Donna Summer was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on Tuesday, in a ceremony held in Los Angeles.
“I know how important it was for Donna,” said Summer’s husband, Bruce Sudano, in a statement about the induction. “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.”
Born and raised in Boston, Summer began her career in the blues-rock group Crow before reinventing her sound alongside producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte. By the 1970s, Summer had become a dance-floor staple, thanks to her disco hits “Love to Love You Baby,” “I Feel Love,” and “Last Dance,” among others. She went on to sell more than 150 million records in her lifetime and earned four No. 1 singles on the Hot 100. Summer died in 2012 at the age of 63.
In October, the Songwriters Hall of Fame announced its full 2026 nominee slate, with Taylor Swift, LL Cool J, and David Byrne topping the performer-songwriter side. The non-performer side featured frequent Summer collaborator Bellotte, among others. The official class will be announced in the new year.
