The veritable Queen of Disco, Donna Summer, lost her battle with cancer yesterday at the age of 63. The songbird lit up the dance floor with tunes like “Bad Girls,” “Last Dance, “ and “She Works Hard for the Money” to total 19 number one dance hits, beginning with her breakout single and erotic disco anthem “Love to Love You Baby.” Summer also had a rock edge that helped her reinvent herself after the death of disco with guitar-heavy tracks like “Hot Stuff” that would garner her a total of five Grammys in four different genres throughout her career. Her influence remained steadfast even after her reign ended, being sampled by the likes of LL Cool J and Beyonce. She continued to tour and made appearances on shows like Bravo’s “Platinum Hit” before she began her 10-month battle with lung cancer. She will be remembered for defining a genre and a pioneer for women in pop music.
Her family released a statement to “The Hollywood Reporter” confirming her death, sharing their love and all that she gave. “While we grieve her passing, we are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and her continued legacy.”