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Donna Summer (born '''LaDonna Adrian Gaines''', on December 31 , 1948 ) is a legendary American singer, songwriter, and artist, best known for a string of Dance hits in the 1970s that earned her the title "''Queen of Disco ''" and as one of the few disco-based artists to have longevity on the charts into the late 1980s. Though she's notable for her disco hits, Summer's repertoire has expanded to include tradional R&B , Rock , mainstream Pop and even Gospel . Summer is also known for her exquisite vocal range and power. One of the most successful female hitmakers of the 1970s, Summer still holds the record for having three consecutive double albums go to the top of the album charts and also became the first female artist to have three number-one singles in a twelve-month period. Since 1979, Summer has held the record in both the U.S. and the UK for the longest note held by a woman in a hit pop song. The sixteen-second note can be heard in her single "Dim All The Lights". BIOGRAPHY Early life and career Born in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston , Massachusetts , she was one of seven children raised by devout Christian parents. She sang in church, and in her teens joined a rock group called The Crow, so named because Donna was the only black member of the group. At eighteen, Gaines left home and school to take up a supporting role in the Broadway musical, " Hair ". The show moved to Germany shortly afterwards and Gaines eventually became a German resident and performed in the German versions of several musicals including " Godspell " and " Show Boat ". She settled in Munich and also performed with the Viennese Folk Opera. In 1971, Gaines released a single in Europe entitled "Sally Go 'Round the Roses", her first solo recording. The single was unsuccessful, however, and she had to wait until 1974 to launch a solo career. Gaines married Austrian actor Helmuth Sommer ("Summer" is an Anglicization of his last name) in 1972 and gave birth to daughter Mimi the following year. Summer did various musical jobs in studios and theaters for several years, including the pop group FamilyTree from 1974-75. Early success and notoriety While singing back-up for groups such as Three Dog Night , she met producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte . With these producers, Summer signed a contract in The Netherlands and issued her first album, '' Lady Of The Night '', which included the European hit, "The Hostage". The single made #1 in France and Belgium , and #2 in the Netherlands . Its follow-up, the title track of the album, also gained some degree of European success. In the late summer of 1975, Summer approached Moroder and Bellotte with an idea for a song. She had come up with the lyric "Love To Love You Baby" as the possible title for the song. Moroder in particular was interested in developing the new disco sound that was becoming increasingly popular, and used Summer's idea to develop the song into a raunchy disco track. He had the idea that she should moan and groan Orgasmically , but Summer was initially reticent. Eventually she agreed to record the song as a demo to give to someone else (possibly singer Penny McLean ). She has stated that she was not completely sure of some of the lyrics, and parts of the song were improvised during the recording (she later stated on a VH-1 "Behind The Music" program that she pictured herself as Marilyn Monroe acting out the part of someone in sexual ecstasy). Moroder was so astounded with Summer's orgasmic vocals and her imaginative moans and groans that he insisted she should release the single herself. Summer reluctantly agreed and the song, titled " Love To Love You ", was released to modest success in Europe. When it reached America and the hands of Casablanca president Neil Bogart , however, he was so ecstatic over the demo that he requested Moroder to produce a twenty-minute version of the song. Summer, Moroder and producer Pete Bellotte cut a seventeen-minute version, renamed it " Love To Love You Baby ", and Casablanca signed Summer and issued it as a single in November 1975. Casablanca distributed Summer's work in the U.S., while other labels distributed it in different nations during this period. " Love To Love You Baby " was Summer's first big hit in America, reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in early 1976 and becoming her first number-one Hot Dance Club Play chart hit. The seventeen-minute cut became one of a recurring trend of single song, side-long disco versions, with French disco acts Cerrone , the Alec. R. Costandinos helmed Love And Kisses and many others following suit. The album (side one of which was completely taken up with the full-length version of the title track) was also released in 1975 and was soon certified Gold . The song was branded "raunchy" by some music critics and was even banned by some radio stations for its graphic content. Time magazine later reported that a record 22 orgasms were reached in the making of the song. In some areas of the music press, Summer was dubbed "the first lady of love." Two successful, gold-selling concept albums followed - '' A Love Trilogy '' featured the singles "Try Me (I Know We Can Make It)" (#80 on the Hot 100), and "Could It Be Magic" (#52 on the Hot 100); and '' Four Seasons Of Love '' which featured the discofied "Spring Affair", (#58 on the Hot 100), as well as "Winter Melody", (#43 on the Hot 100) Both albums placed respectably on the Billboard Album Chart and had a reasonably high sensual/fantasy content, although Summer felt uneasy with her image. The 1977 album '' I Remember Yesterday '', another concept album, showed the Summer/Moroder/Bellotte team combining the disco sound with sounds of the past, present and future. The song representing the future, " I Feel Love " , originally released as a "B" side to the R&B ballad "Can't We Just Sit Down (And Talk It Over)", became a landmark recording, reaching number six on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and number one in the UK and various other European countries. It was the second US hit for Summer, earning her a second Gold 45 as well. The song was arguably the first song to use techno and electronic sounds in dance music. A version of ''I Feel Love'' released in 1982, with additional overdubs by Disco lightman turned synthesist and producer, the late Patrick Cowley , took the eight-minute and thirteen-second extended version and overlayed new elements, causing an underground sensation. Summer released another album in 1977 called '' Once Upon A Time '', a concept album telling a modern-day "rags to riches" story through the means of electronic disco which is regarded by many fans as some of her best work. Continued success in music In 1978, Summer acted in the film '' Thank God It's Friday '', and released the hit single " Last Dance ". Written by Paul Jabara —who also co-wrote "It's Raining Men", "The Main Event (Fight)" and "No More Tears (Enough is Enough)"—the song became another monumental hit for Summer, reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and resulting in her first Grammy win. Jabara took home the Oscar after the song was nominated for Song of the Year. Summer also recorded a side-long version of Serge Gainsbourg 's "Je T'Aime (Moi Non Plus)" which was very similar in style to " Love To Love You Baby ", initially shelved and later released as a part of the ''Thank God It's Friday'' soundtrack. That same year, she released her first live album, '' Live And More ''. A double album, it was also Summer's first number-one LP, and included her first number-one American Pop single, a cover of the Jimmy Webb -penned " MacArthur Park ", originally made famous by Irish actor/singer Richard Harris . The version found on the ''Live and More'' album was a longer version and incorporated two other tracks, including "Heaven Knows" which also featured vocals by Joe Esposito (singer) of the Brooklyn Dreams (group member Bruce Sudano would later become romantically involved with Summer). "Heaven Knows" became another top five hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. ''Bad Girls'' and the break from disco |
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