"His talent, energy, and passion for music were unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable," wrote singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein.
"Beyond his musicianship, Clem was a source of inspiration both on and off the stage. His vibrant spirit, infectious enthusiasm and rock solid work ethic touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him."
Burke was born and raised in New Jersey, and said his earliest memory was "playing my father's kit along to the Four Seasons".
He gained experience in marching bands and cover groups, before being recruited for Blondie in 1974.
From the start, he envisioned his role as something more than a mere time-keeper.
"I always appreciated drummers like Hal Blaine (Phil Spector's go-to session drummer) and Earl Palmer (Little Richard, Fats Domino) who were consummate studio musicians, and had the kind of musicality and versatility that I aspired to," he told Mixdown magazine last year.
"I wanted to be able to contribute to the song rather than detract."
The band made their name in New York punk clubs such as CBGB, alongside contemporaries such as Talking Heads, Television, and Patti Smith and released their self-titled debut album in 1976.
However, it was 1978's Parallel Lines that made them household names, powered by new wave hits like One Way Or Another and the disco grooves of Heart of Glass.
Recording the drum track for Heart Of Glass was a torturous experience, however.
Producer Mike Chapman wanted to synchronise Burke's playing to a Roland drum machine - an experimental procedure that led to the drummer playing each of his drums individually, then piecing together the rhythm track over the period of a week.
By the end of the session, "he was ready to kill me," Chapman later told the Wall Street Journal.
