Donna Summer - She Works Hard for the Money - photo of the back cover

Born right here in Evanston, IL - Michael Omartian - credited here on piano, synthesizer, Simmons drum programming, guitars, and accordion on this record - also had a huge role in it's production.  Also playing on this record are Jay Graydon - guitars, Marty Walsh - guitars, Gary Herbig - saxophone, Mike Baird - drums, Nathan East - bass (think Eric Clapton), Ray Parker, Jr. - rhythm guitars, and Lenny Castro - congas.  On Mercury records - Donna is credited with writing or co-writing every track on the album, mostly alongside Omartian.  It became her first Top 10 album in the U.S. since 1979 and produced a massively successful hit single in the form of the title track. The sleeve of the single and album pictured Summer as a waitress who "works hard for the money" and the song was a tribute to "the working woman."  It was accompanied by a high-profile music video which became heavily promoted on MTV, soon after the breakthrough of Michael Jackson's success on the channel, leading the way for other black artists to be played. The song shot to Number 3 on the Hot 100 American singles chart, making it her biggest hit there since "The Wanderer" three years previously.  The song was also given a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.