DONNA SUMMER has died at the age of 63. She'd been fighting a long and private battle with cancer. Her family announced the sad news today – Thursday 17 May.
Born LADONNA ADRIAN GAINES, SUMMER broke into the music business in her early 20s as a backing singer for THREE DOG NIGHT. Her first hit, the controversial 'Love To Love You Baby', reached the No 2 spot on the Billboard charts in 1976. Then, through the rest of the 70s and into the 80s she was a regular visitor to the charts in the US and throughout Europe. Her music was aimed squarely at the disco floor but her committed delivery ensured she had a large fan base in the soul community too.
In her career Ms SUMMER won five Grammy and six American Music Awards and had three multi-platinum albums.
SUMMER had recently been living in Nashville, Tennessee. She had three daughters and four grandchildren. Her family released a statement saying they were "at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and her continued legacy".
Tributes to the singer have been fulsome. Amongst those paying their respects was DIONNE WARWICK who expressed her sadness at losing a great performer and "dear friend." WARWICK said in a statement: "My heart goes out to her husband and her children. Prayers will be said to keep them strong."
IVY JO HUNTER, working with MICKEY STEVENSON, was part of one of Motown's most important song writing teams in the 60s. His writing credits include 'Just Ask The Lonely', 'I'll Always Love You', 'I'll Keep On Holding On' and, of course, 'Dancing In The Street'. Motown connoisseurs know that HUNTER was an artist too –recording stuff like 'I'd Still Love You' and 'I Remember When (Dedicated To Beverly)' for the VIP imprint.
When you're called CHAKA FRANKLIN there can only be one career path – soul music. Raised in Raleigh, North Carolina CHAKA began treading that path at an early age singing in choirs and at school from the age of 4. After attending East Carolina university (where she was part of a vocal ensemble, ASHANTI) she began a career in Respiratory Therapy but continued to make music.
Most proper soul fans have a penchant for mod music; indeed, it's true to say that many veteran soulsters were original mods, getting their first taste and continued love of soul in that golden age. The good news for all the above is that RPM Records (a Cherry Red imprint) have just issued a tremendous three CD box set of 60's mod music.
Lots of great blue-eyed soul reissues around at the moment... first up is a new, re-mastered 20 track collection on the genre definers – THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS. 'Retrospective 1963 – 1974' offers the very, very best of everything that BILL MEDLEY and BOBBY HATFIELD created together. The set kicks off with the fabulous 'Unchained Melody' and ends with 1974's 'Rock And Roll Heaven'... a track that sadly lists deceased rock and soul singers. Sounds tacky... but it works and it gave the duo their last hit. In between there's everything you'd ever need on the BROTHERS. The PHIL SPECTOR-helmed 'You've Lost That Loving' Feelin'' will still create shivers, but then so too will other SPECTOR masterpieces like 'Hung On You', 'Just Once In My Life' and 'Ebb Tide'. Other great moments include the GOFFIN-KING gem 'On This Side Of Goodbye' and '(You're My) Soul And Inspiration'... and to prove the duo could rock too, there's 'My Babe' and 'Little Latin Lupe Lu' – both staples of most decent 60s UK beat groups' repertoire. Fabulous stuff... and offered here for the first time in remastered format using the new Direct Stream Digital technique. Label, by the way, is ABKCO via Universal.
Next up there's a three LP on two CD set from JAY AND THE AMERICANS. The group have always had a strong following from the soul contingent and by the time these three albums - 'Sands Of Time' (1969), 'Wax Museum' (1970) and 'Capture The Moment' (1970) – were released the lead vocalist was the one-time DAVID BLATT who'd morphed in to 'JAY BLACK'. On the first two of the above listed LPs the group offer their own spirited versions of soul and rock classics like 'This Magic Moment', 'Gypsy Woman', 'So Much In Love', 'Message To Martha', 'Let It Be Me' and 'Some Kind Of Wonderful' .
Another set worth checking is 'Star Spangled Springer' from PHIL EVERLY. This was his first album without brother DON and is essentially a pop/country collection. Yet it boasts two wonderful songs that have gone on to be covered by a number of soul artists. First there's the original version of 'The Air That I Breathe' and then there's the saddest paean to introspection and loneliness that you're ever likely to hear – 'Snowflake Bombardier'. That one song alone is worth the entrance ticket. Find out more about this set (and JAY AND THE AMERICANS too) @ 
