Legends of Disco: Forty Stars Discuss Their Careers

by James Arena

Overview

In this candid retrospective of the disco era, 40 men and women who reigned over the dance music industry of the 1970s and 1980s recall their lives and careers before, during and after the genre's explosion. Artists interviewed include Alfa Anderson, formerly of Chic ("Good Times"); Ed Cermanski and Robert Upchurch of The Trammps ("Disco Inferno"); Sarah Dash ("Sinner Man"); producer John Davis ("Ain't That Enough for You"); Janice Marie Johnson of A Taste of Honey ("Boogie Oogie Oogie"); France Joli ("Come to Me"); Denis LePage of Lime ("Babe, We're Gonna Love Tonite"); Randy Jones of the Village People ("Y.M.C.A."); Rob Parissi of Wild Cherry ("Play That Funky Music"); producer Warren Schatz ("Turn the Beat Around"); Debbie, Joni and Kim Sledge of Sister Sledge ("We Are Family"); and many more.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476624570
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Publication date:	04/06/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	244
File size:	4 MB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

James Arena is a New York-based author, host and commentator who has been featured on MSNBC, Fox, SiriusXM and other networks. He is the author of the pop culture books Fright Night on Channel 9, First Ladies of Disco and Legends of Disco and a recipient of a G.E.M.A. Foundation/City of Philadelphia award for preserving dance music history.
James Arena is a New York-based author, host and commentator who has been featured on MSNBC, Fox, SiriusXM and other networks. He is the author of the pop culture books Fright Night on Channel 9, First Ladies of Disco and Legends of Disco and a recipient of a G.E.M.A. Foundation/City of Philadelphia award for preserving dance music history.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Foreword by France Joli
Preface
Professionals Behind the Scenes
Alfa Anderson, formerly of Chic—“Le Freak”
William “Bubba” Anderson, James “Ajax” Baynard, LA Blacksmith, Tyrone Cox, Mark Lipetz and Phil “Flip” Thomas of Crown Heights Affair—“Dreaming a Dream”
Clare Bathé, formerly of Machine—“There But for the Grace of God Go I”
Anthony Brooks of Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes—“Bad Luck”
Ed Cermanski and Robert Upchurch of the Trammps—“Disco Inferno”
Sarah Dash—“Sinner Man”
John Davis—“Ain’t That Enough for You”
Leonard “Butch” Davis and Joe Harris of Double Exposure—“Ten Percent”
Venus Dodson—“Night Rider”
Joy Dorris of Lime—“Your Love”
Bob Esty—“Last Dance”
Jimmie Bo Horne—“Spank”
Geraldine Hunt—“Can’t Fake the Feeling”
Carol Jiani—“Hit’n Run Lover”
Janice Marie Johnson, formerly of A Taste of Honey—“Boogie Oogie Oogie”
France Joli—“Come to Me”
Randy Jones, formerly of Village People—“Y.M.C.A.”
Shirley Jones, formerly of the Jones Girls—“You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else”
Denis LePage/Nini Nobless, formerly of Lime—“Babe, We’re Gonna Love Tonite”
Robbie Leslie—Studio 54 DJ
W. Michael Lewis—“Cocomotion”
George McCrae—“Rock Your Baby”
Denise Montana—“#1 Dee Jay”
Eddie ­O’Loughlin—“Doctor’s Orders”
Rob Parissi, formerly of Wild Cherry—“Play That Funky Music”
Bonnie Pointer—“Heaven Must Have Sent You”
Warren Schatz—“Turn the Beat Around”
Debbie Sledge, Joni Sledge and Kim Sledge of Sister Sledge—“We Are Family”
Arthur “Pooch” Tavares of Tavares—“Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel”
Richie Weeks, formerly of Weeks & Co.—“Rock Your World”
James “D-Train” Williams—“You’re the One for Me”
Afterword by Henry Stone
The Turntable: Recommended Listening
Index

Editorial Reviews

If you know James [Arena], you know how much disco music means to him. It has been a passion and true love that has remained with him for decades. I encourage all who love disco music and its personalities to pick up this book. It is the perfect record of note giving you a first rate education on the lives, past and present, of some of the greatest entertainers in the music’s history. Disco is not dead, its been immortalized within the pages of Legends of Disco, and we all should be thankful and grateful to James Arena.”—Beatselector Magazine; “James Arena’s passion for capturing the history of disco is not only interesting to discover, but a worthwhile discovery of all the artists who created all those ‘good times.’”—Edge Media Network.

From the Publisher