Donna Summer

About Donna Summer

When you think the words "disco diva," you better be thinking of Donna Summer. The vocal powerhouse defined what it meant to belt out a dance jam that could cut across a throng obsessed with getting it on and getting down. After the disco backlash, Summer found surprising longevity with rock n' roll and gospel hits. Donna Summer was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts, one of seven children. The family were devoutly Christian and Summer perfected her brassy voice singing in her church's gospel choir. When she was ten, she was chosen as a soloist-the congregation was reportedly moved to tears and Summer says that's when you knew she was destined for a career in music. By way of practice, she would sing popular Motown and soul hits with her sisters. Though she was urged to go follow other African American pop-stars by moving to Detroit and auditioning for Motown, she struck of on her own as the only black member of Boston's psychedelic rock band Crow. A supporting roll in the musical Hair on Broadway followed. Her father was reluctant to sanction Summer touring in Germany with the production, but eventually she won him over and left the country. With her killer voice and scene connection, Summer hooked up with super producer Girogio Moroder and recorded her first album Lady of the Night. Single "The Hostage" hit #1 in Europe and her follow-up, the highly sexual "Love to Love You Baby" was a world-wide smash. The accompanying album Bad Girls is a stone-cold disco classic. Donna Summer's biggest hit is undeniably the empowered anthem "On the Radio"-just go out to any club, any day of the week and see how pale everything sounds after the DJ drops that one.