LaDonna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948 – May 17, 2012), known by her stage name Donna Summer, was an American singer, songwriter, painter, and actress. She gained prominence during the disco era of the late-1970s. A five-time Grammy Award winner, she was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach No. 1 on the United States Billboard 200 chart and charted four number-one singles in the U.S. within a 12-month period.
Summer has reportedly sold over 140 million records[citation needed], making her one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time. She also charted two number-one singles on the R&B charts in the U.S. and one number-one in the U.K. Summer earned a total of 32 hit singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in her lifetime, with 14 of those reaching the top ten.
She claimed a top 40 hit every year between 1975 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. 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”.
Her most recent Hot 100 hit came in 1999 with “I Will Go With You (Con Te Partiro)”. While her fortunes on the Hot 100 waned through those decades, Summer remained a force on the U.S. Dance/Club Play Songs chart over her entire career.
While influenced by the counterculture of the 1960s, she became the front singer of a psychedelic rock band named Crow and moved to New York City. Joining a touring version of the musical Hair, she left New York and spent several years living, acting, and singing in Europe, where she met music producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte.
Summer returned to the U.S., in 1975 after the commercial success of the song “Love to Love You Baby”, which was followed by a string of other hits, such as “I Feel Love”, “Last Dance”, “MacArthur Park”, “Heaven Knows”, “Hot Stuff”, “Bad Girls”, “Dim All the Lights”, “No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)” (duet with Barbra Streisand), and “On the Radio”. She became known as the “Queen of Disco”, while her music gained a global following.
Summer died on May 17, 2012, at her home in Naples, Florida.
In her obituary in The 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.”Giorgio Moroder described Summer’s work with him 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.
Such a beautiful voice, and definitely the sound of the decade.
We can all agree on that! She was a determined person that had her mindset in success. Her ending breaks my heart.
Ahh yes, I love a good throwback tune 😊🌺
Hi Hannah! Thank you for stopping by and reflecting on this oldie. So many songs bring us happy memories but for Donna life became very sad. Fame I suppose has a downside.😞
It’s a shame, how fame can ruin a person. It’s rare to come across artists who remain true to themselves after hitting the spotlight 😩
Even worse are child stars and so many of them die young.😞
A tragedy…a lot of the time it’s down to drug abuse 😔
When the world’s stage changes, talents must maintain their fame. Drugs give offer all kinds of illusions. But then, drugs wear out, giving that burnout that leads to death.🤔
Indeed it is Hannah. Just to let you know, your art is outstanding!!
Fame is destructive because it strips people of their true identity. God gives talents and gifts. All should thank and respect God instead of depending on and respecting the world. Sad.
Yes, we have to be true to ourselves.
Donna Summers and Disco are synonymous. She was the undisputed queen with a trademark voice everyone recognized. Blessings and Peace.
Yes indeed. Donna kept her children and spouse isolated from her limelight. I suppose many artist have found that keeping their lives private outside of their careers is a best practice.👌☕️☕️