Long before Madonna and Gaga there was Donna Summer, a woman whose influence on pop and dance began in the 1970s and continues to this day. Summer died Thursday at her Florida home, after apparently succumbing to cancer, aged 63.
“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,” read a statement from her family.
Mary J Blige tweeted that the 5-time Grammy winner was” truly a game changer”, Elton John lamented her absence from the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame while Kylie Minogue said Summer was one of her “earliest musical inspirations.”
Summer’s avant-garde approach to music has ensured that songs like I Feel Love and Love To Love You Baby sound like new releases. That her lyrics and synthesized beats have remained dance floor staples –either in their original form at ’80s nights or Guetta-ized at raves– allows multiple generations to truly understand her gifts.
For the few that may still be unaware, get yourself to the nearest karaoke bar and have ‘MacArthur Park’ cued up. Few songs have destroyed as many budding songster’s dreams as that track. It seems cutting one’s teeth on the Boston gospel choir circuit like Summer tends to weed out the unworthy long before they ever get close to a stage.
Words like inspirational and iconic may have long become trite, but they still seem two of the best ways to sum up Donna Summer.
Image courtesy of dking-gallery.com
Aww.. I’m very sadden to hear this. I never even knew she was fighting cancer so this comes as a big shock. I love Donna Summer’s music. I have her “Hot Stuff” song as my ring tone… I thought it was the perfect ring tone… “Sitting here eating my heart out waiting, waiting for some lover to call. Dialed about a thousand numbers lately – almost threw the phone off the wall – Anyway – she will be truly missed… RIP Donna…
I have the most incredible emotions attached to ‘Hot Stuff’: during the performance week of my theatre group in high school, we would know when the curtain was about to go up when that song came on. So backstage we’d half jump for joy, half sob from nerves, but all the while dancing. So now when I hear it I get butterflies in my stomach and an insatiable urge to dance. She was AMAZING. <3
The Queen of Disco, I was around disco dancing to her music. such a wonderful singer and a beautiful lady. God Bless her soul, may she rest in peace.
Truly a legend who will certainly be missed.