Gloria Gaynor
Early Life:
Gloria Fowles was born on September 7, 1949. The 69 year old from Newark, New Jersey changed her name to Gloria Gaynor in the early 70's. In her autobiography, I Will Survive, Gloria wrote about how there was always music in her house when she was growing up. She wrote how she wanted to sing her whole life, but no one knew that about her. Her grandmother lived near by and she helped grow Gloria's love for music, along with helping in her upbringing. Gaynor's family home was always filled with "laughter and happiness" no matter the circumstances in which she lived. She grew up a tomboy since she had 5 brothers and no sister. Her brothers all sang in a quartet, minus her youngest brother Arthur because he was too young. Arthur and Gloria were saddened by this and later in life Arthur was a tour manager for Gloria. Gloria and her siblings grew up poor, but their door was always open to the neighborhood kids, especially for dinner.
Career:
After her family moved to the projects in the 1960's she began singing in a Newark night club for several years before being discovered by Columbia Records in 1971. Her first real success was after she officially signed for Columbia Records in 1975 by Clive Davis. The disco and R&B artist first sang in the Soul Satisfiers before being discovered by MGM Records. Gloria has received many awards including: Grammy Hall of Fame, Grammy Award for Best Disco Recording, and the World Music Legend for Outstanding Contribution To The Music Industry. Gaynor also held spots in the Hot 100 for all her hits. She topped various different style charts in multiple countries besides the U.S. as well. She also has recorded albums in other countries as well.
Difficulties and Changes:
Gloria released two disco albums that were "virtually ignored," by the U.S. due to backlash against disco in 1979. After this, Gloria rejected disco and looked at her past as "sinful," and became a Christian and releasing a different variety of music. Her new album in the 1980's contained a new version of I Will Survive, the song, which had changed lyrics to appear more religious. The song I Am What I Am became a dance club hit in 1984, particularly gay clubs. The song became a gay anthem and in turn Gaynor became a gay icon. Her career was basically revived in the 90's due to disco being important to the music industry again. In 2001, Gaynor preformed I Will Survive at Michael Jackson's 30th Anniversary Concert. In 2016, "I Will Survive" was chosen for induction into the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry and in August on 2017 when Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, Gaynor changed the lyrics to I Will Survive to "Texas Will Survive," and uploaded a video to Twitter on August 30, 2017. Gaynor has shifted her views and drastically changed as a person from the time she was a little girl to where she is today. Not for better or for worse, as she was always a giving person.
Texas Will Survive:
https://twitter.com/gloriagaynor/status/903027825443254273
I Will Survive:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiTJ7CNS7H4
Christian Version of I Will Survive:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCJBD4vVoI8
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Gaynor, Youtube
Gloria Fowles was born on September 7, 1949. The 69 year old from Newark, New Jersey changed her name to Gloria Gaynor in the early 70's. In her autobiography, I Will Survive, Gloria wrote about how there was always music in her house when she was growing up. She wrote how she wanted to sing her whole life, but no one knew that about her. Her grandmother lived near by and she helped grow Gloria's love for music, along with helping in her upbringing. Gaynor's family home was always filled with "laughter and happiness" no matter the circumstances in which she lived. She grew up a tomboy since she had 5 brothers and no sister. Her brothers all sang in a quartet, minus her youngest brother Arthur because he was too young. Arthur and Gloria were saddened by this and later in life Arthur was a tour manager for Gloria. Gloria and her siblings grew up poor, but their door was always open to the neighborhood kids, especially for dinner.
Career:
After her family moved to the projects in the 1960's she began singing in a Newark night club for several years before being discovered by Columbia Records in 1971. Her first real success was after she officially signed for Columbia Records in 1975 by Clive Davis. The disco and R&B artist first sang in the Soul Satisfiers before being discovered by MGM Records. Gloria has received many awards including: Grammy Hall of Fame, Grammy Award for Best Disco Recording, and the World Music Legend for Outstanding Contribution To The Music Industry. Gaynor also held spots in the Hot 100 for all her hits. She topped various different style charts in multiple countries besides the U.S. as well. She also has recorded albums in other countries as well.
Difficulties and Changes:
Gloria released two disco albums that were "virtually ignored," by the U.S. due to backlash against disco in 1979. After this, Gloria rejected disco and looked at her past as "sinful," and became a Christian and releasing a different variety of music. Her new album in the 1980's contained a new version of I Will Survive, the song, which had changed lyrics to appear more religious. The song I Am What I Am became a dance club hit in 1984, particularly gay clubs. The song became a gay anthem and in turn Gaynor became a gay icon. Her career was basically revived in the 90's due to disco being important to the music industry again. In 2001, Gaynor preformed I Will Survive at Michael Jackson's 30th Anniversary Concert. In 2016, "I Will Survive" was chosen for induction into the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry and in August on 2017 when Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, Gaynor changed the lyrics to I Will Survive to "Texas Will Survive," and uploaded a video to Twitter on August 30, 2017. Gaynor has shifted her views and drastically changed as a person from the time she was a little girl to where she is today. Not for better or for worse, as she was always a giving person.
Texas Will Survive:
https://twitter.com/gloriagaynor/status/903027825443254273
I Will Survive:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiTJ7CNS7H4
Christian Version of I Will Survive:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCJBD4vVoI8
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Gaynor, Youtube
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