Identity said:

Unbeknowst to the general public, Donna not only wrote/co-wrote most of her songs, she also took creative control over her body of work very early.

Yeah I wonder if there's footage of her going over the music and how it should sound with Moroder and Belotte. Those three were the original perfect singer-songwriter-producer team (before Janet and Jimmy & Terry).

DONNA SUMMER
The Funeral Program

Milling Remembers Donna Summer.

http://www.blogtalkradio....dium=email

Donna Summer's Manager: What I Loved About the Queen of Disco

May 23, 2012

Longtime friend Joyce Bogart recalls her "inseparable" relationship with the late, great singer.

Watching the news on May 17, I realized everyone has a story about a Donna Summer song. "I was three in the backseat of my mother's car when 'Love to Love You' came on," recalled one anchor. Others were reminded of "Bad Girls," "Last Dance," "Enough Is Enough," "I Feel Love" and "She Works Hard for the Money." My thoughts went to "White Christmas."

The year was 1975. My husband-to-be, Neil, was running Casablanca Records and had signed Kiss, whom I had been managing, when we went to Europe to see Donna. Known asDonna Gaines then, she was playing Christmas Eve at an Amsterdam hotel. She had no sheet music, no conductor, no lighting -- it was just her with that amazing voice. I kept saying, "Sing 'White Christmas' again" for an encore number, which she did -- like 10 times. No one wanted her to leave the stage.

Donna became known as a disco phenomenon, but when I started working with her, my goal, and certainly hers, was to show what an entertainer she was -- that not only did she have this golden voice, but she had it, whatever "it" is.

We talked that night and discovered we had the same ideas, so I said, "I want to manage you." Then I found all the best costume designers and makeup artists and choreographers. As one can imagine, I had a bit of a theatrical bent, having worked with Kiss, the so-called Demons of Rock. We came up with a moniker for Donna: The First Lady of Love.

She changed her last name to Summer and with that became the disco queen, playing Vegas and Atlantic City and having four No. 1 hits in the same year in 1979. Later, she had a network television show with a recurring role on ABC's Family Matters in the '90s. But even with so much success, Donna was a very grounded person.

I remember once we were on tour when she left off the hair and makeup and came down to the lobby. Somebody screamed, "Oh my God, you're Donna Summer!" Her retort was, "No, honey, I left her upstairs on the dresser." That's who she was: "I'm just a plain girl, Donna Gaines from Boston. I have friends, family and faith." And a loving husband of 32 years, Bruce Sudano.

She was a one-of-a-kind, creative, talented and smart woman. For periods of our lives, especially the five years I managed her in the late '70s, we were nearly inseparable. My kids called her Aunt Donna, and four years ago, my son Evan wrote a song with her that ended up on her 2008 album, Crayons.

I understand why she kept her lung cancer secret. Fame is a double-edged sword: No one would have left her alone to live her life with her family, and she was a very family-oriented person. I last saw her a year ago. I wish I had a chance to say goodbye.

http://www.hollywoodrepor...art-328668

Timmy84 said:

Identity said:

Unbeknowst to the general public, Donna not only wrote/co-wrote most of her songs, she also took creative control over her body of work very early.

Yeah I wonder if there's footage of her going over the music and how it should sound with Moroder and Belotte. Those three were the original perfect singer-songwriter-producer team (before Janet and Jimmy & Terry).

Identity said:

Timmy84 said:

Yeah I wonder if there's footage of her going over the music and how it should sound with Moroder and Belotte. Those three were the original perfect singer-songwriter-producer team (before Janet and Jimmy & Terry).

Timmy84 said:

I didnt watch the American Idol finale but there was suppose to be a Donna Summer tribute with an all star lineup Gloria Gaynor, Thelma Houston and Gladys Knight to name a few. They rehearsed for the medley but in the end it was cancelled due to time contrainsts.

Im sorry I call bullshit on the AI executive producers. I think the tribute was preempted for the marriage proposal from former AI contestants. They knew they wanted to more publicity what better way but a surprise marriage propsal.

Im very disappointed in AI I believe Donna Summer was a guest judge one season. That's so disrespectful to her memory.

www.hollywoodreporter.com...ute-329280

1sotrue said:

I didnt watch the American Idol finale but there was suppose to be a Donna Summer tribute with an all star lineup Gloria Gaynor, Thelma Houston and Gladys Knight to name a few. They rehearsed for the medley but in the end it was cancelled due to time contrainsts.

Im sorry I call bullshit on the AI executive producers. I think the tribute was preempted for the marriage proposal from former AI contestants. They knew they wanted to more publicity what better way but a surprise marriage propsal.

Im very disappointed in AI I believe Donna Summer was a guest judge one season. That's so disrespectful to her memory.

www.hollywoodreporter.com...ute-329280

Who cares? Like anyone watched it that was really interested. It ain't like 30 million folks are tuning into it anymore.

Timmy84 said:

1sotrue said:

Timmy84 said:

Who cares? Like anyone watched it that was really interested. It ain't like 30 million folks are tuning into it anymore.

I see your point Timmy AI doesn't generate the high ratings it use to but what makes me upset is the tribute being bumped for a surprise marriage proposal they full of shit.

They've always been full of shit. And again another reason I hate marriage.

Timmy84 said:

1sotrue said:

Timmy84 said:

They've always been full of shit. And again another reason I hate marriage.

I hate marriage when its use as a gimmick from these so-called reality shows.

Marriage IS the gimmick but that's for another topic. Anyways, yeah that was real dumb of them do that. No one was studying a couple that will divorce in 6 months. Fuck that.

Donna Summer performing her hit single ''The Wanderer" on The Tom Synder Show in 1980.

"The Woman In Me" (1982)

This week's issue of People Magazine

I'm kicking myself for just discovering this

Donna was so much more than a "disco queen".Check out this beautiful quiet storm track,from her 1987 album All Systems Go...

"Fascination"

"Sweet Emotion"---from her 1981 shelved album I'm A Rainbow

RARE DONNA SUMMER song: "Walk Hand In Hand" (1982)---an unreleased outtake from the Quincy Jones sessions

SoulAlive said:

Donna was so much more than a "disco queen".Check out this beautiful quiet storm track,from her 1987 album All Systems Go...

"Fascination"

Yes! Such a beautiful song. "Only The Fool Survives", her duet with Starship's Mickey Thomas, is also from this highly underrated album (it's posted up-thread).

yes,All Systems Go is a very underrated album.So many hidden treasures on that album."Thinkin' Bout My Baby" is another highlight.

SoulAlive said:

ChickenMcNuggets said:

SoulAlive said:

RARE DONNA SUMMER song: "Walk Hand In Hand" (1982)---an unreleased outtake from the Quincy Jones sessions

Ah, so was this definitely from the Quincy sessions, then? I'd heard some rumours that it might have been, or might not have been... it definitely sounds like it could've been, though. This needs to be on the "Donna Summer 30" 2012 reissue along with the single version of Love Is In Control and Sometimes Like Butterflies, none of which will obviously happen now that I've jinxed it.

Sometimes Like Butterflies is at least on Itunes on a fan's cd release. His name is Mark Tara.

[Edited 5/27/12 17:17pm]

ChickenMcNuggets said:

SoulAlive said:

RARE DONNA SUMMER song: "Walk Hand In Hand" (1982)---an unreleased outtake from the Quincy Jones sessions

Ah, so was this definitely from the Quincy sessions, then? I'd heard some rumours that it might have been, or might not have been... it definitely sounds like it could've been, though. This needs to be on the "Donna Summer 30" 2012 reissue along with the single version of Love Is In Control and Sometimes Like Butterflies, none of which will obviously happen now that I've jinxed it.

Some fans think that it's from the 1981 I'm A Rainbow sessions,but you can tell from the funky bassline,that it's from the Quincy Jones sessions it's funkier and more soulful than the stuff that Giorgio and Pete came up with.It sounds unfinished,though.With a little more work,it could have had potential.