Tributo a DONNA SUMMER - Requiem para la "Pantera de Boston"

Requiem for the Queen of Disco - The POZ Staff

By Dennis Daniel

Last week, Donna Summer, the Queen of Disco, died of cancer at the tragically early age of 63. Summer was a major diva and a musical icon of the '70s, particularly to the gay community, which was finally coming into its own in this post-Stonewall era. In many ways her music was a clarion call for our generation. I remember one college party where my friends and I danced in the rain in the front yard with "Last Dance" blasting from the windows of the house. She had the remarkable talent of being able to get just about anyone on their feet and moving.

Within minutes of the announcement of her death, my Facebook news feed began filling with obits, fan condolences and video clips of her songs. Most of the comments were laudatory, but a few people tempered their remarks by referencing the homophobic controversy she was embroiled in during the 1980s. Several of the gay news blogs I read posted items on her death; they also referenced the controversy. The discussions in the threads following those articles were long and often quite heated. It fascinated me that so many people felt so passionately about this incident from almost 30 years ago.


                                       


Watch her 1978 "MacArthur Park" live performance:

Continue: http://blogs.poz.com/staff/archives/2012/05/donna_summer_aids.html 


By Dennis Daniel (Comptroller, Smart + Strong)


IMAGES: Google