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Top
flight nostalgia act? Disco diva? Sex symbol for past generations?
Donna Summer was much more than that. Apart from being the most
innovative and influential pop female stylist to have emerged in the
7Os, Donna was a complete, versatile and original artist,
always capable of competing with new trend setters and being at
the same time a sophisticated, traditional kind of vocalist. In her
long and varied career Donna has worked with Giorgio Moroder, Pete
Bellotte, John
Barry, Quincy Jones, Michael Omartian, Richard Perry, Bruce Springsteen
and Barbra Streisand, has sung
tunes written by Jimmy Webb and Vangelis, has written or co-written
most (the best?) of her enviable repertoire. Surprised?
Those
who know her well wouldn't hesitate to include her music among the 10
things that make life worth living (did you get it, Woody?) but in
spite all the things she accomplished throughout her amazing
career, it still seems the public has not fully realized just how great
her talents were. She may always be remembered as the Queen of disco
but that title, however flattering, doesn't really do justice to her:
her songs, even the most simple ones, have always mixed -boldly at
times- various ingredients, while her outstanding interpretative skills
have let her master virtually every field in today's popular music.
In
her own way, and that means always in a pleasant and captivating way,
Donna Summer has showed us that in music there ought to be no place for
fences: by no coincidence she is the only singer to have won a Grammyaward in the Rhythm & Blues, Rock,
Inspirational and Dance categories (the complete list of Donna's
Grammy nominations is available in the Charts
& More page).
Spearhead
of that cultural movement that wasn't just celebrating
hedonism and having fun, but also freedom, equality and dreams coming
true for all, Donna Summer is the musical icon for all those who
believe that modernity and beauty can - and should - coexist, passing
through the door of the heart.
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