DJ Tom Savarese
The early days of disco brought many young DJs to Fire Island to test the waters. DJ Tom Savarese was one.
Tom Savarese
is a DJ best known for his role in the 1970s Disco music scene. He was born on April 26, 1944 in New York City, and grew up in the Bronx neighborhood. He eventually attended Fordham University. Savarese began his career as a DJ in 1969, playing apartment and house parties.
Over time he became the full-time first professional Disco DJ in the US, and doing remixes for record labels in NYC. By the late-1970s Savarese was interviewed as an expert in the Disco music scene by major publications, including the New York Times] and Billboard Magazine, calling Savarese the “key New York Disco DJ” in 1977. Billboard Magazine named Savarese the New York DJ of the Year that year, as well as national DJ of the year in 1976 and 1977. Savarese’ remixes also charted in the top 20 tracks of the New York Daily News Disco charts.
The clubs Savarese played during this era included 12 West and Flamingo in New York City, and the Sandpiper in the Pines 1976- 77. He famously turned down the opportunity to become the first DJ to play and hold residence at the club Studio 54.
The Sandpiper
AWARDS: Billboard Disco DJ National 1976 Billboard Disco DJ Regional of the Year – New York- 1976, 1977 GOLD RECORDS RECEIVED: CHIC – Dance, Dance, Dance PETER BROWN – Do You Wanna Get Funky With Me MACHO – I’m A Man Tom alan Savarese with his former boyfriend Alan Adrian Robinson. USA DISCOTHEQUE PERFORMANCES: 1973 – 1974 – Cabaret, NYC 1973 – The Forrest, NYC 1974 – Le Club, NYC 1975 – Hollywood (Peppermint Lounge), NYC 1975 – Turntable, NYC 1975 – Ice Palace – Cherry Groove, NY 1975 – 1976 – 12 West, NYC 1976 – 1977 – Sandpiper – Fire Island Pines, NY 1977 – Hurrah, NYC 1977 – Flamingo, NYC 1978 – Les Mouches, NYC 1978 – A.C. Disco – Atlantic, NJ 1978 – Trocadero Transfer – San Francisco, CA 1979 – Melons, NYC 1980 – Melons, NYC Tom Savarese AndreaBrown 2000 Tom Savarese and Andrea Brown in 2000
