Tony Smith, a legendary New York disco DJ, has passed away.
The DJ is best known for helping to establish disco as a global phenomenon force while being a resident in a variety of New York clubs in the 1970s and 1980s.
In 1976, Billboard called him one of the best DJs in America. Smith, who grew up on the Lower East Side and formed friendships with Larry Levan, Tony Humphries, and Danny Krivit, became a central figure in the city’s club scene. Smith’s first residency saw him perform seven nights a week at Barefoot Boy, a new gay club that quickly became a popular hangout for the record industry.
In 1978, he moved to Xenon, where he collaborated with fellow resident Jellybean Benitez, thanks to his extensive musical experience and seamless disco-mixing style. Later, the two would collaborate at Fun House, one of the first Manhattan clubs to embrace hip hop and electro music. He was also a regular guest at clubs such as Fire Island and Ice Palace 57 in the city.
Smith was often asked to make club-friendly remixes, his first being Bambu’s now-rare disco classic “I don’t wanna lose it.” Smith spent more time in the studio in his later years, working as a songwriter and engineer.
Friends of Smith’s have organised a fundraiser for his funeral and burial.
