Donna Summer

Artist Image: Donna Summer
Attribution
Image Credit: Photograph by Francesco Scavullo. Distributed by Casablanca Records. (*Original source: Originally published as a publicity photo, as can be seen here, with no copyright notice.
  • Immediate source: High-res scan via Cosmopolitan. Retouched by uploader; see upload history below for unretouched original.
), Public domain

Biography

Donna Summer (née LaDonna Adrian Gaines; December 31, 1948 – May 17, 2012) was an American singer and songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the late 1970s. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Summer was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach number one on the United States Billboard chart and charted four number-one singles in the United States within a 13-month period. Born into a devoutly Christian middle class African American family in Boston, Massachusetts, Summer first became involved with singing through church choir groups before joining a number of bands influenced by the Motown Sound. 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 spent several years living in West Germany, where she married Helmut Sommer, whose surname she adopted as her stage name. Returning to the United States, Summer co-wrote the song "Love to Love You Baby" with Pete Bellotte; music producer Giorgio Moroder convinced her to sing it herself and it was released in 1975 to mass commercial success, particularly on the disco scene. Over the following years, Summer followed this success with a string of other disco hits, such as "I Feel Love", "MacArthur Park", "Hot Stuff", "Bad Girls" and "No More Tears (Enough is Enough)". Becoming known as the "Queen of Disco", she regularly appeared at the Studio 54 club in New York City while her music gained a particularly large following within the gay community. Struggling with depression, she subsequently became a born-again Christian in 1980. Diagnosed with lung cancer, Summer died on May 17, 2012, at her home in Naples, Florida. She was posthumously 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 with him on the song "I Feel Love" as "really the start of electronic dance" music. In December 2012, it was announced that Summer would be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1968
Number of Albums 31
Record Label
Website www.donnasummer.com
Wikipedia Donna Summer on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

How long was the disco anthem Love to Love You Baby?

17minute

...The 17minute disco anthem Love to Love You Baby, replete with orgasmic moaning sounds, began Summer's undisputed reign as Disco Queen during the 1970s...
What was Summer's reign as Disco Queen during the 1970s?

undisputed

...o Love You Baby, replete with orgasmic moaning sounds, began Summer's undisputed reign as Disco Queen during the 1970s. In the last few years of that ...
When did Summer continue to make bankable albums?

1980s

...ing pop music force, Summer continued to make bankable albums during the 1980s , and her willingness to adapt to currently popular musical styles has s...
Where did Summer grew up?

Dorchester, Massachusetts

...er musical career. Born Donna Adrian Gaines, Summer grew up in Dorchester, Massachusetts , a working class city adjoining Boston. As a child she sang i...
How many truancy slips did Summer accumulate?

hundreds

...irs but by high school her tastes had grown more secular. She piled up hundreds of truancy slips, skipping school in order to sing with a local rock b...
When did Summer drop out of high school?

Two months before high school graduation

...ipping school in order to sing with a local rock band. Two months before high school graduation , Summer dropped out. In 1967, at age 18, she debuted a...
Where did Summer debut in 1967?

Boston's Psychedelic Supermarket

...on, Summer dropped out. In 1967, at age 18, she debuted at Boston's Psychedelic Supermarket . The following year found her abroad in the German product...
How many times has Donna Summer won a Grammy?

five

...of Europe to the pinnacles of sales and radio charts around the world. A five time Grammy winner, Donna Summer was the first artist to win the Grammy f...
In what year was Donna Summer the first ever recipient of the Grammys for Best Dance Recording?

1997

... well as the firstever recipient of the Grammy for Best Dance Recording ( 1997 , Carry On). In 2004, she became one of the first inductees, as both an A...
In what year was Donna Gaines inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame?

2004

...er recipient of the Grammy for Best Dance Recording (1997, Carry On). In 2004 , she became one of the first inductees, as both an Artist Inductee and a...
What year was I Feel Love released?

1977

...e first inductees, as both an Artist Inductee and a Record Inductee (for 1977 's I Feel Love) into the Dance Music Hall of Fame in New York City. Born ...
What was the name of Jaynett's girl group classic?

Sally Go Round The Roses

...her first single, a cover of the Jaynett's girl group classic, Sally Go Round The Roses , in 1971. While singing backup, she met producers Giorgio Moro...
What was the name of the first single produced by Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte?

Hostage

...ducers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte who produced her first single, Hostage , which became a hit in the Netherlands, France and Belgium. In 1975, M...
In what countries did Hostage become a hit?

Netherlands, France and Belgium

...oduced her first single, Hostage, which became a hit in the Netherlands, France and Belgium . In 1975, Moroder and Bellotte produced the international ...
With what orchestra did Summer record Christmas Spirit?

Nashville Symphony Orchestra

...mer's original songs and holiday standards recorded with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra . Summer spent the '90s continuing to tour, performing to sol...
What year did SonyEpic Records release VH1 Presents Donna Summer: Live & More Encore!?

1999

...e '90s continuing to tour, performing to soldout audiences worldwide. In 1999 , SonyEpic Records released VH1 Presents Donna Summer: Live & More Encore...
How many children did Summer's father have?

seven

...mmer's father was a butcher and her mother was a teacher. The couple had seven children, including the Grammywinning singer. Their home on Parker Hill...
How many years did Summer spend in Mission Hill?

six

...Her first six years were spent in the Mission Hill projects. 2 25 1948: Large loving family Summer's father was a butcher and her mother was a teacher...
When did Summer and her husband divorce?

1972

... before she graduated. The couple had a daughter, Mimi. They divorced in 1972 , but she used the anglicized version of his name for her brand. 7 25 197...
What year did Summer sign a contract?

1974

...972, but she used the anglicized version of his name for her brand. 7 25 1974 : Signs contract Summer inked a contract with Giorgio Moroder and Pete Be...
What was the name of the song that launched Summers career?

Love to Love You Baby

... hits in Europe before launching Summers career with the steamy hit song Love to Love You Baby . The trio went on to define the disco music of the 70s....
What was the name of the trio that defined disco music in the 70s?

Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte

...nd. 7 25 1974: Signs contract Summer inked a contract with Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte . The team released a few hits in Europe before launching ...
At the time of Donna Summer's death, what was her net worth?

75 million USD

..., at the time of her death in 2012, Donna Summer had a net worth of 75 million USD . Donna Summer: Childhood: Donna Summer was born in Boston, Massachu...
What was the name of the high school that Donna Summer attended?

Jeremiah E. Burke High School

...mer was born in Boston, Massachusetts. She attended Boston's Jeremiah E. Burke High School and became quite popular and a bit of a troublemaker. Just ...
How long did it take for Donna Summer to become fluent in German?

three years

...as sent to perform in Munich where she became fluent in German. After three years , she moved to Vienna in Austria, briefly touring with a band called ...
Where did she move after three years?

Vienna in Austria

...where she became fluent in German. After three years, she moved to Vienna in Austria , briefly touring with a band called FamilyTree. In 1968, Summer r...
When did Summer release her first single in German?

1968

... to Vienna in Austria, briefly touring with a band called FamilyTree. In 1968 , Summer released her first single in German, 'Aquarius' from 'Hair', on ...
What was the name of the band that Summer briefly toured with?

FamilyTree

...s, she moved to Vienna in Austria, briefly touring with a band called FamilyTree . In 1968, Summer released her first single in German, 'Aquarius' from...
Who did Summer sign with in 1974?

European Groovy Records

...' from 'Hair', on Polydor records. In 1974, she signed with the European Groovy Records after they heard a demo of her work with producers Giorgio Mor...
How old was Summer when she joined the church choir?

eight

...onstrated musical talent early and joined the church choir at the age of eight . She attended Bostons Jeremiah E. Burke High School where she actively ...
At what high school did Donna participate in school musicals?

Bostons Jeremiah E. Burke High School

...oined the church choir at the age of eight. She attended Bostons Jeremiah E. Burke High School where she actively participated in school musicals. Don...
What was the name of the psychedelic rock band that Donna Summer sang in?

Crow

...d her musical career as the lead singer of a psychedelic rock band named Crow . While still in her teens, she decided to move to Europe and pursue a ca...
Who did she meet while working as a model and backup vocalist?

Giorgio Moroder

...cided to move to Europe and pursue a career in musical theater and light opera. While working as a model and backup vocalist, she met Giorgio Moroder ....
When was Donna Summer born?

Boston, Massachusetts

...nna Summer was born Donna Adrian Gaines on December 31, 1948, in Boston, Massachusetts . From nearly the moment she learned how to talk, Donna sang cea...
How old was Summer when she performed at her church?

10

...h and for supper. Summer's debut performance came one Sunday when she was 10 years old, when a singer scheduled to perform at her church did not show ...
What did the priest expect from Donna Summer?

an amusing spectacle

... singing, invited her to perform insteadexpecting, at the least, an amusing spectacle . But to everyone's surprise, the voice that bellowed out of Donn...
What type of vocalist was she?

talented

...Like many of her contemporaries, she was a talented vocalist trained as a powerful gospel belter, but she set herself apart with her songwriting abili...
How did her crossover hits embody the disco era?

audacious musicality and uninhibited eroticism

...s. These crossover hits embodied the disco era with audacious musicality and uninhibited eroticism . After her subgenre was declared dead, Summer was v...
What feminist anthem did Summer release in 1983?

She Works Hard for the Money

...of the evolution of dance music. Through the feminist anthem She Works Hard for the Money (1983), she became an MTV star, and she continued to top the...
In what year did Summer become an MTV star?

1983

...f dance music. Through the feminist anthem She Works Hard for the Money ( 1983 ), she became an MTV star, and she continued to top the club chart with d...
When did Summer die from cancer?

2012

...hrough 2010, 35 years after her breakthrough. Summer died from cancer in 2012 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the next year. Summ...
Where did Summer grow up?

Boston's Mission Hill section

...rn LaDonna Andre Gaines on December 31, 1948, and grew up in Boston's Mission Hill section . Part of a religious family, she first sang in her church's...
What group did Summer perform with as a teenager?

the Crow

...h's gospel choir, and as a teenager performed with a rock group called the Crow . After high school, she moved to New York to sing and act in stage pro...
Where did the teenager move to after high school?

New York

...med with a rock group called the Crow. After high school, she moved to New York to sing and act in stage productions, and soon landed a role in a Germ...
What role did she land in a German production of?

Hair

...t in stage productions, and soon landed a role in a German production of Hair . She moved to Europe around 19681969, and spent a year in the German cas...
In what city did Summer move to after becoming influenced by counterculture?

New York City

...e the lead singer of a psychedelic rock band named Crow and moved to New York City . In 1968, she joined a German adaptation of the musical Hair in Mun...
What two disco hits did Pete Bellotte and Summer record together?

Love to Love You Baby and I Feel Love

...ent 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...
How many hits did Summer have on the US Billboard Hot 100 in her lifetime?

42

... breakthrough into international music markets. Summer amassed a total of 42 hit singles on the US Billboard Hot 100 in her lifetime, with 14 of those...
How many number one singles did she have on the R&B Singles chart in the US?

two

... topten hit in 1989 with This Time I Know It's for Real. She also charted two numberone singles on the R&B Singles chart in the US and a numberone sin...