RIP Hot Stuff: Donna Summer, the First Lady of Love
![]() |
| Still awesome |
Well, it does happen in threes, does it not? First Adam "MCA" Yauch, then Donald "Duck" Dunn, and now the First Lady of Love Donna Summer.
Born LaDonna Adrian Gaines in Boston, Massachusetts, Donna Summer's rise to prominence was through the wild days of the disco era and though that cemented her musical reputation in the annals of history, her story runs much deeper than that.
Busting out of Boston with psychedelic outfit The Crow, Summer (then known as Donna Gaines) had already proven that though well-versed in the spirituals and singing traditions of her church, it wasn't just Mahalia Jackson records that kept her up at night. Filled with love for Motown girl groups like The Supremes, it would be Janis Joplin's work with Big Brother and the Holding Company that would prove a major influence in deciding her career path.
Her early New York City days were filled with missed opportunities but after losing a spot in the musical Hair, it would be an offer to follow the show to Europe that would prove the better bargain for Summer.




























