New Books in Music

Sharon White Rewires Disco


Listen Later

At the center of 1970s New York's most iconic clubs—from the celebrity-studded Studio 54 to the premiere lesbian discotheque Sahara—stood a queer Black woman on the turntables: Sharon White. With a sound she describes as "edgy, deep, aggressive, tech, synthy, percussive and lush," White became the first woman resident DJ at the Saint and the only woman to ever play Paradise Garage, breaking barriers in spaces where women were told they didn't belong. Her five-decade career didn't just challenge disco's male-dominated DJ culture; it redefined it, paving the way for future generations of women behind the decks. In this season finale, we explore how one visionary artist carved out space in disco's inner sanctum and what her trailblazing journey reveals about women—especially queer Black women—who shaped the sound and culture of an era from behind the booth.

In the Season 2 Finale, hosts Ryan Purcell and Kristie Soares talk with legendary DJ Sharon White. Born in West Babylon, New York, White studied music at the New York School of Music before becoming a radio disc jockey. In 1975, she transitioned to club DJing, finding near-instant success at legendary venues including Studio 54, the Saint, Paradise Garage, Sahara, Limelight, and the Warehouse. She has been credited by several other women DJs, including Lizzz Krizer and Wendy Hunt, for helping them break onto the scene. White is still DJing today, and you can find her mixes on SoundCloud and Mixcloud.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/music

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

New Books in MusicBy Marshall Poe

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

11 ratings


More shows like New Books in Music

View all
The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

The New Yorker Radio Hour

6,812 Listeners

The Book Review by The New York Times

The Book Review

3,904 Listeners

The LRB Podcast by The London Review of Books

The LRB Podcast

295 Listeners

On the Media by WNYC Studios

On the Media

9,161 Listeners

The Political Scene | The New Yorker by The New Yorker

The Political Scene | The New Yorker

3,999 Listeners

New Books in Philosophy by New Books Network

New Books in Philosophy

111 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,542 Listeners

New Books in History by Marshall Poe

New Books in History

209 Listeners

New Books in Military History by Marshall Poe

New Books in Military History

160 Listeners

New Books in Political Science by New Books Network

New Books in Political Science

62 Listeners

New Books in Economics by Marshall Poe

New Books in Economics

28 Listeners

New Books in Psychoanalysis by Marshall Poe

New Books in Psychoanalysis

186 Listeners

New Books in African American Studies by New Books Network

New Books in African American Studies

163 Listeners

New Books in Environmental Studies by Marshall Poe

New Books in Environmental Studies

23 Listeners

New Books in Native American Studies by Marshall Poe

New Books in Native American Studies

104 Listeners

New Books in Intellectual History by New Books Network

New Books in Intellectual History

60 Listeners

The TLS Podcast by The TLS

The TLS Podcast

184 Listeners

Pod Save America by Crooked Media

Pod Save America

87,791 Listeners

Politics Theory Other by Politics Theory Other

Politics Theory Other

175 Listeners

Psychoanalysis On and Off the Couch by Harvey Schwartz MD

Psychoanalysis On and Off the Couch

165 Listeners

The Rest Is History by Goalhanger

The Rest Is History

14,575 Listeners

The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

The Ezra Klein Show

16,086 Listeners

Unexplainable by Vox

Unexplainable

2,304 Listeners

Empire by Goalhanger

Empire

2,514 Listeners

The Just Security Podcast by Just Security

The Just Security Podcast

202 Listeners