Portrait of Donna Summer

Donna Summer

Origin: Boston, Massachusetts, United States Years: December 31, 1948 - May 17, 2012

Donna Summer, born LaDonna Adrian Gaines on December 31, 1948, in Boston, Massachusetts, became the undisputed "Queen of Disco" and one of the most influential artists of the 1970s and 1980s. After moving to Europe, she met producer Giorgio Moroder in Munich and began collaborating on electronic dance music, producing "Love to Love You Baby" (1975) and pioneering the first entirely electronic disco track with "I Feel Love" (1977). Throughout the late 1970s, she dominated the charts with albums like "Once Upon a Time" (1977) and "Bad Girls" (1979), breaking racial barriers in the predominantly white disco industry and becoming the first artist to have three consecutive double-platinum albums. With over 130 million records sold worldwide and five Grammy Awards, she was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. Her influence extended beyond disco to dance music, electronic music, and pop, influencing artists from Madonna to Beyoncé, while her sexually liberated persona and chart dominance made her a cultural icon whose impact on music and fashion remains significant.

DiscoDance PopR&BSoulPopGospelElectronic Dance

Discography Overview

Donna Summer released 22 studio albums from 1974 to 2011, pioneering electronic disco with 'I Feel Love' (1977) and achieving 4 #1 hits with 'MacArthur Park,' 'Hot Stuff,' and 'Bad Girls.' 'Queen of Disco' won 5 Grammy Awards and was posthumously inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.

Key Albums

  • Love to Love You Baby (1975)
  • Once Upon a Time (1977)
  • Bad Girls (1979)
  • The Wanderer (1980)
  • Donna Summer (1982)

Key Songs

  • Love to Love You Baby (1975)
  • I Feel Love (1977)
  • MacArthur Park (1978)
  • Last Dance (1978)
  • Heaven Knows (1978)
  • Hot Stuff (1979)
  • Bad Girls (1979)
  • Dim All the Lights (1979)
  • No More Tears (1979)
  • The Wanderer (1980)
  • Love to Love You Baby (1975)
  • She Works Hard for the Money (1983)

Career Timeline

  1. 1948 LaDonna Adrian Gaines born on December 31 in Boston, Massachusetts
  2. 1968 Moves to New York City, joins rock musical 'Hair'
  3. 1969 Relocates to Europe, performs in German productions
  4. 1971 Records debut album 'Lady to Lady'
  5. 1972 Marries actor Helmut Sommer
  6. 1975 Meets producer Giorgio Moroder in Munich
  7. 1975 Releases 'Love to Love You Baby', disco breakthrough
  8. 1976 Divorces Helmut Sommer, takes stage name Donna Summer
  9. 1977 Releases 'I Feel Love', pioneering electronic disco
  10. 1977 Releases concept album 'Once Upon a Time'
  11. 1978 Stars in film 'Thank God It's Friday'
  12. 1978 Wins Academy Award for 'Last Dance'
  13. 1979 Releases 'Bad Girls', three #1 hits, double platinum
  14. 1980 Releases 'The Wanderer', changes musical direction
  15. 1981 Discovers Christianity, gospel album 'Donna'
  16. 1983 Returns to secular music with 'She Works Hard for the Money'
  17. 1989 Marries music executive Bruce Sudano
  18. 1991 Releases 'Mistaken Identity', jazz-influenced album
  19. 1994 Receives Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
  20. 1995 Begins touring again
  21. 2008 Returns with 'Crayons', first album in 17 years
  22. 2009 Wins five Grammy Awards for 'Crayons'
  23. 2010 Releases 'Christmas Inn'
  24. 2012 Dies on May 17 from lung cancer, age 63
  25. 2013 Posthumously inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

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Influence Graph

How Donna Summer sits in the influence chain

Influenced

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