At the age of 63, disco singer Donna Summer has died.
The singer, renowned for hit tracks such as ‘I Feel Love’, ‘Love To Love You Baby’, and ‘Hot Stuff’, passed away yesterday in Florida following a prolonged struggle with cancer.
Born in Massachusetts in 1948, Summer initiated her career as a backing vocalist for the 1970s group Three Dog Night. In 1974, she released her debut solo album, and in 1977, she topped the UK charts with the innovative Giorgio Moroder-produced single ‘I Feel Love’.
Influenced in her early adolescence by Motown girl groups like The Supremes and later by artists such as Janis Joplin, Summer chased a career in entertainment, securing roles in numerous musical productions across Europe and working as a session vocalist in studios.
In 1975, she achieved chart success with ‘Love To Love You Baby’, recognized for its provocative intro featuring her suggestive moans, which became a Top 5 hit in the UK. This song laid the groundwork for her break into the US market, where an extended version of the single, renamed ‘Love To Love You Baby’, reached Number Two on the US charts, while the 1976 album bearing the same name sold over a million copies.
Throughout the ’70s, Summer released a series of albums in quick succession, establishing herself as one of disco’s most successful artists, especially following the release of the 1977 album ‘I Remember Yesterday’, which featured the iconic hit ‘I Feel Love’. However, she eventually became disillusioned with the disco genre and her former record label, Casablanca.
In total, Summer released 17 studio albums, with her most recent being 2008’s ‘Crayons’, which she supported with a comprehensive world tour. Over her career, she won five Grammy Awards along with numerous other accolades.
She leaves behind her husband, singer and producer Bruce Sudano, as well as their daughters, Brooklyn and Amanda, and Summer’s daughter, Mimi, from a previous marriage.
by Wallace McTavish
