She became a cultural icon and her prominence on the dance charts, for which she was referred to as the Queen of Disco, made her not just one of the defining voices of that era, but also an influence on pop artists from Madonna to Beyonc. "Live and More" was herfirst album to ascend to #1 on the Billboard album charts, featuring "MacArthur Park," her first #1 single. In 1968, she released her first single, "Aquarius," a German version of the song from the musical "Hair. Donna Summer (LaDonna Adrian Gaines) was born on 31 December, 1948 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, is a Soundtrack, Actress, Composer. 20). Donna Summer: A Life in Pictures. Born Donna Gaines on New Year's Eve to a large family in Boston, she developed an early interest in music. The album was released in Europe in March 1989 on Warner Bros. Records, which had been Summer's label in Europe since 1982. The soundtrack and single both went Gold and resulted in Summer winning her first Grammy Award, for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. She was 63 years old. She wed her first husband, Austrian actor Helmuth Sommer, in 1972. She sang a set of six songs at the concert including "MacArthur Park" and "Last Dance.". We Are Family. Today, they are stunning the world with their own talent. 13. 1 on the US dance charts, and No. Donna Summer, who passed away in 2012, was a great entertainer. She won 5 Grammy awards during her career and had a loving family before she sadly died after a battle with lung cancer in 2012. The SAW team describe the working experience as a labour of love, and said it was their favourite album of all that they had recorded. Numerous artists consider Summer a major influence on their music, with the likes of Pet Shop Boys, Lizzo, Texas, Beyonc, and Kylie Minogue all sampling her songs. The trio went on to define the disco music of the '70s. After a meeting with David Geffen he was on board with the project. [25] Summer was nominated for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for "Cold Love", and Best Inspirational Performance for "I Believe in Jesus" at the 1981 Grammy Awards. Summer was raised in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. This album would attain Gold status. Last edited: Apr 1, 2020. 1 hit on the Hot 100 chart. The single "This Time I Know It's for Real" became a top ten hit in several countries in Europe, prompting Warner Bros.' sister company, Atlantic Records, to sign Summer in the US. The life and works of the disco pioneer inspired Summer: The Donna Summer Musical which premiered in San Diego in 2017, and then on Broadway a year later.. 1 dance/club hits with "I'm a Fire", "Stamp Your Feet" and "Fame (The Game)". Select a photo type. 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". On January 19, 1985, she sang at the nationally televised 50th Presidential Inaugural Gala the day before the second inauguration of Ronald Reagan. "Romeo" appears on the Flashdance soundtrack. 9 on the Billboard 200 chart; the highest chart position of any female artist in male-dominated 1983. In 2004, Summer was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame as an artist, alongside the Bee Gees and Barry Gibb. After a 17-year hiatus, she again hit the top. Please if you think that any changes should be required, please inform the author. At the end of both episodes she appeared in, she danced and sung to a Donna Summer song, "Last Dance" in "Aunt Oona" and "She Works Hard for the Money" in "Pound . Released on the Sony BMG label Burgundy Records, it peaked at No. 14 UK. 65. Apparently, Fabrizio Viti, who was a shoe designer for Louis Vuitton, was "a huge fan" of Donna Summer, according to the publication, which led him to choose Sudano for the campaign. Seeking an American release for the song, it was sent to Casablanca Records president Neil Bogart. One of her favorite hits she produced during that time was "Last Dance." which reached #2 on the U.S. Mar 31, 2020. [5], Summer's performance debut occurred at church when she was ten years old, replacing a vocalist who failed to appear. She began performing at church and in school productions, which gained her popularity amongst her peers. He decided to reach out to Summer and, although she was not interested in singing the song, she was very much interested in working with Faltermeyer again. The couple had a daughter, Mimi. "The Power of One" is a theme song for the movie Pokmon: The Movie 2000. In 1978, Summer acted in the film Thank God It's Friday, the film met with modest success; the song "Last Dance", reached No. The new edition is reduced to 10 tracks (15 on vinyl and streaming releases), with each song remixed by contemporary producers and remixers.[46]. Summer had her biggest success in the 1980s while on Geffen's roster with her next album She Works Hard for the Money and its title songwhich were released by Mercury Records in a one-off arrangement to settle Summer's split with the soon-to-be-defunct Casablanca Records, whose catalogue now resided with Mercury and Casablanca's parent company PolyGram. Text by Meghan Smith and Mark Herz. [12] Despite this, "Love to Love You Baby" found chart success in several European countries, and made the Top 5 in the United Kingdom despite the BBC ban. [26] When the final sequence was filmed, Summer's daughter Mimi and her family members joined her on stage for "State of Independence". In 1994, she also contributed to the Tribute to Edith Piaf album, singing "La Vie En Rose". Bob was raised in and near Cumberland. "[71] Chaka Khan said, "Donna and I had a friendship for over 30 years. 18. The cause of her death on 17 May 2012 was lung cancer. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. She won five Grammy Awards. On hand for a tour of the new cancer floor were Martha Gudelsky, whose family is a big supporter of the medical center, Dr . The suite included the songs "MacArthur Park," "One Of a Kind," and "Heaven Knows" and topped the disco chart. She was born in 1973 in Munich, Germany. 2 on the US Hot 100 chart and had become a Gold single, while the album had sold over a million copies. [39], On September 15, 2010, Summer appeared as a guest celebrity, singing alongside contestant Prince Poppycock, on the television show America's Got Talent. Summer wrote candidly about her life in her autobiography "Ordinary Girl: The Journey," which was co-written with Marc Eliot. Several hundred of Donna Summer's closest friends and family crowded into a Nashville, Tennessee, church Wednesday afternoon to say goodbye to the queen of disco, who died of lung cancer last . "When Love Cries" continued her success on the R&B charts, reaching No. When David Geffen stopped by the studio for a preview, he was warned that it was a work in progress, but it was almost done. She closed her letter with Bible quotes (from Chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians). The album took over six months to record as Summer, who was pregnant at the time, found it hard to sing. Two of the singer's three daughters- Mimi, 39, and Brooklyn, 31 - have turned family life into a "disco inferno" as they claw it out to see who gets the most money. Mimi Sommer (bottom left) is the daughter of the late singer, Donna Sommer and her husband, Helmuth Sommer. Summer tapped into her creative well and discovered a new passion for painting. Sudano co-founded the late '60s pop-rock band Alive N Kickin, which scored a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with Tighter, Tighter.. Summer was posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in April 2013. 3 on the Hot 100. The video was a success, being nominated for Best Female Video and Best Choreography at the 1984 MTV Music Video Awards; Summer became one of the first African-American artists, and the first African-American female artist to have her video played in heavy rotation on MTV. 0 references. The film opens with those songs, the first performed live onstage by Summer, with sensual physical gyrations to match the . "[69], Aretha Franklin said, "It's so shocking to hear about the passing of Donna Summer. She is also survived by a brother, Ricky Gaines, and four sisters . [37], On July 29, 2010, Summer gave an interview with Allvoices.com wherein she was asked if she would consider doing an album of standards. Summer died on May 17, 2012, from lung cancer, at her home in Naples, Florida. Her parents enrolled her in school when she was 4 years old . Moroder, Bellotte, and Summer returned with a 17-minute version. Amanda and Abner Ramirez formed the musical duo Johnnyswim in 2005, but the pair hit it off romantically as well and married in 2009. In 1979 she had two more #1 singles, "Bad Girls" and "Hot Stuff,"from her "Bad Girl" album. Love's Unkind (1977) I Remember Yesterday was another concept album, this time with each track . Summer appeared in the popular TV series "Family Matters." 6 Sade Adu. LaDonna Adrian Gaines, known professionally as Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter. In the 1970s, she reigned over the disco era and kept the disco jumping. 1, giving Summer her first posthumous number-one single, and her sixteenth number-one on the charts. My father's family is mixed with Native American and my mother's family is mixed with Dutch, Irish and French Canadian. Let's have a look! In 1979, Summer won three American Music Awards for Single, Album and Female Artist, in the Disco category at the awards held in January. On completion, Geffen liked what he heard, but his executives did not think there were enough songs that could be deemed singles. Her husband and daughters accepted the award in her honor. Nicknamed the Queen of Disco, she was a major figure of the genre's popularity as her songs echoed throughout nightclubs during the mid 1970s to early 1980s earning her multiple Grammy Awards and nominations. In doing so, youre agreeing to the below guidelines. Amanda Sudano and Mimi Dohler and four grandchildren. [41], On June 6, 2011, Summer was a guest judge on the show Platinum Hit, in an episode entitled "Dance Floor Royalty". She recorded a disco duet with Barbara Steisand before branching off to a new beat. [43], A remix album titled Love to Love You Donna, containing new remixes of some of Summer's classics, was released in October 2013. She was the disco queen and will remain so. Summer and the label parted ways in 1980, and she signed with Geffen Records, the new label started by David Geffen. What people want to do with their bodies is their personal preference". Born LaDonna Gaines on New Year's Eve 1948 in . . In 1968, the singer released her first single, as Donna Gaines, a German version of the title "Aquarius" from the musical. There were two new tracks "Melody of Love (Wanna Be Loved)" and "Any Way at All". 1 on the US Billboard Dance Chart. She briefly toured with an ensemble vocal group called FamilyTree, the creation of producer Gnter "Yogi" Lauke. The ceremony took place at The Roland Park Second Presbyterian Church in Baltimore, Maryland. In the end, she did not receive any money, but won the rights to her own lucrative song publishing.[24]. Donna Summer's eldest daughter is Natalia Pia Melanie Sommer, now known as Natalie Dohler. I am at a total loss trying to process this tragic news. While living in Nashville, Tennesse, where her family moved after living in Thousand Oaks, California, she met musician and songwriter Abner Ramirez. British director Brian Grant was hired to direct Summer's video for "She Works Hard for the Money". A celebration of life will be during the summer months. Her priest summoned Summerto the stage when the singer slated to perform was a no-show. [66] She was interred in the Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens cemetery in Nashville. The single went to No. Who will forget 'Last Dance'? [14] In 1969, she issued the single "If You Walkin' Alone" on Philips Records. He made his South by Southwest debut in 2014 and even went on tour with the rock band, The Zombies. She Is Of Austrian-Afro Ethnicity. She is represented by the New York City-based Bella Agency. Love's Unkind by Donna Summer from I Remember Yesterday . Mimi Sommer (Right) | Image Source: Getty Images. The working partnership would build Summer up to fame across Europe with singles "The Hostage" and "Lady of the Night.". "Queen of Disco" Donna Summer died today at the way-too-young age of 63 after losing a battle with cancer. Published on October 17, 2019 01:36 PM. I'm going to do both and we will release them however we're going to release them. A CD of the event was released by Epic Records and featured two studio recordings, "I Will Go with You (Con te partir)" and "Love Is the Healer", both of which reached No. Summer. 33; and "Who Do You Think You're Foolin'", No. The surviving members of Donna Summer 's family are looking to clear the air on the cause of her death and quick. She became despondent with her reputation and tried to take her own life. . maiden name. 0% Complete. To be added Aunt Oona Pound Foolish Aunt Oona Urkel was played by singer-songwriter and actress Donna Summer before she passed away from lung cancer at the age of 63 on May 17, 2012. [10] In December 2016, Billboard ranked her sixth on its list of the "Greatest of All Time Top Dance Club Artists". Late Donna Summer, who is fondly regarded as the "Queen of Disco," had three gorgeous daughters. "The Hostage" reached the top of the charts in France, but was removed from radio playlists in Germany because of the song's subject matter; a high ranking politician that had recently been kidnapped and held for ransom. [14], She married Austrian actor Helmuth Sommer in 1973, and gave birth to their daughter Natalia Pia Melanie "Mimi" Sommer,[15] the same year. Mimi's grandfather, Andrew Gaines is known for his work in the 1987 TV series, Biography from the creator, Agnes Nixon, and the 1997 Gay Rosanthal's Behind The Music.In like manner, Sommer's grandmother has also appeared in the 1987's Biography. The album included the top-ten hit "Love Is in Control (Finger on the Trigger)"; for which she received a Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Donna Summer real name was LaDonna Adrian Gaines. She died of lung cancer in 2012 at the age of 63. Mimi Sommer - Net worth 2023. 30 on that chart. Destiny Child's Kelly Rowland gave a tribute to the Queen of Disco. "We were put to work," says Sudano, who is co-starring in NBC's new action series . "[69][75], Summer was honored at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards ceremony. He later became a member of Brooklyn Dreams in the late '70s, which had a top 5 hit with "Heaven Knows," a . Unfortunately, she died on 17 May 2012 from lung cancer. While her fortunes on the Hot 100 waned in subsequent decades, Summer remained a force on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart throughout her entire career. They also substituted a previous recording called "Bad Reputation", songs like "Fascination", fell by the wayside. A fine performer and a very nice person. Summer also had "With Your Love" and "Je t'aime moi non plus", on the soundtrack. Age is just a number just ask Suzanne Somers . Donna Summer's daughter weds amid flowers, lace. In 1996, Summer also recorded "Does He Love You" with Liza Minnelli, which appeared Minnelli's Gently. To publish, simply grab the HTML code or text to the left and paste into While working as a model part-time and backing singer in Munich, Summer met producer Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte during a recording session for Three Dog Night at Musicland Studios. You were truly a game changer!!! The audience was in awe of Summer's powerful voice and talent. and No. Within three years, she moved to Vienna, Austria, and joined the Vienna Volksoper. She signed with the Ford Modeling Agency and appeared in advertising campaigns for Clairol, Clean & Clear, and K-Mart, to name a few of the brands she featured for. Donna Summer, Queen of Disco Who Transcended the Era, Dies at 63. . In 1980, her single "On the Radio", reached No. Notes: 2020 "Donna Summer Musical" Events. She agreed to join the traveling production when they decided to take the musical to Germany, where she became fluent in German, singing various songs in that language. The Wanderer was rushed to market; the producers of the album wanted more production time. [67] Several hundred of Summer's friends and relatives attended the funeral, according to CNN. She had fallen asleep, and Summer accidentally jolted her awake when she went to the ladies' room. Summer was upset with President Neil Bogart over the early release of the single "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)", because Casablanca didn't wait until her previous single, "Dim All the Lights", had peaked; she had penned "Dim All the Lights" alone, and was hoping for a number-one hit as a songwriter. . Donna Summer became the face of the 1970s dance scene and had a string of hits through the decades until her death. 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", She got her first feature film role in the film adaptation of V. C. Andrews' novel "Rain" and appeared in episodes of "CSI: NY" and "90210. Anyone growing up in the disco era is familiar with her music, but not many know her story behind the headlines. The television network started changing the premise of the show, making it less funny, says Sudano, "And because we were an interracial couple, they didn't want us to be married anymore". We will try to update this article about Donna Summer's family soon. She claimed a top-40 hit every year between 1976 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 during that time period. 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. Born LaDonna Adrian Gaines, in Boston on New Year's Eve 1948, her father was a butcher her mother was. [11], LaDonna Adrian Gaines was born on December 31, 1948, in Boston, Massachusetts, to Andrew and Mary Gaines, and was third of seven children. Make sure the source is set correctly and that CORS support is enabled. A year later, the partnership led to the creation of "Love to Love You Baby." A five-time Grammy Award winner, Donna truly was the 'Queen of Disco.' [40], Also in 2010, Summer recorded a version of the Dan Fogelberg song "Nether Lands" for a Fogelberg tribute project. Stacker distribution partners receive a license to all Stacker stories, This image is not public domain. She was best known as the Queen of Dance, mainly because of her disco songs in the 70s, including Last Dance, Heaven Knows, Bad Girls, and On the Radio. The album itself was certified Gold, and climbed to No. 17. While in Europe, she honed her craft at the Vienna Folk Opera and was part of the cast of "Godspell" and "Show Boat." [21] The week of June 16, 1979, Summer would again have the number-one single on the Hot 100 chart, and the number-one album on the Billboard 200 chart; when "Hot Stuff" regained the top spot on the Hot 100 chart. The iconic TV actress and wellness advocate turned 73 on Wednesday, celebrating the milestone with a . Summer, Moroder and Bellotte wrote the song together, and together they worked on a demo version with Summer singing the song. She scored two more UK hits from the album, "I Don't Wanna Get Hurt" (UK No. ", On the Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes I & II, The Dance Collection: A Compilation of Twelve Inch Singles, Endless Summer: Donna Summer's Greatest Hits, Can't We Just Sit Down (And Talk It Over), Dream-A-Lot's Theme (I Will Live for Love), American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist, American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist, ABC Television Center in Los Angeles (Stage 54 or Stage 55), The Dick Clark Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show, List of acts who appeared on American Bandstand, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Donna_Summer&oldid=1140892858, Grammy Award winners for dance and electronic music, Articles with dead external links from December 2018, Articles with permanently dead external links, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Articles with dead external links from August 2021, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox musical artist with associated acts, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2022, Articles lacking reliable references from April 2021, Articles needing additional references from June 2014, All articles needing additional references, Turner Classic Movies person ID same as Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 22 February 2023, at 08:13. It was broken apart for pop single releases and "MacArthur Park" reached #1 while "Heaven Knows" peaked at #4. 1 hour 47 minutes. She is the daughter and first-born of Australian American singer-songwriter Donna Summer. Songs like "Love to Love You Baby" and "Hot Stuff" illuminate her tremendous songwriting and singing talent. Casablanca wanted her to continue to record disco only. storytelling. Weeks after DONNA SUMMER's untimely death, disco diva's family battles over her $75 million fortune, say insiders. In 1969, she issued the single "If You Walkin' Alone" on Philips Records. 1 single on the Hot 100[18] and album on the Billboard 200 charts, simultaneously. Summer had a top 40 hit each year for eight consecutive years. She was Music (Singer) by profession. The musical duo has been touring the United States since. "This recipe dates back many many years and is now a family heirloom recipe. Let us know in the comment section! A terrific song, brilliantly delivered and a highlight of Summer's post-Moroder career. Bob was born July 1, 1944, in Cumberland, Wisconsin to Anna and Amedeo (Amy) Zappa. Summer's first performance was at age 10 at church. Otherwise you can upload a new image with a new name. Other singles included a cover of the Jon and Vangelis song "State of Independence" (No. 3 on the Hot 100 chart. Donna . The Queen of Disco Donna Summer died on Thursday in her Naples, Florida, home after a quiet battle with lung cancer. Although she passed aged 63 in 2012, her legacy lives on through her legendary music that defined an era of counterculture and extravagance. Gallery 3: Donna With Friends & Family. The late singer had Mimi, 39 with her ex-husband and German actor Helmut Sommer. Wed, 02/22/2023 - 10:45am. Summer would again receive a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Donna Summer recorded a "MacArthur Park Suite" for her 1978 album Live and More. @spbc_ab #atlanticbeach #beach #beachislife #summer" Anyone growing up in the disco era is familiar with her music, but not many know her story behind the headlines. The I Feel Love hitmaker - who passed away in Florida yesterday last week aged 63 - is being remembered in a . He also brought the musical about his late iconic wife called "Summer: The Donna Summer Musical," to life. He heard enough to tell producers that it was not good enough; the project was canceled. Gaines. written by John Barry & Donna Summer . The couple divorced in 1976, but Summer adopted a version of her ex-husband's surname as her stage name. Saved. 1 in the UK. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. Summer filed a $10 million lawsuit against Casablanca; the label counter-sued. The single "Dinner with Gershwin" (written by Brenda Russell) stalled at 48 in the US, though it became a hit in the UK, peaking at No. LaDonna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948 - May 17, 2012), known professionally as Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter.She gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s and became known as the "Queen of Disco", while her music gained a global following.. Mimi Sommer Dohler (pictured below) is Donna's eldest child. You could always hear the deep passion in her voice. I did not want it to be any one baby. Play your favorite Donna Summer songs as you breeze through our slideshow. The song was featured on Summer's first live album, Live and More, which also became her first album to hit number one on the US Billboard 200 chart and went double-Platinum, selling over 2 million copies. Here Are 7 Compelling Facts About Mimi Sommer. Geffen had shared the vision of moving Summer into the R&B market as a veteran artist, but these expectations were not met. . Stacker believes in making the worlds data more accessible through A demo tape of Summer's work with Moroder and Bellotte led to a deal with the European-distributed label Groovy Records. She still toured the country but wasn't working at the break-neck pace she was in the 70s and 80s. Although she denied making the comments, her image suffered. #3. [5] She attended Boston's Jeremiah E. Burke High School where she performed in school musicals and was considered popular. Donna Watts Johnson, notice. In 1979, she became a born-again Christian. The single peaked at No. Two of her three daughters, Mimi, 39 and Brooklyn, 31, are now throwing blows to see who is going to win most of the $75 million fortune, according . She also charted two number-one singles on the R&B Singles chart in the US and a number-one single in the United Kingdom. To that end, most Stacker stories are freely available to Donna Summer Photo Gallery. "MacArthur Park" was Donna Summer's first . She received a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. [28], In 1986, Harold Faltermeyer wrote the title song for a German ski movie called Fire and Ice, and thought Summer would be ideal to sing the song. family name. Source: Instagram. I Remember Yesterday by Donna Summer from I Remember Yesterday . She had one of her biggest hits in the 1980s with "She Works Hard For the Money", which became another anthem, this time for women's rights. [8] She sold over 100 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Summer earned a total of 42 hit singles on the US Billboard Hot 100 in her lifetime, with 14 of those reaching the top-ten. By SYLVIA BADGER. republish under a Creative Commons License, and we encourage you to Summer's father was a butcher, and her mother was a teacher. Thread starter christian1990; Start date Mar 31, 2020; Forums. Catalan Wikipedia. Her daughters are pretty . With her family by her side, Summer died May 17, 2012, at her Key West, Fla., home after a long battle with cancer. They even sang back up vocals for their mother at concerts and other performances. [22] The following week, "Bad Girls" would be on top of the US Top R&B albums chart. At the root of the problem are two different dads. The Queen of Disco, Donna Summer, became an iconic recording artist that dominated the late 70's. She went to Germany to perform in the musical "Hair" when she was 18. share our stories with your audience. In the mid-1980s, Summer was embroiled in a controversy when she allegedly made anti-gay remarks regarding the relatively new disease, AIDS. She was walked down the aisle half-way by her biological father, Helmut Sommer, and the rest of the way by her stepfather, Sudano, who raised her. 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Surname as her stage name his executives did not want it to any... Her story behind the headlines the Queen of disco, & quot ; MacArthur Park '' ``! The 70s and 80s a controversy when she went to the Queen of Donna... Hear the deep passion in her voice Geffen Records, it was not good enough the! ; Queen of disco. '' ( UK No each year for eight consecutive years and... Dance music Hall of Fame as an artist, alongside the Bee Gees Barry! A string of hits through the decades until her death on 17 May 2012 from cancer... Survived by a brother, Ricky Gaines, and Summer accidentally jolted her awake when was! With the rock band, the first performed live onstage by Summer who... Below guidelines to No place at the time, found it Hard to sing Matters.,... Become a Gold single, and No ; this recipe dates back many many years and now... But his executives did not want it to be any one Baby. Summer! This image is not public domain her legendary music that defined an of. In 2014 and even went on to define the disco era is familiar with her reputation and tried to her. Scored two more UK hits from the album itself was certified Gold and! In Baltimore, Maryland to tell producers that it was sent to Casablanca Records Neil. Dance music Hall of Fame as an artist, alongside the Bee and. T'Aime moi non plus '', fell by the wayside sang back up for... And 80s it on its Mercury imprint in 1983 have been together 20+ years what! 13 of 1 Corinthians ) into the Dance music Hall of Fame as artist... Raised in the popular TV series `` Family Matters. creation of producer Gnter `` Yogi '' Lauke United... Doing so, youre agreeing to the Queen of disco who Transcended era... After a 17-year hiatus, she reigned over the disco era is familiar with her music but... Joined the Vienna Volksoper pace she was born in 1973 in Munich, Germany couple divorced in 1976 but! Autobiography `` Ordinary Girl: the Donna Summer home after a 17-year hiatus, she died of cancer. Hits she produced during that time was `` Last Dance. `` Several of! She attended Boston 's Jeremiah E. Burke High school where she performed school. 'S eldest daughter is Natalia Pia Melanie Sommer, in Cumberland, Wisconsin to Anna and Amedeo ( )! Hurt '' ( No the single `` If You Walkin ' Alone '' Philips! Love Cries '' continued her success on the U.S. Mar 31, 2020 known as Natalie Dohler it its! Cause of her ex-husband 's surname as her stage name two different.. She also contributed to the Queen of disco. Summer months the Summer.! Performed in school productions, which appeared Minnelli 's Gently market ; the highest position! ; this recipe dates back many many years and is now a Family heirloom recipe delivered the was. At her home in Naples, Florida, home after a meeting with David Geffen in Nashville Last. ; the producers of the 1970s, she reigned over the disco era is familiar with her,... T'Aime moi non plus '', fell by the wayside issued the single `` If You Walkin Alone... Different dads set of six songs at the break-neck pace she was 18. share our with! Interred in the 70s and 80s amongst her peers today, they are the! Munich, Germany battle with lung cancer, at her home in Naples, Florida alongside the Bee and... Jolted her awake when she went to Germany to perform was a great entertainer is... `` MacArthur Park & quot ; Events a year later, the performed! A total loss trying to process this tragic news music Hall of Fame as an artist alongside. The iconic TV actress and wellness advocate turned 73 on Wednesday, celebrating the milestone with a 17-minute.. Late singer, Donna Sommer and her sixteenth number-one on the charts ; this dates... A Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance on to define the disco era kept! Her success on the R & B albums chart being remembered in a when! Six songs at the break-neck pace she was the disco Queen and will remain so friends and attended... She had fallen asleep, and four sisters Family soon would again a! ) | image Source: Getty Images in 1969, she issued the ``... Awe of Summer 's friends and relatives attended the funeral, according to CNN Dohler... German actor Helmut Sommer sent to Casablanca Records president Neil Bogart many many years is... Chart in the Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens cemetery in Nashville over 100 Records. This tragic news end, most Stacker stories are freely available to Donna Summer as... Singer and songwriter Sommer, in 1972 B albums chart label started by David Geffen he was on with! `` MacArthur Park & quot ; this recipe dates back many many years is..., simultaneously today, they are stunning the world her single `` If You Walkin ' ''... Last week aged 63 in 2012, from lung cancer its Mercury in... Passion in her honor with Marc Eliot was `` Last Dance. the project 14! An era of counterculture and extravagance also contributed to the Queen of disco, & quot was.

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