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Donna Summer, the iconic Queen of Disco, has been posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, per the Associated Press.
On Monday (December 15), Summer, known for hits like “Love to Love You Baby,” “I Feel Love,” and “Bad Girls,” was honored during a ceremony in Los Angeles at Cecconi’s.
The event for Summer, who passed away in 2012 at the age of 63, was led by Academy Award-winning songwriter Paul Williams. Summer's husband, Bruce Sudano, and daughters, Brooklyn Sudano and Amanda Sudano Ramirez, were present at the ceremony.
In a statement, Williams praised Summer for her legacy of songwriting.
“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," Williams said. “She wrote timeless and transcendent songs that continue to captivate our souls and imaginations, inspiring the world to dance and, above all, feel love.”
Summer’s unique blend of R&B, soul, pop, funk, rock, disco, and electronica made her one of the most influential artists of the ‘70s and ‘80s and earned her five Grammy Awards and three multiplatinum albums. Despite her success, Summer's contributions as a songwriter were often overshadowed.
“It’s important to me because I know how important it was for Donna,” Sudano said. “For her to be accepted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, I know she’s very happy … somewhere.”
The Songwriters Hall of Fame, established in 1969, typically requires songwriters to wait 20 years after the first commercial release of their work before induction.
Pete Bellotte, a longtime collaborator of Summer, is nominated for the 2026 Songwriters Hall of Fame class. Bellotte co-wrote several of Summer’s hits, including “Hot Stuff” and “I Feel Love,” with Summer and producer Giorgio Moroder.
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