The pride of Beantown, Donna Summer.
There’s no musical genre that defines a particular decade better than disco defines the 1970s, and no female artist even comes close to personifying that segment of music history than Donna Summer.
Many learned the meaning of the word “diva” when Summer stormed her way onto the radio waves back then and drew that constant reference — her sultry voice responsible for hit after hit, the majority of which she co-wrote or wrote herself. Later she showed remarkable versatility with crossover hits outside the realm of disco, and her diversified musical background is rooted in gospel, R&B, pop, folk and even psychedelic rock. Prior to solo success, her early career included major roles in Broadway musicals (in the United States and later Europe).
Among her most recognizable hit songs are “Love to Love You Baby,” “I Feel Love,” “Last Dance,” “Hot Stuff,” “Bad Girls,” “She Works Hard for the Money,” and “This Time I Know It’s for Real.” She is the only artist in history to have had a No.1 dance hit in every decade since the 1970s.
Born and raised in the suburban Boston area, the five-time Grammy Award-winning (12-time nominated) singer is also a formally trained painter who has sold an estimated $1 million of original artwork. Summer visits the Trump Taj Mahal’s Mark G. Etess Arena on Saturday, Sept. 4. The show is at 8pm and ticket prices are $35.50 to $75.50. She recently spoke with Atlantic City Weekly by phone.
How has your latest tour been going, and can you talk a little about how your shows are structured?
The audience has been great. They’ve been fantastic. It’s alive and jumpy and supportive and loving. I couldn’t ask for more. I like to try to give people some of what they came for right off the top, such as two or three hits to open the show, and then go into maybe some material that’s newer and then get back to the hits. I sort of go in and out of the hits so that it’s not a long wait for them to come. There’s talk and interaction with the audience in between, there’s dancers, background singers, the band and some visual effects. There’s a plethora of little things going on. For performers, live shows these days are a lot easier than when I was first starting out. As a singer you used to have to sing against the entire band, and they were a lot louder than you were. Today everyone wears in-ear monitors and I think, actually, it’s helped a lot of singers retain their voices longer because you can hear yourself. It’s very important to be able to hear yourself.
You just released a new single called “To Paris With Love” — what are your thoughts on how that turned out?
My daughter (Amanda Grace Ramirez) is a model with Louis Vuitton and I’ve been a patron of theirs since the beginning of my career, since I lived in Europe. I’ve had a long relationship with them and am friends with several designers for the company. They asked me to come and sing at the opening of their London store and I did, but because they had been so kind to my family I wanted to do something for them sort of as a payback, so I decided to write a song with a friend of mine and include their name. It was not intended for the public, to tell you the truth. It was really an inside thing, but that’s how the genesis of it got started. My co-writer, in the process, started playing it to some of his DJ friends and they all started groveling for it, so he said let’s do some remixes. They liked the remixes and started putting them out in the south of France. From that point on, and literally from the day they put them out, they started to get picked up all over. It’s not something I could have foreseen happening. I thought it would just be localized in that area, not that it would be picked up everywhere, but then again this is the age of technology. You really have to think differently these days. There’s almost nothing you can do that will not be around the world in seconds. Nothing. So you have to behave, dress right, put your makeup on in the morning. I mean, someone could snap a picture of you looking really frazzled and put a caption with no context to it, making it appear that something’s going on that really isn’t. You have to be careful these days.
Donna Summer's classic "She Works Hard for the Money" video:
In 2008 you released your first studio album in 17 years called Crayons. Why was it so long between studio albums?
I had no idea it has been that long. The funny thing is, I’m always writing. I’m writing songs all the time. I go in and out of the studio constantly. But for some reason I didn’t even realize that it had been that long. When someone said 17 years I’m like, “What are you, out of your mind?” They said no, it’s been 17 years since you had a studio album out. I’m thinking that’s impossible when, in fact, they were right. I mean, I put out some compilations, a Christmas album, that sort of thing, but a real full-out studio album I hadn’t done. But by the end of this year I will have released a standards album and full-out dance album. I’ll get off the road shortly after Labor Day and then, hopefully by middle to the end of September, I’ll start selecting the songs and getting the production situation ready.
It is true you were influenced by the music of Janis Joplin early in your career?
Yes. I used to be in a rock ‘n’ roll band called The Crow. It was just around the time Janis Joplin was coming on the scene. She wasn’t even famous at the time, she was just making her way. Actually, the [bygone Boston nightclub] Psychedelic Supermarket was not that far from my boyfriend’s apartment and we would run over there all the time to see who was playing. Well, he comes back and says, “Donna, you’ve gotta go over there and see this chick singer.” I’m like OK, so I run over and see her perform. She was so wild and so radical at the time that I didn’t know what to think. She was braless, she had this sort of granny dress on, her hair was wild and all over the place, she had like a country jug of liquor and was drinking out of it with one hand while singing. I was thinking to myself, “What the heck is this? What am I looking at?” I think they cleaned her up and gave her more of [an acceptable] look after that, but she did have a great voice. I was like “Wow, this girl can sing.” It wasn’t just as if she could sing. It was like raw. She was telling it like it was. It was an experience being able to see her live, and I’m glad I did go next door and see her. Had I not done that, I doubt I would have seen her anywhere else.
I understand you’re also an accomplished painter. Did you ever consider that as a professional career?
The first painting I ever sold went for $38,000. I thought, “I may want to stop singing now.” (Laughs). I’ve sold some expensive paintings, and probably sold close to a million dollars worth of art. Why that is, I’m not sure. I studied art when I was younger and it took me a while to get my own style. I paint abstracts but not too abstract — I mean you can tell what it is that I’m painting — but I like be abstract and paint what’s in my head. Realism is all around me, and when I paint I want to express myself beyond what I see and feel in the real world. I want to paint something that nobody else can paint outside of my head.
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1. Eli said... on Sep 2, 2010 at 03:25PM
“Two albums by the end of the year! That made my day.”
2. Anonymous said... on Sep 2, 2010 at 09:05PM
“Whether we get the albums by the end of the year or not, at least she keeps promising them. This is the 3rd interview she's mentioned the new albums. So she definitely intends to record them, and we're going to get at least one of them soon. It's too much to hope both albums by the end of the year.”
3. SummerKnight said... on Sep 2, 2010 at 11:37PM
“I feel she is serious about the new albums. Time/ when and where has always been issues with Donna Summer. I'm hopeful/excited that she does release at least one this year!”
4. derek and dan uk said... on Sep 3, 2010 at 03:51AM
“oh dearest donna , how we have always loved your music , we grew up with it ,in the era of disco, crayons is just such a fab album, we wish you would tour the uk”
5. Pedro Gutierrez Montejo said... on Sep 3, 2010 at 08:44AM
“Yes Donna, please come to the UK!”
6. Scott said... on Sep 3, 2010 at 02:58PM
“I understand she has to spin it for her own purposes, but let's be clear: Donna didn't release an album for 17 years because she didn't have a label that thought she was worth anything more than the occasional hits compilation. She was "put out to pasture" by the major labels, when '91's "Mistaken Identity" didn't sell. I think that shook her confidence, too, and her perfectionist tendencies took over at that point and she stopped pushing for another album. The dichotomy with her career (at least post 70's) has been this: when she's had great material, the label wouldn't promote her, and when there were times that the label was behind her, she would choose more indulgent material or make odd song choices that wouldn't appeal to a mass audience. In any case, I'm glad we fans are finally getting new music from her. I'm ecstatic!”
7. Anthony said... on Sep 4, 2010 at 11:08PM
“Yes, she does sound like she is serious about releasing new music, but 2 albums at the same time? What label nowadays would do that, why not release one now and another a year later, this way it gives the music a chance to be properly promoted and hopefully heard. Wonder what record label she is on. I also agree with Scott's comments re; the real reason why she didn't release an album in 17 years. Go, Donna!”
8. Rosemarie from Zurich said... on Sep 5, 2010 at 04:30AM
“...boy...I am definitely a very lucky woman, cause I met Donna 1970 in Berlin/Germany, where I joined the 3rd German Musical HAIR prodcution and D. was hired from the first and original german cast in Munich, to give us support with her incredible voice. Ever since then, we became very close, although she lived mainly in the States, but last july 2009, I was invited to met her again in Munich, and considering the fact, how famous she is everywhere, she still calls me her ''sister'' ...”
9. Anonymous said... on Sep 7, 2010 at 01:31AM
“Okay, everyone just back up. Give her space. Let's just stay out of the way. And wait, and then some day...”
10. Sean said... on Sep 7, 2010 at 04:56AM
“She is fab , as always, i saw her in the Mountain Wineries two times, she was amazing, her voice just gets better with age”
11. Anonymous said... on Sep 9, 2010 at 06:32PM
“She didn't release an album for 17 years because she was spending the time being a mother to her three wonder daughters.”
12. mary moyer said... on Sep 10, 2010 at 10:36AM
“I saw her at Trump Taj Mahal last weekend and the place was off the chain with energy and excitement. People of all ages singing to her songs, dancing and having a wonderful time! She said it was her last stop on a 2 year tour and we were blessed to have her twice at the Taj!”
13. WORLD AFRICAN FEDERATION, WAFED said... on Sep 11, 2010 at 05:14AM
“WORLD AFRICAN FEDERATION, WAFED, "loves to love" Donna Summer because she is a "hot stuff", besides being the original Diva and Queen of Disco music. "She works hard for her money., SO WE MUST TREAT HER RIGHT" She is a world heroine and an African Princess. IKEY GALACTICCA, WAFED”
14. dewayne spears said... on Sep 24, 2010 at 08:58AM
“dear donna summer i've been afan sense i was five years old i have always dream of seeing you in concert but never coul make it the next time you do a concert please contact me and send me a ticket to your show i was in atlantic city but your show was canceled i could not make that next show im from charlotte nc. address 1608 beaconridge rd. apt.715 zip 28210 thank you dewayne spears”
15. VICTOR RAMOS said... on Oct 26, 2010 at 01:56PM
“DONNA, POR FAVOR NO DEJES DE CANTAR POR LA PINTURA, PLEASE!!! Estuviste genial en PHOENIX last oct 16th with The Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, estuve ahi y viaje desde México solo por verte y estar en tu concierto, por cierto, fue muy corto, pero te veías muy bien, que bueno que has bajado de peso!!!. Release your next original album soon!!! SOON!!!”
16. Thanos said... on Dec 16, 2010 at 07:54AM
“Ilove Donna.Her music is the soundrack of my life.She is the BEST voice ever in the history of pop era.I never had the chance to see her live.I hope that she'll finally decides to visit Greece next summer. I was so glad to see her back in the top spot of billboard dance charts this november.It's not fair to see her twice nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame but finally not be chosen.Nevermind.I hope she will enter soon.”
17. steven said... on Feb 5, 2011 at 02:55PM
“donna summer,you have been with me through 32 years of my life,the ups the downs and the inbetweens.when times get tough and the future looks bleak the first thing i do is put on one of your records and suddenly everything is ok,thank you for the years of happiness you have brought me.i love you with all my heart and soul,now always and ever,your friend unknown,Steven.xx”
18. Hans Westerlaken said... on Feb 12, 2011 at 08:14AM
“Hello Donna and friends , i love you and your music . Your music made me allways happy and good feelings inside . And in all your songs i see you enjoying every note you sing ,you just love to sing. And that made me very happy in my heart. You are in my heart forever with heartly greeting from your friend Hans Westerlaken (MultiFunky2000) on YOUTUBE”
19. Ken said... on Feb 21, 2011 at 01:18PM
“Hi there Rosemarie from Zürich -just in case you read this. I think it´s really exceptional that you know this extraordinary female vocalist Donna from the old days on ...that you are a personal friend of hers. I´m sure you could tell some nice and interesting stories about your time with Donna back then and now. I think that´s absolutely great. I admire Donna so much for what she ´s doing....”
20. Jim said... on Apr 19, 2011 at 10:28PM
“Donna Summers voice is unlike anyone elses on this planet! She is an amazing woman with incredible talent. Thank you Donna for continuing to entertain us with your incredible talents! Please never stop singing! I can't wait to hear your newest creations hopefully soon! It really was such a thrill to finally get to meet you in person after your recent Southern California shows! From one of your most loyal fans forever, thanks for all you have done and all you continue to do to provide a most incredible musical experience. Love from Jim in Ontario, California. Hope to see you again real soon!”
21. Anonymous said... on May 28, 2011 at 07:33AM
“Oh, Miss Donna, sweetie, just take your time. No need to rush. We (the fans) will be right here waiting...for the goods.”
22. balakrishnarao said... on Jan 3, 2013 at 04:25PM
“very nice Donna...kisses”