Gloria Gaynor (née Fowles; born September 7, 1943) is an American singer, best known for the disco era hits "I Will Survive" (1978), "Never Can Say Goodbye" (1974), "Let Me Know (I Have a Right)" (1979), and "I Am What I Am" (1983). ==Early life== Gaynor was born Gloria Fowles in Newark, New Jersey, to Daniel Fowles and Queenie Mae Proctor.
They moved to a [project] in 1960, where Gaynor attended South Side High School; she graduated in 1961. "All through my young life I wanted to sing, although nobody in my family knew it", Gaynor wrote in her autobiography.
After several years of performing in local clubs and along the East Coast, Gaynor began her recording career in 1971 at Columbia Records. ==Early career== Gaynor was a singer with the Soul Satisfiers, a jazz/R&B music band, in the 1960s.
They moved to a [project] in 1960, where Gaynor attended South Side High School; she graduated in 1961. "All through my young life I wanted to sing, although nobody in my family knew it", Gaynor wrote in her autobiography.
She recorded "She'll Be Sorry/Let Me Go Baby" (for the first time as Gloria Gaynor) in 1965, for Johnny Nash's Jocida label.
After several years of performing in local clubs and along the East Coast, Gaynor began her recording career in 1971 at Columbia Records. ==Early career== Gaynor was a singer with the Soul Satisfiers, a jazz/R&B music band, in the 1960s.
2 hit on the Hot 100 in 1971).
Her first real success came in 1973 when she was signed to Columbia Records by Clive Davis.
After her 1976 album I've Got You, Gaynor shifted from her hit production team to work with other producers.
However, in late 1978, with the release of her album Love Tracks, she climbed the pop charts again with her smash hit single "I Will Survive".
Originally, "I Will Survive" was a B-side when Polydor Records released it in late 1978.
In late 1979, she released the album I Have a Right which contained her next disco hit, "Let Me Know (I Have a Right)", which featured Doc Severinsen of The Tonight Show fame, playing a trumpet solo.
Gaynor also recorded a disco song called "Love Is Just a Heartbeat Away" in 1979 for the cult vampire film Granddaughter of Dracula, which featured a number of disco songs. ==Stateside career== In 1980 and again in 1981, Gaynor released two disco albums which were virtually ignored in the United States due to the backlash against disco, which began late in 1979.
The song received a Grammy Award for Best Disco Recording in 1980, the only year that award was given (Gloria had to wait another 40 years for her second Grammy, in the Grammy Award for Best Roots Gospel Album category).
Gaynor also recorded a disco song called "Love Is Just a Heartbeat Away" in 1979 for the cult vampire film Granddaughter of Dracula, which featured a number of disco songs. ==Stateside career== In 1980 and again in 1981, Gaynor released two disco albums which were virtually ignored in the United States due to the backlash against disco, which began late in 1979.
That same year, she released an album of mid-tempo R&B and pop-style songs entitled Gloria Gaynor. Gaynor would achieve her final success in the 1980s with the release of her album I Am Gloria Gaynor in 1984.
Gaynor also recorded a disco song called "Love Is Just a Heartbeat Away" in 1979 for the cult vampire film Granddaughter of Dracula, which featured a number of disco songs. ==Stateside career== In 1980 and again in 1981, Gaynor released two disco albums which were virtually ignored in the United States due to the backlash against disco, which began late in 1979.
In 1982, having looked into a wide variety of faiths and religious movements, she became a Christian and began to distance herself from a past she considered to be sinful.
This was mainly due to the song "I Am What I Am", which became a hit at dance clubs, and then on the Club Play chart in late 1983/early 1984.
That same year, she released an album of mid-tempo R&B and pop-style songs entitled Gloria Gaynor. Gaynor would achieve her final success in the 1980s with the release of her album I Am Gloria Gaynor in 1984.
This was mainly due to the song "I Am What I Am", which became a hit at dance clubs, and then on the Club Play chart in late 1983/early 1984.
Her 1986 album, The Power of Gloria Gaynor, was almost entirely composed of cover versions of other songs that were popular at the time. ==Career revival== Gaynor's career received a revitalizing spark in the early and mid 1990s with the worldwide disco revival movement.
Her 1986 album, The Power of Gloria Gaynor, was almost entirely composed of cover versions of other songs that were popular at the time. ==Career revival== Gaynor's career received a revitalizing spark in the early and mid 1990s with the worldwide disco revival movement.
During the late 1990s, she dabbled in acting for a while, guest starring on The Wayans Bros, That '70s Show (singing "I Will Survive"), and Ally McBeal, before doing a limited engagement performance in Broadway's Smokey Joe's Cafe.
A few successful remixes of the song during the 1990s and 2000s along with new versions of the song by Lonnie Gordon, Diana Ross, Chantay Savage, rock group Cake and others, as well as constant recurrent airplay on nearly all soft AC and rhythmic format radio stations have helped to keep the song in the mainstream.
In 2004, Gaynor re-released her 1997 album The Answer (also released under the title What a Life) as a follow up to her successful album I Wish You Love.
In 2000, the song was ranked No.
In January 2008, the American Diabetes Association named Gaynor the Honorary Spokesperson of the 2008 "NYC Step Out to Fight Diabetes Walk". More television appearances followed in the late 2000s with 2009 appearances on The John Kerwin Show, The Wendy Williams Show, and The View to promote the 30th anniversary of "I Will Survive".
A few successful remixes of the song during the 1990s and 2000s along with new versions of the song by Lonnie Gordon, Diana Ross, Chantay Savage, rock group Cake and others, as well as constant recurrent airplay on nearly all soft AC and rhythmic format radio stations have helped to keep the song in the mainstream.
In 2001, Gaynor performed "I Will Survive" at the 30th Anniversary concert for Michael Jackson. Gaynor returned to the recording studio in 2002, releasing her first album in over 15 years, I Wish You Love.
In 2001, Gaynor performed "I Will Survive" at the 30th Anniversary concert for Michael Jackson. Gaynor returned to the recording studio in 2002, releasing her first album in over 15 years, I Wish You Love.
The album includes her club hit "Oh, What a Life". In late 2002, Gaynor appeared with R&B stars on the "Rhythm, Love, and Soul" edition of the PBS series American Soundtrack.
In 2004, Gaynor re-released her 1997 album The Answer (also released under the title What a Life) as a follow up to her successful album I Wish You Love.
Her performance of the disco hit "I Will Survive" and new single "I Never Knew" was included on the accompanying live album that was released in 2004. On September 19, 2005, Gaynor was honored twice when she and her music were inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame, in the "Artist" category, along with fellow disco artists Chic and Sylvester.
Her performance of the disco hit "I Will Survive" and new single "I Never Knew" was included on the accompanying live album that was released in 2004. On September 19, 2005, Gaynor was honored twice when she and her music were inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame, in the "Artist" category, along with fellow disco artists Chic and Sylvester.
The couple divorced in 2005.
In January 2008, the American Diabetes Association named Gaynor the Honorary Spokesperson of the 2008 "NYC Step Out to Fight Diabetes Walk". More television appearances followed in the late 2000s with 2009 appearances on The John Kerwin Show, The Wendy Williams Show, and The View to promote the 30th anniversary of "I Will Survive".
In January 2008, the American Diabetes Association named Gaynor the Honorary Spokesperson of the 2008 "NYC Step Out to Fight Diabetes Walk". More television appearances followed in the late 2000s with 2009 appearances on The John Kerwin Show, The Wendy Williams Show, and The View to promote the 30th anniversary of "I Will Survive".
In 2010, she appeared on Last Comic Standing and The Tonight Show. Forty years after its release, Gaynor continues to ride the success of "I Will Survive", touring the country and the world over and performing her signature song on dozens of TV shows.
Gaynor said of her biggest hit in a 2012 interview: "It feels great to have such a song like that because I get kids five and six years old telling me they like the song, and then people seventy-five and eighty.
It's quite an honor." The song was revived yet again in 2015 for the film The Martian, where it is used at the end as the credits roll. Gaynor released a contemporary Christian album in late 2013. On May 16, 2015, Gaynor was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Music by Dowling College.
It's quite an honor." The song was revived yet again in 2015 for the film The Martian, where it is used at the end as the credits roll. Gaynor released a contemporary Christian album in late 2013. On May 16, 2015, Gaynor was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Music by Dowling College.
In 2017, she made a cameo appearance as a flight attendant in a Capital One commercial, while Samuel L.
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