Donna Summer dies aged 63

The ‘Queen of Disco’ passed away in Florida due to lung cancer.

Grammy-winning disco legend Donna Summer, who steamed up the charts in the 1970s and 80s with raunchy hits like “Love to Love You Baby” and “Hot Stuff,” died Thursday aged 63, reports AFP.

Known as the Queen of Disco, the singer whose hits also included “I Feel Love” and “She Works Hard for the Money,” died in Florida from lung cancer, the TMZ celebrity news website said. “Early this morning, we lost Donna Summer Sudano, a woman of many gifts, the greatest being her faith,” said a family statement. “While we grieve her passing, we are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and her continued legacy. Words truly can’t express how much we appreciate your prayers and love for our family at this sensitive time.”

Tributes started pouring in within hours of death on Twitter, where it became one of the top trending topics.

Obama ‘saddened’ by Summer’s death

President Barack Obama said on Thursday that he and first lady Michelle Obama were “saddened” to hear of the death of “Disco Queen” Donna Summer. “Her voice was unforgettable, and the music industry has lost a legend far too soon. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Donna’s family and her dedicated fans,” the president said in a written statement.

Summer’s family life

Summer married Brooklyn Dreams singer Bruce Sudano in 1980, with whom she had two daughters. Earlier she had a daughter was with Austrian actor Helmuth Sommer. She also leaves four grandchildren.

Following her death, the Sudano family released this statement: “Early this morning, we lost Donna Summer Sudano, a woman of many gifts, the greatest being her faith. While we grieve her passing, we are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and her continued legacy. Words truly can’t express how much we appreciate your prayers and love for our family at this sensitive time.”

(With additional information from Extra TV)

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2012.