Post by Kaz ~;~ on Mar 12, 2011 14:42:10 GMT -5
Donna Summer
Date of Birth
31 December 1948, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Birth Name
LaDonna Adrian Gaines
Nickname
Queen of Disco
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Biography::
Donna Summer rocketed to international superstardom in the mid-1970s when her groundbreaking merger of R&B, soul, pop, funk, rock, disco and avant-garde electronica catapulted underground dance music out of the clubs of Europe to the pinnacles of sales and radio charts around the world.
Maintaining an unbroken string of hits throughout the 70s and 80s, most of which she wrote, Donna holds the record for most consecutive double albums to hit #1 on the Billboard charts (3) and first female to have four #1 singles in a 12 month period; 3 as a solo artist and one as a duo with Barbra Streisand.
A five-time Grammy winner, Donna Summer was the first artist to win the Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female (1979, "Hot Stuff") as well as the first-ever 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 Record Inductee (for 1977's "I Feel Love") into the Dance Music Hall of Fame in New York City.
Born Donna Gaines on New Year's Eve to a large family in Boston, she developed an early interest in music. From the age of eight, Summer sang in church choirs and city-wide choruses, and by her early twenties, was performing in musical theatre in Germany, winning parts in such highly-acclaimed shows as "Hair," "Showboat," "Godspell," and "Porgy and Bess" as well as performing with the Viennese Folk Opera. She released 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 Moroder and Pete Bellotte who produced her first single, "Hostage," which became a hit in the Netherlands, France and Belgium.
In 1975, Moroder and Bellotte produced the international hit, "Love to Love You Baby," which rose to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and triggered Summer's triumphant return to the United States as a key figure of the then-emerging disco genre. "Love To Love You Baby" paved the way for such international hits as "MacArthur Park," "Bad Girls," "Hot Stuff," "Dim All The Lights," "On The Radio," and "Enough Is Enough," as well as the Grammy and Academy award winning theme song "Last Dance," from the film "Thank God It's Friday," which remains a milestone in Donna's career.
In 1980, Summer became the first artist to sign with David Geffen's new label, Geffen Records, leaving her disco days behind and moving into the next phase of her career ." In the years that followed, Summer collaborated with writers and producers such as Quincy Jones, Michael Omartian and England's dance-pop production compound Stock Aitken Waterman and produced a steady stream of hits from "State of Independence," featuring Michael Jackson on backing vocals, to the abiding feminist anthem "She Works Hard For The Money," one of the most-played songs of all-time, and the infectious "This Time I Know It's For Real."
In 1994, she released "Endless Summer," a greatest hits retrospective containing a new song, "Melody of Love," which became Billboard's #1 Dance Record of the Year. She also released the critically acclaimed gem "Christmas Spirit," a collection of Summer's original songs and holiday standards recorded with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra. Summer spent the '90s continuing to tour, performing to sold-out audiences worldwide.
In 1997, when the new "Best Dance Recording" Category was created at the Grammy Awards, Donna Summer was the first winner with her fifth career Grammy award for "Carry On." In 1999, Sony/Epic Records released "VH1 Presents Donna Summer: Live & More - Encore!," an album and DVD of Summer's critically acclaimed VH1 broadcast taped at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom. The show premiered on VH1 as one of the network's highest rated shows to date and featured live performances of Summer's top hits.
Donna Summer has earned five Grammy Awards, six American Music Awards, three consecutive #1 platinum double albums (she's the only artist, male or female, ever to accomplish this), 11 gold albums, four #1 singles, 2 platinum singles, and 12 gold singles. Donna is also the first female artist to have a #1 single and #1 album on the Billboard charts simultaneously ("Live & More;" "MacArthur Park" 1978) a feat she also repeated six months later ("Bad Girls" & "Hot Stuff" in 1979). She has charted 22 #1 hits on the Billboard Disco/Dance charts, over a period of 25 years a milestone solidifying her as The Queen of Dance.
In addition to her recording and performing career, Summer is an accomplished visual artist whose work has been shown at exhibitions worldwide including Steven Spielberg's "Starbright Foundation Tour of Japan" and The Whitney Museum as well as a prestigious engagement at Sotheby's in New York. Since 1989, she has sold over 1.2 million dollars in original art - with her highest piece going for $150,000. In 2003, Random House published her autobiography "Ordinary Girl," co-authored with Marc Eliot. Also that year, Universal released "The Journey," containing all of her original hits, as well as two new songs.
In 2008, celebrating four decades of milestones, Donna Summer adds another accomplishment to her list with the success of her new album "Crayons." The album debuted at #17 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart making it Summer's highest debuting album ever. It also debuted at #5 on the Billboard R&B chart - another personal best. "Crayons" is Donna's first album of all new studio material in 17 years and is her highest charting album since "She Works Hard For The Money" in 1983. To date, the album has spawned three #1 Dance hits "I'm A Fire," "Stamp Your Feet" and "Fame (The Game)."
A 2008 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame nominee, it is estimated that Donna Summer has sold more than 130 million records worldwide.
With a total of 31 #1 hits (singles and albums) on the Billboard Pop/R&B,Disco/Dance, Album charts combined, over a period of 35 years, Donna Summer is ranked at #24 on Billboard Magazines 50th Anniversary issue featuring the Hot 100 Artists of All Time.
Spouse
Bruce Sudano (16 July 1980 - present) 2 children
Helmuth Sommer (1971 - 1976) (divorced) 1 child
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Trivia::
While living in Germany in the late 60s, she became a regular in the Munich production of musical "Hair.".
Speaks German fluently
Only person to have guest-hosted "New American Bandstand 1965" (1952).
Her daughters are Mimi Sommer (born 1974) and Mimi's two half-sisters Brooklyn Sudano (born 1981) and Amanda Sudano (born 11 August 1982).
Was the first solo artist in history to have three consecutive #1 double-albums on the Billboard charts. The only other musical act to accomplish this feat were The Beatles.
Donna is also an exhibited (and highly regarded) artist. She has sold over $1.2 million dollars in original art since 1989 with her most expensive piece selling for $150,000.
Her orgasmic 16 minute song, "Love To Love You Baby", was the first extended release single, the mother of all dance maxi-singles.
She charted 30 #1 hits (singles and albums) on the Billboard Pop/R&B,Disco/Dance, Album charts combined, over a period of 33 years.
In the summer of 1979, she became the first female artist in music history to have two hits in the Billboard Top 3 at the same time (with Hot Stuff and Bad Girls.) She did it yet again in the fall with a #1 duet with Barbra Streisand and #2 hit Dim All the Lights .
She & writer-producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte created an electronic, dance driven sound that was the forerunner of today's "techno" music. Upon hearing the 1977 song, "I Feel Love", Iggy Pop declared it the "future of music." Samples still continues today most notably in Madonna 's 2000 hit single "Music".
Bruce Springsteen, a great admirer of Donna Summer, wrote 2 songs for her. The first one, "Cover Me", he decided to use on his "Born in the USA" LP. The second song, "Protection", Donna recorded, and Bruce Springsteen & band supplied the music track. Donna & Bruce actually recorded the song as a duet, but that version has never been released.
Ranked #37 on VH1's Greatest Women of Rock N Roll
Held the most ranked dance songs on VH1's 100 Greatest Dance Songs with "MacArthur Park" at #89, "I Feel Love" #76, "Love To Love You Baby" #63 and "Last Dance" at #6.
Sister of Mary Ellen Bernard and Ricky Gaines.
Cites her 1978 hit "Last Dance" as her favorite of her past recordings.
Became a grandmother in 1997 when daughter Mimi gave birth to a baby girl, Vienna.
Daughter of Andrew Gaines and Mary Ellen Gaines.
Is one of seven children (has 5 sisters, 1 brother).
Ranked #80 on VH1's 100 Sexiest Artists.
In 1978, became the first female artist in history to have a #1 single (MacArthur Park) and a #1 album (Live and More) simultaneously on the Billboard charts. She broke her on record just a few months later in 1979 when her single "Hot Stuff" and the album "Bad Girls" both reached the #1 position on the Billboard charts at the same time.
In 1979, Was nominated for 5 American Music Awards - winning three: Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist (Nominated) Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist (Nominated) Favorite Disco Artist Female (Won) Favorite Disco Album - Live & More (Won) Favorite Disco Single - Last Dance (Won).
In 1980, was nominated for 4 American Music Awards - winning three: Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist (Won) Favorite Pop/Rock Album - Bad Girls (Nominated) Favorite Pop/Rock Single - Bad Girls (Won) Favorite Soul/R&B Artist (Won).
Ranked at #24 on Billboard Magazines 50th Anniversary issue featuring the Hot 100 Artists of All Time.
Nominated in 2008 for The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.
Has won 5 Grammy awards with a career total of 18 nominations.
She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
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Personal Quotes::
God had to create disco music so that I could be born and be successful.
[speaking in 1999] "Most people don't get called a queen. I appreciate the reference and that I've gotten to be part of people's lives. But now I have to make a new title for myself. That diva thing is getting a little used."
[Of her suicide attempt]: It sorta snuck up on me, and I think it because I had my daughter, and during that period, my marriage broke up, and I was alone, and I was staying up at night, and I would go out and work and then, I would be getting 2 to 3 hours a sleep a day. It was scary, and so I couldn't deal another minute of it, and I was on my way out the window, I was sticking my foot out, I was shifting my weight, and I got caught in a curtain and the maid opened the door, exactly that time. I was literally shifting my weight, and I was looking at my curtain, the chain rattled on the door and I look after I saw the maid looking at me, and I thought, 'Oh, my God!,' It really kind of shook me, it woke me up and I'll let you in, and then I let her in, and I got on the phone, and I think I called somebody said, 'I need help,' and thank God that lady came, because I'd be gone today.
[When she made a comeback on recording a new album at almost 60]: I was sitting at home, watching TV, eating potato chips, fast becoming a 'Desperate Housewife,' as I sing onstage, which is my onstage light, and I thought, 'Is this going to be the rest of my life? Is this all there is?' I mean, I can't do this forever, I'll be this big and that wide, and I've got to find a day job. And so, at first, I thought I would go to designing school and study Architecture or something, and then, all of a sudden, my light bulb went off on my head one day, and said, 'You probably should go start recording again,' and it happened to me in the beginning of my career, it was sexified, and it was difficult because I was fighting, not being that way, because it was not that accepted back then, and they were pushing me to be that way, and I kept going, 'Why can't I just be who I am?,' when it was a big struggle, and they kept pushing me more towards that, and I kept emptying my weight back, this way, and I think eventually, over the course of 2 or 3 years, I kind of put my foot down and said, 'That's it, I'm not doing that anymore!' It's really hard being a diva these days, and that they have to learn to let me grow older and let me grow gracefully, because I don't plan on having 900 facelifts to please them.
The minute that I got off the plane from Germany, with Susan Mineo, and we got in a limo. Georga was getting the bags and got back, we sat in a limo, and the doors closed. Susan Mineo and I [who at the time, was with my record company] looked at each other, and all of a sudden, the driver, turned on and reached over and turned on [what we thought was this] an eight-track CD or whatever, only it was the radio. The radio was playing exactly that minute. All of a sudden, we heard the baseline, and we started screaming out loud, and from that moment on, my life was just [as I knew it before], gone --- it was no more. The old me was departed and the new me was on the rise.
[On her popularity as being a professional disco singer]: I think, no question, when you're a singer and you're looking to become so successful, it's the moments of success, singing the Oscar-winning song and having that moment, winning Grammies, and all that, but after you get those things, you're sorta sitting there in the room and you're thinking, 'O.K., what next?' When actors say they got the Oscar and then, they didn't get the job for 5 years somewhat it feels like internally, and it's like, 'Oh, O.K., is that all there is?,' and so, I think you just have to keep setting new goals for yourself. For me, after I had success on that level, my next goals were personal, they were my family, go on it's time now, 'You've done this, you've proven this, let's get on with your real-life.'