Legendary disco artist Donna Summer has been posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame, per an official press release.
On Monday (December 15), Summer was honored during a ceremony in Los Angeles at Cecconi’s alongside fellow artists including LL Cool J, Taylor Swift, and David Byrn.
The ceremony was led by Academy Award-winning songwriter Paul Williams. Summer’s husband, Bruce Sudano, and their daughters, Brooklyn and Amanda were in attendance. Speaking at the time, Sudano said he knew just “how important” the award would have been to her.
“With all the accolades that she received over her career, being respected as a songwriter was always the thing that she felt was overlooked,” he said. “So for her to be accepted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, I know that she’s very happy somewhere.”
Williams, praised Summer in a statement for her contribution’s to music arts.
“Donna Summer is not only one of the defining voices and performers of the 20th century; she is one of the great songwriters of all time who changed the course of music,” said Williams in a statement. “She wrote timeless and transcendent songs that continue to captivate our souls and imaginations, inspiring the world to dance and, above all, feel love.”
“Queen of Disco”
Summer, known for hits like “Love to Love You Baby,” “I Feel Love,” and “Bad Girls,” catapulted to to international superstardom in the mid-1970s. She created a lane of her own with her groundbreaking fusion of R&B, soul, pop, funk, rock, disco, and avant-garde electronica.
With an estimated 150 million records sold worldwide, Summer was ranked No. 24 on Billboard’s 50th Anniversary list of the “Hot 100 Artists of All Time.” A five-time GRAMMY winner, she was the first artist to win Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female, and the first-ever recipient of Best Dance Recording. Summer was the first female artist to receive GRAMMY Awards in four distinct genres: R&B, Dance, Rock, and Gospel.
Donned the “Queen of Disco,” Summer died on May 17, 2012, at age 63, at her home in Naples, Florida.
An Enduring Legacy
Beyoncé, among many other artists, raved about Summer’s impact on their lives. “Donna Summer made music that moved me both emotionally and physically to get up and dance. You could always hear the deep passion in her voice. She was so much more than the queen of disco she became known for, she was an honest and gifted singer with flawless vocal talent. I’ve always been a huge fan and was honored to sample one of her songs,” Beyoncé said in 2012.
“Michelle and I were saddened to hear about the passing of Donna Summer,” President Obama released in a statement. He added, “Her voice was unforgettable, and the music industry has lost a legend far too soon.”
Singer Natasha Bedingfield honored Summer in 2012, calling her “a remarkable woman who brought so much light and who inspired many women, including myself, through her music. And if we can remember her through her music, this will never really be the last dance.”