My story began like a lot of Donna stories seem to begin…
A small boy being unexplainably attracted to the sound of a voice, a type of music and a wonderful persona shining through it all, all the time, keeping me mesmerized until this very day.
Starting to write I realize that If I write down all the things and anecdotes that have a Donna twist it is going to be a book 🙂
Donna’s music helped me through a lot! I know she knew she effected quite a bunch of, especially gay boys, but I’m not sure to what extend she realized just how important she is for al lot of us. Rationally it cannot be explained I guess, as so many matters of the heart cannot be explained.
Seeing Donna in concert was quite something else. I got to see her in Miami (96), at the Paul de Leeuw show in Holland (1999 she performed IWGWY and I even think Brooklyn sat beside me for a moment at that venue but I’m not sure) Furthermore I got to see her in Las Vegas (2005) (Michael if you read this let us know you are all right), Antwerp @ night of the proms (2005, I think I went there 4 times!) and the same venue two years later in Rotterdam (3x). The last time I saw her was in Berlin in 2009 and it was a blast. Before us was a woman having such a lot of fun, who was so eager to please us and had come full circle, embracing the past without shame, without being religiously conflicted and radiantly sexy at times. As far as I can tell she was just being as complete and confident a Donna Summer as LaDonna Adrian Sudano Gaines could ever be.
I always envisioned getting old(er) and that Donna would always be there to accompany me with new music and concerts to go to. Even up to a “lush life” kind of environment and needing to be helped on stage à la Peggy Lee in her latter days. Donna’s passing was a real bombshell. And to be honest I still find it hard to accept at times. I’m also conflicted about feeling like that. I never met her, she’s not a family member, and actually she was a businesswoman who was in the business of singing. But as I wrote earlier, I think some things are meant to be a mystery, like so many things of the heart are.
Donna, as long as I live and breathe there will always be a you.
Love, Sander, the Netherlands
