Gloria Gaynor celebrates 30th birthday of ‘I Will Survive’
Disco icon Gloria Gaynor is celebrating the 30th anniversary of her signature hit “I Will Survive” with a re-recording of the classic anthem on her own label and a series of live dates that kick off tonight (10/22) with a special performance and audience Q&A at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles.
Capping the seven-date itinerary–which is included below–is a free Dec. 5 show at the Cultural Center in Boynton Beach, FL.
Gloria Gaynor
At the Grammy Museum tonight, Gaynor will undoubtedly perform her 1979 chart-topper, but she’ll also explore uncharted waters, singing a duet of “Tell Him” with “Days of Our Lives” soap star Nadia Bjorlin. A long-time fan of the show, Gaynor was brought together with Bjorlin by her manager and a friend that serves as a publicist for several actors on the soap. Although Gaynor and Bjorlin have no plans to record together, she doesn’t rule out the possibility.
Meanwhile, the 30th anniversary of “I Will Survive” comes at time when many Americans are struggling with an economic downturn as they were back when the song, penned by Dino Fekaris and Freddie Perren, first became a hit. “That was one of the reasons I decided to go into disco music,” Gaynor says. “[The energy crisis] and a number of other economic problems that were going on around the world were really taxing the pockets of Joe Citizen, who was definitely looking for a less expensive way to shrug off the tensions and stresses of the day. Discotheques were beginning to open up, giving people a place to go, and we decided we were going to give them the music.”
Even before Gaynor recorded the song, she sensed it was going to be a hit. “When I first read the lyrics, I realized it was timeless and that anyone would be able to relate to it,” she said. “Even at the moment, I was relating a couple of personal issues to it, so I thought, ‘If I’m relating to it, I’m sure other people are going to be able to relate to it as well.’ That’s why I was determined that it wouldn’t remain on the B side and that it would come to the fore.”
As part of the 30th anniversary campaign, Gaynor has been featured in a few high-profile performances and has another one on tap. On Oct. 11, Gaynor sang the National Anthem at Giants Stadium, joined by breast cancer survivors. Four days later, she performed on “The View,” with Whoopi Goldberg introducing her by calling the song, “a rallying cry for every woman struggling through tough times.” Next month, Gaynor is scheduled to perform at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Does she ever get tired of singing her signature song? “No,” she says with a laugh. “I really enjoy singing that song. It gives me an opportunity to be all about drama and interact with the audience. It’s always a good time.
Source Text:
http://www.livedaily.com/news/gloria-gaynor-tickets-and-tour-dates-gloria-gaynor-celebrates-30th-birthday-of-i-will-survive-20473.html
.png)