Donna Summer – DJ Alex Gutierrez

Once a Upon a Time. A Donna Summers Celebration performance by her sister Mary Gaines Bernard at the Renaissance Ballroom Miami

Jimmie Elias better know to his friends as “Jimmie E Disco” he has kept the dance Music of the 70s and early 80s alive since his first DJ job in the mid 70s at a popular Miami teen Club ” Salon Azul” . Club owner, concert promoter, radio personality everyone knows Jimmy. On Saturday February 29, 2020 Jimmy opened the doors at his luxury event venue The Renaissance Ballroom in Miami. (A Gerard Bernard, Jimmie Elias & Luis Mario #Legendsofvinyl Production.) With the participation of such groups as The Legends of Vinyl, Share Your Heart, Magic Waste Youth Foundation, Love by LOV and Havana Roasters the concert sold out within a week after being announced.

Bernard was born in Boston and her parents, Andrew and Mary Gaines, raised their 6 children as devout Christians. In 1978 Bernard, along with sister Dara, and Carlena Williams formed the group, Sunshine. They produced a song(Take It To The Zoo) featured on the soundtrack for the movie, Thank God It’s Friday, She sang background on several of Donna’s songs.Her sister LaDonna Adrian Gaines ( Donna Summer) passed om May 17, 2012

The standing room only concert opened with one of Donna’s biggest hit ” McArthur Park” as Mary stepped on the stage. In my opinion this was one of Donna’s toughest songs for any vocalist to tackle, it was impressive how Mary held the notes, sustaining them with great power, tone and control . The audience knew they were in for a treat and the rest of the night did not disappoint. The live band delivered on all levels sounding like the actually recordings, a feat many live ensembles cannot achieve. The show wrapped up with , of course ” Last Dance” which brought every one out of their seats to the dance floor. The up close and personal approach that Elias has taken in presenting Mary Gaines Bernard was applauded by all the attendees. ” This was an experience I will never forget. Donna would be proud of her sister , her performance was impeccable .” said Betty Rasse a life long Donna Summer fan who has attended many of her concerts . Immediately following the concert Jimmie and Luis Mario took to the turntables for an energetic Disco Classic set that kept the crowd dancing late into the night. ” Miami is ready for more artists in this intimate setting and we thank Jimmie Elias for providing us with such a great venue and concert” DJ Alex Gutierrez

Jimmie E Disco mixing it up to a full house

Luis Mario played some great classics the crowd loved !

Making things go smooth behind the scenes

Book your Next Event Renaissance Ballrooms

Address: 5910 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33144

Phone: (305) 261-2001

Without question some of the best Disco material was released between 1978 and 1979. Many consider the most popular year for disco was in 1979. Disco in some form or another had penetrated just about every facet of daily life and it was evident at the top of the music charts, many radio stations had converted to an all-disco format. Disco flavored theme songs and intros were common on American television. . In the second half of the year, disco’s popularity began to declined due to the saturation and ” Cheese-afication” of the style. 8 of the Top 10 songs of 1979 were Disco.
1 Knack My Sharona
2 Donna Summer Bad Girls
3 Chic Le Freak
4 Rod Stewart Da Ya Think I’m Sexy
5 Peaches and Her Reunited
6 Gloria Gaynor I Will Survive
7 Donna Summer Hot Stuff
8 Village People Y.M.C.A.
9 Anita Ward Ring My Bell
10 Robert John Sad Eyes
It only made sense for the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences to add a Best Disco Recording category for the 22nd Grammy Awards.
The Nominees were “Boogie Wonderland” by Earth, Wind & Fire, “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor, “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough” by Michael Jackson, “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” by Rod Stewart, and “Dim All the Lights” by Donna Summer. Most of which were more representative of Soul music than Disco. Absent from this group artists like Alec R.Costandinos,Cerrone, Giorgio Moroder, Sylvester and many others who were recognized by the Disco community for their contribution to the genre.
And the winner is……………Gloria Gaynor with ” I will Survive ” not a terrible choice by any means ,but represented more of the commercial side of Disco instead of it’s purest form. By 1980 “mainstream disco” had ended, but the Genre continued to flourish in cities like Miami and New York and in future styles like house ,trance and EDM. Disco had had not provided record execs with the kind of dependable, multi-platinum acts that the business depended on for its profits. The Disco Category could have continued to exist for a few more years in my opinion at which time the name ” Disco” could have been replaced with ” Dance” The award for Best Dance Recording was first presented to Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder in 1998 for the song “Carry On”.