via Wikimedia
Singer Donna Summer grew up in the Dorchester area of 1950s and 60s Boston, one among seven siblings.
Her powerful voice was trained on the acrobatic chords of gospel music but stints in high school musicals, performing rock and soul solos, prepared her for the moment that came next.
Summer bloomed into a gorgeous beauty, with big hair and a style as glamorous as the disco era she would later dominate.
Fresh after high school graduation, she joined an international touring cast of the rock musical, “Hair,” which led to her big break.
Once the tour relocated to Germany, Summer’s natural talent, hypnotizing stage presence, and unapologetic star appeal caught the eye of two music producers.
In 1975, she recorded the 17-minute breathy dancefloor ballad “Love to Love You Baby” that launched her into world stardom!
The title of Queen of Disco was soon bestowed (thanks to 14 top 10 Billboard singles) as the trendsetting diva encouraged a post-Vietnam War world to enjoy glamour, excess, and electronic dance sounds.
The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame made a huge error by not inducting Ms. Summer before her passing in 2012, but that hasn’t stopped megastars like Beyoncé, Nas, and Rihanna from sampling her classic discography and modeling their looks after her iconic style.