Gloria Gaynor’s Stories Of Survival

The releases coincide with the 35th anniversary of Gaynor’s No. 1 hit.

Sometimes a song is more than just another tune. Originally intended as a B-side, “I Will Survive” is included in Rolling Stone’s list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” and received the only Grammy Award for “Best Disco Recording.”

Gaynor rewrote some of the lyrics of “I Will Survive” in 2012 in support of the “Bald, Brave, Beautiful” project at Miami Children’s Hospital. As seen in the video below, Gaynor visited the hospital to record a music video of the new version of the song with patients and supporters.

“We Will Survive: True Stories of Encouragement, Inspiration, and the Power of Song,” which Gaynor co-wrote with Vanity Fair reporter/researcher Sue Carswell, features 40 true stories from “survivors of all kinds” who have been touched by the singer’s biggest song. The book also includes Gaynor’s own tales of surviving divorce and her sister’s murder.

On Monday, Nov. 18 you tweeted, “Although I’m a veteran in this music industry, I have no plans to retire anytime soon.” After all these years, what still thrills you as a performer?

What thrills me is a responsive audience. After performing each song you get the thrill that anyone gets when they tell a joke, get to the punch line, and everyone laughs. For one’s confidence, it’s accommodating, exhilarating, and validating.

Do you handle your social media accounts yourself? What are your thoughts on using Twitter and other sites to interact with fans?

I don’t handle it all the time, but I do a lot. I think social media does a lot to help fans get to know the artist more intimately without being intrusive, and form a bond that is otherwise not possible without a prohibitive level of vulnerability.

Your first contemporary Christian album, We Will Survive, is due out Nov. 26. Why was the timing right to put out a contemporary Christian album?  

This is something I’ve wanted to do for many years, but upon which my management and I could not agree. I am now under new management that respects my decisions and choices, so that’s what makes the timing right. It is difficult for someone to support you in something they think you should not be doing.

What was the recording process like? American Idol finalist Melinda Doolittle makes an appearance on the album. What made you want to work with Melinda?

The recording process was supportive and easy. The studio we worked in was near my home, the producers were great to work with. We had very compatible ideas for each song and a lot of respect for each other’s gifts and talents. Melinda Doolittle was asked to be a part of this project because of our admiration for her talent. We found that her temperament only enhanced the experience. She was a dream to get to know and work with.

“We Will Survive: True Stories of Encouragement, Inspiration and the Power of Song” features 40 stories from fans inspired by your 1978 hit tune. How involved were you in picking which stories would be featured?

I was very involved in picking the stories. There was a team of three who chose the stories, my manager, Stephanie Gold, my Editor, Sue Carswell, and me. At least two of us had to agree on a story before it was chosen to be in the book. There wasn’t one story that I wanted that both of them did not want.

You’ve mentioned wanting to open a center for teen parents and/or young single moms. In one interview you said you “want to establish a center in Newark with a large staff of people with degrees in psychology and marriage and family counseling.” Are you still planning on opening a center someday?

Yes, that vision has been on a back burner for a while, but it is still something I want to do. I believe I will start working on it again in the spring of next year.

Did getting your bachelor’s degree in psychology motivate you to want to open the center?

No, my desire to open the center was the catalyst for earning the bachelor’s degree in psychology. I wanted to have some educational background to prepare me for the needs of the clientele.   

Besides “I Will Survive,” what are some other songs that have helped you through difficult times in your life?

A song from the We Will Survive CD called “He Gave Me Life” and several other Gospel and Christian songs, such as “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” and Fred Hammond’s “Promise Keeper.”

One of your upcoming tour dates is an appearance at Miami’s Fontainebleau as part of the “BleauLive Legends Night,” which will also feature The Spinners. What can you tell us about that event? Do you plan on taking the stage with The Spinners to do a song or two together at any point during the evening?

The Spinners and I will each be performing separately our own shows. It is an honor to be performing in the room at the Fontainebleau where such Legends as Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra have performed. I am very much looking forward to the experience.

So far, you’ve announced one gig in 2014 – a show in Madeira, Portugal. Can you comment on your tour plans for next year?

I can tell you that it already looks as if I will have a busier tour schedule next year than I did this year. There are a lot of things pending in the US and abroad.

Upcoming dates for Gloria Gaynor:

Nov. 30 – Buffalo, N.Y., Private Function     
Dec. 7 – Santiago, Chile, Monticello Grand Casino     
Dec. 13 – Madisonville, Ky., Glema Mahr Ctr. For The Arts     
Dec. 14 – Miami, Fla., Fontainebleau Miami Beach     
Jan. 11 – Funchal, Portugal, Pestana Casino Park Hotel

For more information please visit GloriaGaynor.com.