Gloria Gaynor (ššØš«š§ September 7, 1943) is an American singer , best known for disco- era hits such as ā I Will Survive ā ( Hot 100 number 1, 1979), ā Never Can Say Goodbye ā (Hot 100 number 9, 1974), ā Let Me Know (I Have a Right) ā (Hot 100 number 42, 1980) and ā I Am What I Am ā (R&B number 82, 1983).
Gaynor was ššØš«š§ Gloria Fowles in Newark, New Jersey , to Daniel Fowles and Queenie Mae Proctor. Her grandmother lived nearby and influenced her education. āThere was always music in our house,ā 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 ānā 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.