Donna Summer
Dorchester’s own Queen of Disco, Donna Summer, died this morning after a battle with cancer. She was 63.
Summer, who was born LaDonna Adrian Gaines, was a five time Grammy Award winner. She burst onto the music scene during the 1970′s disco phase and was one of the first artists to have three consecutive double albums reach number one on the US Billboard chart. Summer also had four number one singles hit the charts within a thirteen month period.
She found early success as a studio session singer and backup singer. It was while working background for the group Three Dog Night that Summer signed with Groovy Records and enjoyed European success. In 1976, Summer hit the US charts with Love to Love You Baby. Hit after hit followed, including Heaven Knows, Bad Girls, Dim All the Lights and Last Dance. She continued hitting the charts in the 1980s, with hits like She Works Hard for the Money and This Time I Know It’s for Real.
Summer is survived by her husband, singer and producer Bruce Sudano, their daughters, Brooklyn and Amanda and Summer’s daughter, Mimi, from a previous marriage.
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