 |
US singer
Donna Summer performs on stage
during
the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo,
Norway on
December 11, 2009. Photo/AFP
|
Grammy-winning disco legend Donna Summer died
Thursday after a battle with cancer, aged 63, her family said in a statement.
Nicknamed the Queen of Disco, the
singer, whose 1970s and 80s hits included "I Feel Love," "Love to Love you Baby"
and "She Works Hard for
the Money," died in Florida, 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 the 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."
TMZ reported that she died of lung
cancer, citing sources as saying she believed she contracted it after inhaling
toxic particles following the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York.
Summer, who also became something of
an icon in the gay community, shot to fame during the disco era of the 1970s
with hits like "Hot
Stuff" and "Bad
Girls."
The disco diva, who was born into a
large family in Boston, won five Grammy awards during her career, including
best female vocalist in 1980, but also as recently as 1997 for best dance
recording.
TMZ reported that she had kept her
illness quiet, and didn't appear too sick only a couple of weeks ago, citing
sources as saying she was focused on trying to finish a new album she had been
working on.
She married singer Bruce
Sudano in 1980, and they had two daughters together, it said.
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