NEW YORK -- Donna Summer's family has released a statement saying they "are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and her continued legacy."
The disco queen, who performed pulsing anthems such as "Last Dance," ''Love to Love You Baby" and "Bad Girl," died today at age 63.
Summer came to prominence just as disco was burgeoning in the late 1970s, and came to define the era with a string of No. 1 hits and her beauty queen looks.
And she remained popular even as disco faded -- scoring one of her biggest hits in the 1980s with "She Works Hard For The Money," which became an anthem for women's rights. She had been living in Englewood, Florida with her husband Bruce Sudano.
Dionne Warwick said in a statement that she was sad to lose a great performer and "dear friend."
Born in Boston in 1948, Summer's real name was LaDonna Adrian Gaines.
