Faltermeyer, in a 2012 interview with ''Daeida Magazine'', said, "She was an older artist by then and the label's priority may have been on the youth market. The decision was made afterward by executives who were looking for a radio hit for 1987 and not something that would perhaps last beyond then." The label's President Ed Rosenblatt would later admit: "The company never intended to focus on established superstars". The album '' All Systems Go'', did not achieve Gold status. The single "Dinner with Gershwin" (written by Brenda Russell) stalled at 48 in the US, though it became a hit in the UK, peaking at 13. The album's title track, " All Systems Go", was released only in the UK, where it peaked at 54. For Summer's next album, Geffen Records hired the British hit production team of Stock Aitken Waterman (or ''SAW''), who enjoyed incredible success writing and producing for such acts as
Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She is the highest-selling female Australian artist of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. She has been recognised for reinve ...
,
Bananarama Bananarama are an English pop duo from London, formed as a trio in 1980 by friends Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey and Keren Woodward. Fahey left the group in 1988 and was replaced by Jacquie O'Sullivan until 1991, when the trio became a duo. T ...
, and Rick Astley, among others. The SAW team describe the working experience as a labour of love, and said it was their favourite album of all that they had recorded. Geffen decided not to release the album '' Another Place and Time'', and Summer and Geffen Records parted ways in 1988. The album was released in Europe in March 1989 on Warner Bros. Records, which had been Summer's label in Europe since 1982. The single "
This Time I Know It's for Real "This Time I Know It's for Real" is a song by American singer-songwriter Donna Summer, released on February 13, 1989, as the first single from her 14th studio album, ''Another Place and Time'' (1989), by Atlantic Records and Warner Bros. Records. ...
" became a top ten hit in several countries in Europe, prompting Warner Bros.' sister company,
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most im ...
, to sign Summer in the US. The single peaked at 7 on the US Hot 100 and became her 12th Gold single in America. She scored two more UK hits from the album, "
I Don't Wanna Get Hurt "I Don't Wanna Get Hurt" is the second single from the album ''Another Place and Time'' by Donna Summer. The song was released on May 15, 1989, by Warner Bros. Records ( Europe). The whole album was written and produced by British team Stock Ai ...
" (UK 7) and " Love's About to Change My Heart" (UK 20). In 1989, Summer and her husband, Bruce Sudano, had been in talks to do a new kind of reality-based sitcom. It would be based on their own hectic household. At the time, they lived with their children Amanda, Brooklyn and Mimi, two sets of in-laws, and a maid. The television network started changing the premise of the show, making it less funny, says Sudano, "And because we were an interracial couple, they didn't want us to be married anymore". In 1989, this was "an issue. So with that mentality we just backed out of it."


1990–1999: ''Mistaken Identity'', acting, and ''Live & More Encore''

In 1990, a Warner compilation, ''The Best of Donna Summer'', was released (no US issue). The album went Gold in the UK after the song "
State of Independence "State of Independence" is a song written by Jon Anderson and Vangelis. Originally recorded by Jon and Vangelis for their 1981 album '' The Friends of Mr Cairo'', "State of Independence" was released as a single the same year but did not chart. ...
" was re-released there to promote the album. The following year, Summer worked with producer Keith Diamond emerged with the album '' Mistaken Identity'', which included elements of R&B as well as new jack swing. "When Love Cries" continued her success on the R&B charts, reaching 18. In 1992, Summer embarked on a world tour and later that year received a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...
. She reunited with Giorgio Moroder, for the song " Carry On", which was included on the 1993, Polygram issued '' The Donna Summer Anthology'', it contained 34 tracks of Summer's material with
Casablanca Casablanca, also known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda ( ar, الدَّار الْبَيْضَاء, al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, ; ber, ⴹⴹⴰⵕⵍⴱⵉⴹⴰ, ḍḍaṛlbiḍa, : "White House") is the largest city in Morocco and the country's econom ...
and
Mercury Records Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it ...
, and from her tenures with
Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
and Geffen. Summer signed with Mercury/Polygram that same year, and in 1994 she re-teamed with producer
Michael Omartian Michael Omartian (born November 26, 1945) is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, keyboardist, and music producer. He produced number-one records in three consecutive decades. He has earned 11 Grammy Awards nominations and won three. He spe ...
to record a Christmas album, '' Christmas Spirit,'' which included classic Christmas songs such as " O Holy Night" and " White Christmas" and three Summer-penned songs, " Christmas is Here", "
Lamb of God Lamb of God ( el, Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, Amnòs toû Theoû; la, Agnus Dei, ) is a title for Jesus that appears in the Gospel of John. It appears at John 1:29, where John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims, "Behold the Lamb of God wh ...
" and the album's title track. Summer was accompanied by the Nashville Symphony Orchestra. Another hits collection, '' Endless Summer: Greatest Hits'', was released featuring eighteen songs. There were two new tracks "
Melody of Love (Wanna Be Loved) "Melody of Love (Wanna Be Loved)" is a song by American singer and songwriter Donna Summer. It was released on October 31, 1994 by Mercury Records and Casablanca Records as a new track and the lead single for her 1994 hits compilation album, '' ...
" and " Any Way at All". In 1994, she also contributed to the ''Tribute to Edith Piaf'' album, singing "La Vie En Rose". In 1995, "
Melody of Love (Wanna Be Loved) "Melody of Love (Wanna Be Loved)" is a song by American singer and songwriter Donna Summer. It was released on October 31, 1994 by Mercury Records and Casablanca Records as a new track and the lead single for her 1994 hits compilation album, '' ...
" went No. 1 on the US dance charts, and No. 21 in the UK. In 1996, Summer recorded a duet with Bruce Roberts, "Whenever There Is Love", which appeared on the soundtrack to the film ''Daylight''. In 1996, Summer also recorded "
Does He Love You "Does He Love You" is a song written by Sandy Knox and Billy Stritch, and recorded as a duet by American country music artists Reba McEntire and Linda Davis. It was released in August 1993 as the first single from Reba's compilation album '' Gr ...
" with
Liza Minnelli Liza May Minnelli ( ; born March 12, 1946) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and choreographer. Known for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto singing voice, Minnelli is among a rare group of performers awarded an Emmy, Grammy ...
, which appeared Minnelli's ''Gently''. During this time, Summer had role on the sitcom '' Family Matters'' as Steve Urkel's (
Jaleel White Jaleel Ahmad White (born November 27, 1976) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Steve Urkel on the sitcom '' Family Matters''. The character was originally intended to be a one-time guest appearance on the show; however, he ...
) Aunt Oona. She made a few appearances in 1997. In 1998, Summer received the first Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording, after a remixed version of her 1992 collaboration with Giorgio Moroder, "Carry On", was released in 1997. In 1999, Summer was asked to do the Divas 2 concert, but when she went in and met with the producers, it was decided that they would do Donna in concert by herself. Summer taped a live television special for VH1 titled ''Donna Summer – Live & More Encore'', producing the second-highest ratings for the network that year, after their annual '' Divas'' special. A CD of the event was released by
Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was founded predominantly as a jazz and classical m ...
and featured two studio recordings, "I Will Go with You (
Con te partirò "Con te partirò" (; "With You I Shall Depart") is an Italian song written by Francesco Sartori (music) and Lucio Quarantotto (lyrics). It was first performed by Andrea Bocelli at the 1995 Sanremo Music Festival and recorded on his album of the ...
)" and " Love Is the Healer", both of which reached No. 1 on the US dance charts.


2000–2009: Later recordings and ''Crayons''

In 2000, Summer participated in VH1's third annual '' Divas'' special, dedicated to
Diana Ross Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame as the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown's most successful act during the 1960s and one of the world's best-selling girl groups ...
; she sang the Supremes hit Reflections, and her own material for the show. " The Power of One" is a theme song for the movie '' Pokémon: The Movie 2000''. The dramatic ballad was produced by David Foster and dance remixes were also issued to DJs and became another dance floor success for Summer, peaking at No. 2 on the same chart in 2000. In 2003, Summer issued her autobiography, ''Ordinary Girl: The Journey,'' and released a best-of set titled '' The Journey: The Very Best of Donna Summer''. In 2004, Summer was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame as an artist, alongside the
Bee Gees The Bee Gees were a musical group formed in 1958 by brothers Barry Gibb, Barry, Robin Gibb, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio were especially successful in popular music in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later as prominent performers in ...
and Barry Gibb. Her classic song, " I Feel Love", was inducted that night as well. In 2004 and 2005, Summer's success on the dance charts continued with the songs " You're So Beautiful" and " I Got Your Love". In 2004, Summer re-recorded the track with the Irish pop band
Westlife Westlife is an Irish pop vocal group formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1998. The group currently consists of members Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan, and Nicky Byrne. Brian McFadden was a member, until he left in 2004. The group temporar ...
(with a live performance) for the compilation album, ''DiscoMania''. In 2008, Summer released her first studio album of fully original material in 17 years, entitled ''
Crayons A crayon (or wax pastel) is a stick of pigmented wax used for writing or drawing. Wax crayons differ from pastels, in which the pigment is mixed with a dry binder such as gum arabic, and from oil pastels, where the binder is a mixture of wax an ...
''. Released on the
Sony BMG Sony BMG Music Entertainment was an American record company owned as a 50–50 joint venture between Sony Corporation of America and Bertelsmann. The venture's successor, the revived Sony Music, is wholly owned by Sony, following their buyou ...
label Burgundy Records, it peaked at No. 17 on the US Top 200 Album Chart, her highest placing on the chart since 1983. The songs " I'm a Fire", " Stamp Your Feet" and " Fame (The Game)" all reached No. 1 on the US ''Billboard'' Dance Chart. The ballad "
Sand on My Feet ''Crayons'' is the seventeenth and final studio album by American singer Donna Summer. It was released through Sony Burgundy on May 20, 2008 in the United States. Recorded over a period of two years since signing with the Sony Music label in 200 ...
" was released to adult contemporary stations and reached No. 30 on that chart. Summer said, "I wanted this album to have a lot of different directions on it. I did not want it to be any one baby. I just wanted it to be a sampler of flavors and influences from all over the world. There's a touch of this, a little smidgeon of that, a dash of something else, like when you're cooking." On December 11, 2009, Donna Summer appeared at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert for
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
.


2010–2013: Final recordings and posthumous releases

On July 29, 2010, Summer gave an interview with Allvoices.com wherein she was asked if she would consider doing an album of
standards Standard may refer to: Symbols * Colours, standards and guidons, kinds of military signs * Standard (emblem), a type of a large symbol or emblem used for identification Norms, conventions or requirements * Standard (metrology), an object t ...
. She said, "I actually am, probably in September. I will begin work on a standards album. I will probably do an all-out dance album and a standards album. I'm going to do both and we will release them however we're going to release them. We are not sure which is going first." In August 2010, Summer released the single "
To Paris With Love ''To Paris with Love'' is a 1955 British comedy film directed by Robert Hamer and starring Alec Guinness, Odile Versois and Vernon Gray. Premise A father and son play matchmaker for each other during a trip to Paris. Cast *Alec Guinness as C ...
", co-written with Bruce Roberts and produced by Peter Stengaard. The single went to No. 1 on the US ''Billboard'' Dance Chart in October 2010. That month, Summer also appeared on the PBS television special '' Hitman Returns: David Foster and Friends''. In it, Summer performed with Seal on a medley of the songs " Un-Break My Heart", "
Crazy Insanity, madness, lunacy, and craziness are behaviors performed by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity can be manifest as violations of societal norms, including a person or persons becoming a danger to themselves or to ...
", and " On the Radio" before closing the show with "Last Dance". On September 15, 2010, Summer appeared as a guest celebrity, singing alongside contestant
Prince Poppycock John Andrew Quale is an American singer, songwriter, and performer best known by the stage name and persona of Prince Poppycock. Quale, who specializes in musical theater and opera, describes Prince Poppycock on his website as a "roguish operat ...
, on the television show ''
America's Got Talent ''America's Got Talent'' (often abbreviated as ''AGT'') is a televised American talent show competition, and is part of the global ''Got Talent'' franchise created by Simon Cowell. The program is produced by Fremantle (as well as distribu ...
''. Also in 2010, Summer recorded a version of the Dan Fogelberg song "Nether Lands" for a Fogelberg tribute project. According to a comment on Fogelberg's website, the song had great personal significance for Summer. On June 6, 2011, Summer was a guest judge on the show '' Platinum Hit'', in an episode entitled "Dance Floor Royalty". In July of that same year, Summer was working at Paramount Recording Studios in Los Angeles with her nephew, the rapper and producer O'Mega Red. Together they worked on a track titled "Angel". On December 11, 2012, after four prior nominations, Summer was posthumously announced to be one of the 2013 inductees to the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and ...
, and was inducted on April 18, 2013, at Los Angeles' Nokia Theater. A remix album titled ''
Love to Love You Donna ''Love to Love You Donna'' is the remix album by American singer Donna Summer. It was released on 22 October 2013 by Verve Records. The album was Summer's first posthumous release after her death from lung cancer in May 2012, and achieved some suc ...
'', containing new remixes of some of Summer's classics, was released in October 2013. " MacArthur Park" was remixed by Laidback Luke for the remix collection; it was also remixed by
Ralphi Rosario Ralphi Rosario is an American house musician and founding member of the influential Chicago DJ group Hot Mix 5. Biography When Hot Mix 5 was formed in 1981 on radio station WBMX (now WVAZ), Rosario, the youngest member of the group, was still ...
, which version was released to dance clubs all over America and successfully peaked at No. 1, giving Summer her first posthumous number-one single, and her sixteenth number-one on the charts.


Controversy

In the mid-1980s, Summer was embroiled in a controversy when she allegedly made anti-gay remarks regarding the relatively new disease,
AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ma ...
. Summer publicly denied she had ever made such comments and in a letter to the AIDS campaign group ACT UP in 1989 said it was "A terrible misunderstanding". In explaining why she did not respond to ACT UP sooner Summer stated, "I was unknowingly protected by those around me from the bad press and hate letters. If I have caused you pain, forgive me". She closed her letter with Bible quotes (from Chapter 13 of
1 Corinthians The First Epistle to the Corinthians ( grc, Α΄ ᾽Επιστολὴ πρὸς Κορινθίους) is one of the Pauline epistles, part of the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The epistle is attributed to Paul the Apostle and a co-au ...
). In 1989, Summer told '' The Advocate'' magazine, "A couple of the people I write with are gay, and they have been ever since I met them. What people want to do with their bodies is their personal preference". A couple of years later, she filed a lawsuit against '' New York'' magazine when it printed an old story about the rumors as fact, just as she was about to release her album '' Mistaken Identity'' in 1991. According to a ''
Biography A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or c ...
'' television program dedicated to Summer in which she participated in 1995, the lawsuit was settled out of court, though neither side was able to divulge any details.


Personal life

Summer was raised in the
African Methodist Episcopal Church The African Methodist Episcopal Church, usually called the AME Church or AME, is a predominantly African American Methodist denomination. It adheres to Wesleyan-Arminian theology and has a connexional polity. The African Methodist Episcopal ...
. She married the Austrian actor Helmuth Sommer in 1973, and gave birth to their daughter Natalia Pia Melanie Sommer (called Mimi) the same year. The couple divorced in 1976, but Summer kept the anglicized version of her ex-husband's surname as her stage name. Summer married
Brooklyn Dreams ''Brooklyn Dreams'' is an American comic book limited series written by J. M. DeMatteis and illustrated by Glenn Barr. It was published by the DC Comics imprint, Paradox Press in 1994 and later collected into a trade paperback, published by DC u ...
singer Bruce Sudano on July 16, 1980. On January 5, 1981, she gave birth to their daughter Brooklyn Sudano (who is now an actress, singer and dancer), and on August 11, 1982, she gave birth to their daughter Amanda Sudano (who in 2005 became one half of the musical duo Johnnyswim, alongside Abner Ramirez). Summer was also one of the founding members of Oasis Church in Los Angeles. Summer and her family moved from the Sherman Oaks area of Los Angeles to
Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and ...
, in 1995, where she took time off from show business to focus on painting, a hobby she had developed in the 1980s.


Death

Summer died on May 17, 2012, aged 63, at her home in
Naples, Florida Naples is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the historical city (i.e. in the immediate vicinity of downtown Naples) was 19,115. Naples is a principal city of the Naples-Marco Island, Flori ...
, from
lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from transformed, mali ...
. A nonsmoker, Summer theorized that her cancer was caused by inhaling toxic fumes and dust from the
September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commer ...
in New York City; she was in her apartment near
Ground Zero In relation to nuclear explosions and other large bombs, ground zero (also called surface zero) is the point on the Earth's surface closest to a detonation. In the case of an explosion above the ground, ''ground zero'' is the point on the grou ...
when the attacks occurred. However, some reports have instead attributed the cancer to Summer's smoking during her younger years, her continued exposure to second-hand smoking while performing in clubs well after she had quit, and a predisposition to this disease in the family. Summer was survived by her husband, Bruce Sudano, and her three daughters. Summer's funeral service was held in Christ Presbyterian Church in
Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and ...
, on the afternoon of May 23, 2012. The exact location and time of the service were kept private. Several hundred of Summer's friends and relatives attended the funeral, according to CNN. The funeral was a private ceremony, and cameras were not allowed inside the church. She was interred in the Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens cemetery in Nashville.


Reaction

Singers and music industry professionals around the world reacted to Summer's death.
Gloria Gaynor Gloria Gaynor (née Fowles; born September 7, 1943) is an American singer, best known for the disco era hits " I Will Survive" (1978), " Let Me Know (I Have a Right)" (1979), " I Am What I Am" (1983), and her version of " Never Can Say Goodbye" ( ...
said she was "deeply saddened" and that Summer was "a fine lady and human being".
Liza Minnelli Liza May Minnelli ( ; born March 12, 1946) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and choreographer. Known for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto singing voice, Minnelli is among a rare group of performers awarded an Emmy, Grammy ...
said, "She was a queen, The Queen Of Disco, and we will be dancing to her music forever." She said that her "thoughts and prayers are with her family always."
Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album ...
said, "Donna, like Whitney, was one of the greatest voices ever. I loved her records. She was the disco queen and will remain so. I knew her and found her to be one of the most likable and fun people ever. She will be missed and remembered."
Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreog ...
wrote that Summer "changed the world of music with her beautiful voice and incredible talent."
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...
wrote, "I loved doing the duet with her. She had an amazing voice and was so talented. It's so sad." Quincy Jones wrote that Summer's voice was "the heartbeat and soundtrack of a generation."
Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in '' Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". Wit ...
said, "It's so shocking to hear about the passing of Donna Summer. In the 1970s, she reigned over the disco era and kept the disco jumping. Who will forget 'Last Dance'? A fine performer and a very nice person." Chaka Khan said, "Donna and I had a friendship for over 30 years. She is one of the few black women I could speak German with and she is one of the few friends I had in this business." Gloria Estefan averred that "It's the end of an era", and posted a photo of herself with Summer. Mary J. Blige tweeted "RIP Donna Summer !!!!!!!! You were truly a game changer !!!"
Lenny Kravitz Leonard Albert Kravitz (born May 26, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter. His style incorporates elements of rock, blues, soul, R&B, funk, jazz, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, pop and folk. Kravitz won the Grammy Award for Best Male R ...
wrote "Rest in peace Donna, You are a pioneer and you have paved the way for so many of us. You transcended race and genre. Respect. Lenny".
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
wrote a personal note: "Donna Summer made music that moved me both emotionally and physically to get up and dance. You could always hear the deep passion in her voice. She was so much more than the queen of disco she became known for, she was an honest and gifted singer with flawless vocal talent. I've always been a huge fan and was honored to sample one of her songs. She touched many generations and will be sadly missed. My love goes out to her family during this difficult time. Love, B". David Foster said, "
My wife "My Wife" is a song by the British rock band the Who, written by bass guitarist John Entwistle. It was originally released in 1971 on ''Who's Next'' and later as the B-side of the single "Baba O'Riley" on 6 November 1971 in Europe by Polydor Re ...
and I are in shock and truly devastated. Donna changed the face of pop culture forever. There is no doubt that music would sound different today if she had never graced us with her talent. She was a super-diva and a true superstar who never compromised when it came to her career or her family. She always did it with class, dignity, grace and zero attitude. She lived in rare air ... She was the most spectacular, considerate, constant, giving, generous and loving friend of 35 years. I am at a total loss trying to process this tragic news." US President
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
said, " Michelle and I were saddened to hear about the passing of Donna Summer. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Donna truly was the 'Queen of Disco.' Her voice was unforgettable and the music industry has lost a legend far too soon. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Donna's family and her dedicated fans." Summer was honored at the 2012 ''Billboard'' Music Awards ceremony. Singer
Natasha Bedingfield Natasha Anne Bedingfield (born 26 November 1981) is a British singer and songwriter. Bedingfield released her debut album, '' Unwritten'', in 2004, which contained primarily up-tempo pop songs and was influenced by R&B music. It enjoyed intern ...
honored Summer, calling her "a remarkable woman who brought so much light and who inspired many women, including myself, through her music. And if we can remember her through her music, this will never really be the last dance." After her statement, she began to sing " Last Dance", Summer's
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
-winning song. As she sang the song, photos of Summer were displayed on a screen overhead. Fans paid tribute to Summer by leaving flowers and memorabilia on her star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...
. A few days after her death, her album sales increased by 3,277%, according to
Nielsen SoundScan Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan, Nielsen Music Products, and MRC Data) is a provider of music sales data. Established by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett in 1991, data is collected weekly and made available every Sunday (for albums sales) and eve ...
. ''Billboard'' magazine reported that the week before she died, Summer sold about 1,000 albums. After her death that number increased to 26,000.


Legacy

According to singer
Marc Almond Peter Mark Sinclair "Marc" Almond, (born 9 July 1957) is an English singer. Almond first began performing and recording in the synthpop/ new wave duo Soft Cell where he became known for his distinctive soulful voice and androgynous image. ...
, Summer's collaboration with producer Giorgio Moroder "changed the face of music". Summer was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach No. 1 on ''Billboard''s album chart: ''Live and More'', ''Bad Girls'' and ''On the Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes I & II''. She became a cultural icon and her prominence on the dance charts, for which she was referred to as the Queen of Disco, made her not just one of the defining voices of that era, but also an influence on pop artists from Madonna to Beyoncé. Unlike some other stars of disco who faded as the music became less popular in the early 1980s, Summer was able to grow beyond the genre and segued to a pop-rock sound. She had one of her biggest hits in the 1980s with "She Works Hard For the Money", which became another anthem, this time for
women's rights Women's rights are the rights and entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st centuries. In some countri ...
. Summer was the first black woman to be nominated for an MTV Video Music Award. Summer remained a force on the ''Billboard'' Dance/Club Play Songs chart throughout her career and notched 16 number one singles. Her last studio album, 2008's ''Crayons'', spun off three No. 1 dance/club hits with " I'm a Fire", " Stamp Your Feet" and " Fame (The Game)". In May 2012, it was announced that "I Feel Love" was included in the list of preserved recordings at the
Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The libra ...
'
National Recording Registry The National Recording Registry is a list of sound recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States." The registry was established by the National Recording Preservat ...
. Her Rock and Roll Hall of Fame page listed Summer as "the Diva De Tutte Dive, the first true diva of the modern pop era". In 2018, '' Summer: The Donna Summer Musical'', a biographical musical featuring Summer's songs, began performances on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, following a 2017 world premiere at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego. In the 2019 film ''
How to Build a Girl ''How to Build a Girl'' is a 2019 Coming-of-age story, coming-of-age comedy film directed by Coky Giedroyc, from a screenplay by Caitlin Moran, based on her 2014 How to Build a Girl (novel), novel of the same name. The film tells the story of J ...
'', Donna Summer is among the figures featured in Johanna's wall
collage Collage (, from the french: coller, "to glue" or "to stick together";) is a technique of art creation, primarily used in the visual arts, but in music too, by which art results from an Assemblage (art), assemblage of different forms, thus creat ...
.''How to Build a Girl'' screenplay
retrieved June 2, 2021


Concert tours

*''Once Upon a Time Tour'' (1977–1978) *''Bad Girls Tour'' (1979) *''The Wanderer Tour'' (1981) *''Hard for the Money Tour'' (1983) *''The Rainbow Tour'' (1984) *''Silver Girl Tour'' (1986) *''All Systems Go Tour'' (1987) *''Mistaken Identity Tour'' (1991–1992) *''Endless Summer Tour'' (1995) *''Mid Summer Nights Dream Tour'' (1996–1998) *''Live & More Encore Tour'' (1999) *''Greatest Hits Tour'' (2005–2007) *''Crayons Tour'' (2008)


Discography


Studio albums

* '' Lady of the Night'' (1974) * '' Love to Love You Baby'' (1975) * '' A Love Trilogy'' (1976) * ''
Four Seasons of Love ''Four Seasons of Love'' is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Donna Summer. Released on October 11, 1976, this concept album became her third consecutive successful album to be certified gold in the US. It peaked at #29 on ...
'' (1976) * ''
I Remember Yesterday ''I Remember Yesterday'' is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Donna Summer. It was released on May 13, 1977, seven months after the release of her previous album. Like her previous three albums, it was a concept album, this tim ...
'' (1977) * '' Once Upon a Time'' (1977) * '' Bad Girls'' (1979) * '' The Wanderer'' (1980) * '' Donna Summer'' (1982) * '' She Works Hard for the Money'' (1983) * ''
Cats Without Claws ''Cats Without Claws'' is the twelfth studio album by American pop singer Donna Summer, released on September 11, 1984. Summer had achieved monumental fame during the disco era of the 1970s, and in 1980 was signed to Geffen Records. She had had ...
'' (1984) * '' All Systems Go'' (1987) * '' Another Place and Time'' (1989) * '' Mistaken Identity'' (1991) * '' Christmas Spirit'' (1994) * '' I'm a Rainbow'' (1996) * ''
Crayons A crayon (or wax pastel) is a stick of pigmented wax used for writing or drawing. Wax crayons differ from pastels, in which the pigment is mixed with a dry binder such as gum arabic, and from oil pastels, where the binder is a mixture of wax an ...
'' (2008)


Filmography


Awards and nominations


References


External links

* – official site * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Summer, Donna 1948 births 2012 deaths Grammy Award winners Grammy Award winners for dance and electronic music African-American women singers African-American rock singers African-American actresses American dance musicians American disco musicians American women pop singers American women rock singers American women singer-songwriters American film actresses American rhythm and blues singers American rock songwriters American soul singers American television actresses Crossover (music) German-language singers American women in electronic music Atlantic Records artists Casablanca Records artists Geffen Records artists Mercury Records artists American expatriates in Austria American expatriates in Germany Burials in Tennessee Deaths from lung cancer in Florida People from Naples, Florida Actresses from Boston Musicians from Boston Musicians from Nashville, Tennessee Singer-songwriters from California Singer-songwriters from Florida Singer-songwriters from Tennessee African-American Methodists 20th-century Methodists 21st-century Methodists 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses 20th-century American singers 21st-century American singers 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American women singers American disco singers People from Mission Hill, Boston American Methodists African-American songwriters Singer-songwriters from Massachusetts