Gloria Gaynor (𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 September 7, 1943) is an American singer , best known for disco- era hits such as ” I Will Survive ” ( Hot 100 number 1, 1979), ” Never Can Say Goodbye ” (Hot 100 number 9, 1974), ” Let Me Know (I Have a Right) ” (Hot 100 number 42, 1980) and ” I Am What I Am ” (R&B number 82, 1983).
Gaynor was 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 Gloria Fowles in Newark, New Jersey , to Daniel Fowles and Queenie Mae Proctor. Her grandmother lived nearby and influenced her education. “There was always music in our house,” Gaynor wrote in her autobiography, I Will Survive . She enjoyed listening to the radio, and recordings by Nat King Cole and Sarah Vaughan . Her father played the ukulele and guitar and sang professionally in nightclubs with a group called Step ‘n’ Fetchit. Gloria grew up a tomboy: she had five brothers, but no sisters. Her brothers sang gospel music and formed a quartet with a friend.
