Legendary DJ Walter Gibbons was born on this day in 1954

Walter Gibbons was born on this day in 1954. He made his mark as a DJ in New York in the 1970’s and his remixes continued to be loved by lovers of dance music decades after his death.

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He began DJing in New York night clubs in the early 1970s and went on to deliver remixes for many artists on the Salsoul record label. His 1976 remix of Ten Percent by Double Exposure became the first commercially available 12inch.

He created remixes for artists including Gladys Knight, Bettye Lavette, Arthur Russell, Dinosaur L, Loleatta Holloway and the Salsoul Orchestra.

In the 1980’s Gibbons became less active in the music scene, but in 1984 he released on of his most memorable remixes with Set It Off by Strafe. The song would later be heavily sampled by many artists including Jennifer Lopez, C+C Music Factory, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, Tupac Shakur.

Gibbons later became a born again Christian. He died in 1994 of an AIDS related illness. He reportedly spent his final weeks alone living at the YMCA in New York.

In 2004 Salsoul Records released Mixed With Love: The Walter Gibbons Salsoul Anthology which collected some of his best known records, and in 2010 Strut Records released Jungle Music – Mixed with Love: Essential & Unreleased Remixes 976 – 1986. 

OIP Staff

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