(CBS/AP) Disco queen Donna Summer has died, a family spokesperson told the Associated Press. She was 63. Her family released a statement Thursday saying Summer had died and that they “are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and her continued legacy.”
Summer died of cancer Thursday morning in Naples, Fla., said her publicist Brian Edwards. TMZ first reported the news, noting that Summer was recently working on music for a new album.
Known as the “Queen of Disco,” Summer was born LaDonna Adrian Gaines in Boston, Mass., in 1948, as one of seven children. She was raised on gospel music and became the soloist in her church choir by age 10. The five-time Grammy winner rose to fame in the 1970s, scoring hits with “Last Dance,” “Hot Stuff” and “Bad Girls.” She co-wrote the single “Love to Love You Baby” in 1975, and went on to co-write several other hits, including “She Works Hard For Her Money.”
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