Donna Summer

If you hear the name Donna Summer, and all you can think about is the word "Disco", then you missed out on all that made her great.

While she courted the Disco market in her first few years, she slowly moved away from it by the time her seminal Bad Girls was released.

In fact, her 80's work had left the genre behind so much that she was dabbling in New Wave and straight up Rock.  Eventually going all R&B.

But her hits have endured.  With her powerful voice, something only hinted at on "Love to Love You Baby", Summer's "Queen of Disco" tag was earned by "I Feel Love" and her remake of "MacArthur Park".  Along with the great Giorgio Moroder, who produced most of her classics, Summer crafted a perfect brew of Top 40  songs.  

Her run of chart hits should have turned even the avid disco hater.  They sounded that good on our radio.

Sadly, it didn't.

Summer has been nominated 4 times for the Rock Hall.  No less than Jann Wenner recently said she belonged.

But the anti-Disco voters have kept her (and Chic) out.  Unable to get past their Disco prejudices.  I can remember Robert Hilburn telling me years ago that her catalog just wasn't strong enough to warrant a Hall nod. Well, consider the source.

I say screw them.  No F___k them.  Donna Summer was a seminal figure in Pop music history.  Disco, R&B, Rock.  She touched bases with them all.  She was quite the seminal figure.