Donna Summer Earns Posthumous Induction Into The Songwriters Hall Of Fame
The singer, who passed away in 2012, was honored at a ceremony in West Hollywood.
The Songwriters Hall of Fame has announced the posthumous induction of singer Donna Summer. Summer, who passed away in 2012 at age 63, was honored during a ceremony at a venue in West Hollywood, Los Angeles.
Celebrated songwriter Paul Williams led the ceremony, which highlighted Summer’s prowess as a songwriter and cultural icon. He said: “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. She wrote timeless and transcendent songs that continue to captivate our souls and imaginations, inspiring the world to dance and, above all, feel love. I am pleased and honored to posthumously induct Donna Summer into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.”
The event was also attended by Summer’s husband, Bruce Sudano, alongside their daughters Brooklyn Sudano and Amanda Sudano Ramirez. Summer’s closest friends and immediate family were also in attendance, as were members of the SHOF West Coast Events Committee.
In a message to the SHOF organization, Bruce Sudano said, “It’s important to me because I know how important it was for Donna. The backstory is, with all the accolades that she received over her career, being respected as a songwriter was always the thing that she felt was overlooked. So for her to be accepted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame I know that she’s very happy… somewhere.”
Boston-born LaDonna Adrian Gaines was one of the great talents of the 20th and 21st century pop landscape. She wrote No.1 country smashes for Dolly Parton (“Starting Over Again”), incorporated reggae into popular music (“Unconditional Love”), dabbled in New Wave (The Wanderer), and paid homage to where it all began: the church (“I Believe in Jesus”). Most notably, she had a number of chart-toppers on the dance listings, earning her the rightful crown as the Queen of Disco.
