Donna Summer (1948-2012)

Disco queen Donna Summer has passed away from cancer at the age of 63.

Summer rose to stardom during Disco's heyday in the 70s, putting out a string of No. 1 hits including "Last Dance," "Hot Stuff," and "Bad Girls."

Summer was born on New Year's Eve in 1948 to a devoutly Christian family of 7 children. As with many, her singing career began in the church. At 18 she left home for Broadway, landing a role in the musical Hair when it went on tour to Germany.

It was while on tour that Summer met producer Giorgio Morode who helped launch her career.

After some early success in Europe Morode helped bring Summer back to the U.S. with 1975's "Love to Love You Baby," which hit No.2 on the Billboard chart the following year.

Summer quickly became an icon of the disco era and was one of the few stars of the time who successfully navigated the end of the genre and was able to transition to a pop-rock sound that kept her career viable.

Summer's 1980 hit "She Works Hard For the Money" (inspired by an elderly bathroom attendant at the Grammys) cemented her status as a star and became an anthem for women's rights.

While Disco may be gone, Summer's music is still a fixture in dance clubs around the world as DJs continue to sample and remix her work.

Summer's last full length album, "Crayons," was released in 2008 and according to sources she was working on a new album before her passing.