She was born in 1973 in Munich, Germany. Bob was born July 1, 1944, in Cumberland, Wisconsin to Anna and Amedeo (Amy) Zappa. The five-time Grammy winner was a force to be reckoned with throughout her musical career. Donna Summer's Non Black Grandchildren. [34] She reunited with Giorgio Moroder, for the song "Carry On", which was included on the 1993, Polygram issued The Donna Summer Anthology, it contained 34 tracks of Summer's material with Casablanca and Mercury Records, and from her tenures with Atlantic and Geffen. Brooklyn Sudano, the second-eldest of Summer's three children, says it wasn't all glamour, though. distribution partner, email us at Her school name was Boston, Massachusetts, International Higher College. "When Love Cries" continued her success on the R&B charts, reaching No. 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. I will probably do an all-out dance album and a standards album. [8] She sold over 100 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Donna Summer died with her family around her. A terrific song, brilliantly delivered and a highlight of Summer's post-Moroder career. And if we can remember her through her music, this will never really be the last dance." [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. Bogart tweaked the title to "Love to Love You Baby (song)|Love to Love You Baby", and Casablanca signed Summer, releasing the single in November 1975. 2 on the same chart in 2000. Her version of the Jimmy Webb ballad, "MacArthur Park", became her first No. She recorded a disco duet with Barbara Steisand before branching off to a new beat. [82], In 2018, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, a biographical musical featuring Summer's songs, began performances on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre,[83] following a 2017 world premiere at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego. Please use one of the templates derivative or extract., Donna Summer Bruce Sudano Giorgio Moroder Beverly Hills, CC BY-SA 3.0. Other singles included a cover of the Jon and Vangelis song "State of Independence" (No. "[29] The label's President Ed Rosenblatt would later admit: "The company never intended to focus on established superstars". 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. [63][64], Singers and music industry professionals around the world reacted to Summer's death. She was cast as Aunt Oona. Summer's first Geffen album, The Wanderer, featured an eclectic mixture of sounds, bringing elements of rock, rockabilly, new wave, and gospel music. 1, giving Summer her first posthumous number-one single, and her sixteenth number-one on the charts. . She is known for her famous albums such as Bad Girls, I Remember Yesterday, Live & More Encore and many more. The Wanderer was rushed to market; the producers of the album wanted more production time. The couple divorced in 1976, but Summer adopted a version of her ex-husband's surname as her stage name. Billboard magazine reported that the week before she died, Summer sold about 1,000 albums. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Mimi Sommer (bottom left) is the daughter of the late singer, Donna Sommer and her husband, Helmuth Sommer. [61][62] Summer was survived by her husband, Bruce Sudano, and her three daughters. 54,586. He later became a member of Brooklyn Dreams in the late '70s, which had a top 5 hit with Heaven Knows, a duet featuring Summer and Sudanos bandmate Joe Esposito. Feel free to use my photos, but please mention me as the author and send me a message. At the root of the problem are two different dads. 148. She will be missed and remembered. Summer was also nominated for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for "Protection", penned for her by Bruce Springsteen. Bostonians dance in honor of Donna Summer, the city's disco queen. ", 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. 0 references. Moreover, Sudano also co-wrote the songs "Lucky" and "On My Honor" with Summer. Diva Donna represents the woman who . Summer and Sudano had two children together, Amanda (a . 0% Complete. 1 hit on the Hot 100 chart. Mimi Sommer was born Natalie Pia Melanie Sommer on 16th February 1973 to her parents, Donna Summer and Helmuth Sommer in Munich, Germany. In explaining why she did not respond to ACT UP sooner Summer stated, "I was unknowingly protected by those around me from the bad press and hate letters. and No. There's a touch of this, a little smidgeon of that, a dash of something else, like when you're cooking. 'Last Dance', the hit song from soundtrack to the 1978 film Thank God It . 6 Sade Adu. [63], Summer's funeral service was held in Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, on the afternoon of May 23, 2012. I'm going to do both and we will release them however we're going to release them. She would soon be working on her next album. Summer and the label parted ways in 1980, and she signed with Geffen Records, the new label started by David Geffen. The new edition is reduced to 10 tracks (15 on vinyl and streaming releases), with each song remixed by contemporary producers and remixers.[46]. 7 on the US Hot 100 and became her 12th Gold single in America. Along with her stardom, she opened up about her battles with depression and drug addiction and her spiritual journey as a born-again Christian. Her grandfather was a . Actress Brooklyn is married to Mike McGlaflin, and the couple has one daughter. Mimi Sommer is an American actress best known for being featured in Donna Summer: A Hot Summer Night and The Donna Summer Special. With her family by her side, Summer died May 17, 2012, at her Key West, Fla., home after a long battle with cancer. She had an amazing voice and was so talented. By 1971 the singer released a second single, a remake of the Jaynetts' 1963 hit, "Sally Go 'Round the Roses," from a one-off European deal with Decca Records. Gallery 3: Donna With Friends & Family. Donna Summer with her three daughters: (L to R) Mimi, Brooklyn, and Amanda. She is primarily popular for being the celebrity daughter and not for her sole professional career. Drawing on news from the National Enquirer, according to Eurweb, two of the '70s singer's three daughters, Mimi, 39, and . Her husband and daughters accepted the award in her honor. [25] Over the years, a few of the tracks would be released. The single would attain Gold status and the album went Platinum in the US. I did not want it to be any one baby. Donna Summer was a pop icon, five-time Grammy winner, and legendary songbird who scored 42 single hits on Billboard's Hot 100. [39], On September 15, 2010, Summer appeared as a guest celebrity, singing alongside contestant Prince Poppycock, on the television show America's Got Talent. 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. She lived in rare air She was the most spectacular, considerate, constant, giving, generous and loving friend of 35 years. She was the disco queen and will remain so. Photographs by Meredith Nierman. All the flavors scream spring and summer, but enjoy this cake year around! Her widower, musician Bruce Sudano, will serve as an executive producer on the documentary. Donna Summer: A Life in Pictures. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. [68][69] Gloria Gaynor said she was "deeply saddened" and that Summer was "a fine lady and human being". The album itself was certified Gold, and climbed to No. Summer's youngest daughters Brooklyn, 31 and Amanda, 28 were born to her second and latest husband, singer/songwriter Bruce Sudano. Summer recorded the song "Down Deep Inside" as the theme song for the 1977 film The Deep. [30] The album All Systems Go, did not achieve Gold status and became her lowest charting studio album in the US to date. The trio went on to define the disco music of the '70s. Gaines. In 1994, she also contributed to the Tribute to Edith Piaf album, singing "La Vie En Rose". But how did her personal life unfold? Donna Summer, Queen of Disco Who Transcended the Era, Dies at 63. . This ensures that the changes are preserved. May 17, 2012, 12:09 PM. [42], On December 11, 2012, after four prior nominations, Summer was posthumously announced to be one of the 2013 inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,[43] and was inducted on April 18, 2013, at Los Angeles' Nokia Theater. 0 references. 1 on the US Billboard Dance Chart. The last single she created in 2010, "To Paris with Love," also dominated the charts. Donna Summer's daughter weds amid flowers, lace. [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. Summer and her family moved from the Sherman Oaks area of Los Angeles to Nashville, Tennessee, in 1995,[55] where she took time off from show business to focus on painting, a hobby she had developed in the 1980s. In 2008, Summer released her first studio album of fully original material in 17 years, entitled Crayons. 100 best films of the 21st century, according to critics, Freddie Mercury: The life story you may not know, 30 celebrities who have built massive businesses, inspiration for "She Works Hard for the Money", recorded a disco duet with Barbara Steisand, Famous celebrity couples who have been together 20+ years, Summer performed in Oslo, Norway, when President Barack Obama, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/?ref=chooser-v1. Anyone growing up in the disco era is familiar with her music, but not many know her story behind the headlines. In late 1983, David Geffen enlisted "She Works Hard for the Money's" producer Michael Omartian to produce Cats Without Claws. Born LaDonna Gaines on New Year's Eve 1948 in . ", She is best known for her role as Christy Epping on "11.22.63" with James Franco, "Ballers" with Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, and most recently for her recurring role on the tv series version of Liam Neeson's "Taken.". Donna Summer, who passed away in 2012, was a great entertainer. Her 2008 album "Crayons" produced three songs that topped Billboard's music charts. [citation needed], In 1968, Summer released (as Donna Gaines) on Polydor her first single, a German version of the title "Aquarius" from the musical Hair, followed in 1971 by a second single, a remake of the Jaynetts' 1963 hit, "Sally Go 'Round the Roses", from a one-off European deal with Decca Records. [17] One of her first TV appearances was in the television show, Van Oekel's Discohoek, which started the breakthrough of "The Hostage", and in which she gracefully went along with the scripted absurdity and chaos in the show. Celebrity Alley - Celebrity News and Gossip. David Geffen hired top R&B and pop producer Quincy Jones to produce Summer's next album, the eponymously titled Donna Summer. Donna Summer married her fellow musician and songwriter, Bruce Sudano, on July 16, 1980. [40], Also in 2010, Summer recorded a version of the Dan Fogelberg song "Nether Lands" for a Fogelberg tribute project. She was American by nationality. 1 on the US Billboard Dance Chart in October 2010. Father of "The Queen of Disco" Donna Summer, Mary Ellen, Ricky, Linda, Dara and Jenette. This image is not public domain. The Queen of Disco Donna Summer died on Thursday in her Naples, Florida, home after a quiet battle with lung cancer. Amanda and Abner Ramirez formed the musical duo Johnnyswim in 2005, but the pair hit it off romantically as well and married in 2009. Her daughter Savanna is a model and artist who recently performed live art at Citizen 615 clothing studio in Franklin, Tennesse. Donna Summer was an American singer, actress, and songwriter. Moroder decided that Summer's version should be released. 1 single on the Hot 100[18] and album on the Billboard 200 charts, simultaneously. While in Europe, she honed her craft at the Vienna Folk Opera and was part of the cast of "Godspell" and "Show Boat." She would win another Grammy for Best Inspirational Performance for the song "Forgive Me". She became despondent with her reputation and tried to take her own life. Donna Summer had become a superstar. [10] In December 2016, Billboard ranked her sixth on its list of the "Greatest of All Time Top Dance Club Artists". 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. Songs like "Love to Love You Baby" and "Hot Stuff" illuminate her tremendous songwriting and singing talent. Mimi Dohler is now a proud mother of four. [13], Summer stayed in New York and auditioned for a role in the counterculture musical, Hair. 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