Queen of Disco Donna Summer passed away, aged 63
Queen of Disco Donna Summer has become a legend, as she passed away on Thursday, May 17 aged 63. Her family released a statement saying they "are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and her continued legacy." The singer, who is famous for hit singles including 'I Feel Love', 'Love To Love You Baby' and 'Hot Stuff', died in Naples, Florida after a lengthy battle with cancer.
One of her biggest hits, 'She Works Hard for the Money', came in the early 1980s and relied on a smoldering guitar solo as well as Summer's booming voice.
Summer was born in Massachusetts in 1948 and began her career as a backing singer for 1970s trio Three Dog Night. She released her first solo album in 1974 and hit Number One in the UK in 1977 with the groundbreaking Giorgio Moroder-produced 'I Feel Love'.
Inspired in her early teens by Motown girl groups such as The Supremes and later by the likes of Janis Joplin, Summer pursued a career in entertainment and landed roles in several musical productions in Europe as well as work as a studio session singer.
She found chart success in 1975 with her single 'Love To Love You Baby' – famed for its racy intro which featured her moaning suggestively – which was a Top 5 hit in the UK. It also paved the way for her US breakthrough when an extended version of the single, re-titled 'Love To Love You Baby', reached Number Two in the US charts while the 1976 album of the same name sold over a million copies.
Summer released a slew of albums in quick succession throughout the '70s and became one of disco's most successful artists following the success of albums such as 1977's 'I Remember Yesterday' which included the iconic single 'I Feel Love', but she grew disillusioned with both the genre and her old record label Casablanca.
Summer released 17 studio albums in total, most recently 2008's 'Crayons', which she promoted with a full world tour. She won five Grammys during her career, as well as a string of other awards.
She is survived by her husband, singer and producer Bruce Sudano, their daughters, Brooklyn and Amanda, and Summer’s daughter, Mimi, from a previous marriage.
Lot of celebrities have mourned the loss: Aretha Franklin, Dolly Parton, and even President Obama expressed their sadness. Singer Elton John said in a statement that Summer was more than the Queen of Disco. "Her records sound as good today as they ever did. That she has never been inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame is a total disgrace especially when I see the second-rate talent that has been inducted," he said. "She is a great friend to me and to the Elton John AIDS Foundation and I will miss her greatly."
