Donna Summer, The #40 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Three

 

(Continued from Part Two)

 Summer released the album On the Radio:  Greatest Hits Volumes I & II, which included two new songs.  "On The Radio" became another huge hit at #5, selling over one million copies.  Donna was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards.

Donna won American Music Awards for Favorite Female Pop/Rock Artist, Favorite Female Soul/R&B Artist and Favorite Pop/Rock Single (for "Bad Girls") and starred in The Donna Summer Special on ABC.

However, Donna felt Casablanca had released her duet with Streisand too early while "Dim All The Lights" was still climbing.  Summer, who wrote the latter, felt the move cost her a #1 song as a songwriter.  Donna and Casablanca also disagreed on her musical direction, with Summer wanting to branch out and try new styles while the label wanted her to continue to record Disco music exclusively.  After a court battle that gave Donna publishing rights, she signed with Geffen Records in 1980.

"Sunset People" is about night life on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles.

  

We want to play you this great ballad from Donna, another of The Top Unknown/Underrated Songs of the Rock Era*--"On My Honor".

   Summer released the album The Wanderer in 1981, with the title song hitting #3.  

 Donna earned Grammy nominations for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for "Cold Love". 

 

She also earned a Grammy for Best Inspirational Performance for "I Believe In Jesus".

From 1976-82, Summer scored 12 Top 10 hits, more than anyone else in the world. 

Summer began work on another double album, but when label owner David Geffen didn't like what he heard, he scrapped the idea.  It was later released in 1996 as I'm a Rainbow.

 Geffen brought in highly-regarded producer Quincy Jones for Donna's self-titled album.  "Love Is In Control (Finger On The Trigger)" earned a spot in the Top 10 and was nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards.  Donna was also nominated for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for "Protection".  

 Donna pulled another great song from the album--"The Woman In Me".

Summer still owed an album to Casablanca, which was now owned by Polygram, so Donna released the album She Works Hard for the Money.  The title song landed at #3 and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and the video scored MTV Music Video Awards for Best Female Video and Best Choreography.  The album went Gold. 

Summer also scored American Music Award nominations for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist.

Donna starred in the HBO concert production of A Hot Summers Night. 

On January 19, 1985, Summer sang at the Inaugural Gala the day before the second inauguration of U.S. President Ronald Reagan.

 

In 1986, Summer released the album All Systems Go.  Another planned project was scrapped by Geffen, so Donna left the label and released the album Another Place and Time in Europe on Warner Brothers, her European label since 1982.  After the single "This Time I Know It's For Real" became a Top 10 smash throughout Europe, Donna signed a recording contract with Atlantic Records in the U.S.

In 1990, Summer released the compilation album The Best of Donna Summer.  The following year, Donna released the album Mistaken Identity.

In 1993, Donna released The Donna Summer Anthology, which contained her work with Casablanca, Geffen and Atlantic Records.  Donna signed a new deal with Mercury/Polygram and released the album Christmas Spirit in 1994.

Summer's album Cats Without Claws was her first to fall short of Gold status in the U.S.  Nevertheless, Summer won a Grammy Award for Best Inspirational Performance for the song "Forgive Me".

Donna released her compilation album Endless Summer:  Donna Summer's Greatest Hits.  It contained the new song "Melody Of Love", which lit up dance floors and became a #1 Dance hit.

 

In 1998, Donna earned Best Dance Recording at the Grammy Awards for "Carry On", a remixed version of a song first recorded in 1992.

Donna released her autobiography Ordinary Girl:  The Journey in 2003.  In 2008, Summer released her first original studio album in 17 years, Crayons, on Burgundy Records.  She scored three #1 Dance songs from the album.

 

In 2010, Donna released the single "To Paris With Love", another #1 Dance song.  

Summer was diagnosed with lung cancer, which she believed was the result of breathing in toxic fumes and dust after the 9/11 terrorist murders in 2001.  She died on May 17, 2012 at the age of 63 at her home in Naples, Florida.

Although Donna was nominated several times for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame while she lived, she was not elected until 2013, a year after she died.  Isn't that always how it is?

Donna racked up 32 career hits, 14 of which made the Top 10 and four went up to #1.  She has sold over 100 million albums.

Summer won five Grammy Awards from 17 nominations and six American Music Awards out of 12 nominations.  She was also nominated for an MTV Video Music Award.