By Joal Ryan - E! Online




The queen of disco has died: Donna Summer, whose vocals powered the genre, and helped define the 1970s, passed away early Thursday, her family said in a statement.

The Grammy-winning singer reportedly had been battling cancer. She was 63.

"While we grieve her passing," the family statement said, "we are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and continued legacy."

Summer burst onto the scene with some of music's most memorable moans and groans in "Love to Love You Baby."

Summer's other hits included the required-listening disco tunes, "Last Dance," "Hot Stuff," "Bad Girls" and "On the Radio."

Post-disco, Summer scored success with "She Works Hard for the Money."

Deeply religious, Summer seemed torn about her original image as a sex symbol.

"I think it limited people's impression of me," Summer told the Associated Press in 1978. "If I can work my way out of that, I will."