Donna Summer passes away

Donna Summer in 1975 © Fotos International/Getty

The Queen of Disco is no more. Family of Donna Summers has confirmed that the 63-year old singer lost her battle with cancer and passed away yesterday morning. Family members of the 'Hot Stuff' singer have released a statement that they "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 sensitve time." The Boston-born star dies in Florida, where she lived in Englewood with her husband Bruce Sudano. Next Wednesday the Queen of Disco will be remembered at a public memorial in Nashville, Tennessee.

The family doesn't go into detail, but website TMZ reports that Donna Summer died of lung cancer and that she kept the extent of her illness from her fans, whilst trying to finish up her last album. Entertainment Tonight reports that the singer was diagnosed 10 months ago and had only shared the news with her husband and three children.

Donna Summers was born LaDonna Gaines in Boston. She is best known for her string of mega hits in the 1970's, including 'I Feel Love', 'Last Dance' and 'Bad Girls'. She was a five-time Grammy Award winner and the first singer to have three consecutive double albums reach the number one position on the US Billboard chart.

The singer married Helmuth Sommer in 1973 and had daughter Mimi in 1974. The marriage fell apart in 1975, but she kept an altered version of her ex-husband's last name as her stage name. She married Bruce Sudano in 1980 and together they had two daughters, Brooklyn, in 1981, and Amanda, in 1982.

Donna Summer knew many career highs, but also suffered from personal lows. After the attacks of 9/11 she suffered from depression. She was in her Manhattan apartment at the time and she once said she was "really freaked out by the horrific experiences of that day. I couldn't go out, I didn't want to talk to anybody. I had to keep the blinds down and stay in my bedroom." Friends and family eventually intervened and Donna, a born-again Christian, also found strength in her faith.

Donna Summer performing in Las Vegas, October 2011

Producer Quincy Jones has said of her passing, "Rest in Peace dead Donna Summer. Your voice was the heartbeat and soundtrack of a decade." Dionne Warwick said, "My heart goes out to her husband and children. Prayers will be said to keep them strong." Aretha Franklin's statement read, "So shocking to hear about the passing of Donna Summer. In the '70s, she reigned over the disco era and kept the disco jumping. Who will forget, 'Last Dance?' [She was] a fine performer and a very nice person."

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