But he did book all types of shows and he listened to all types of music.ĪM: Did he ever tell you when his love for electronic music started, or what sparked that for him? JD: He liked all kinds of electronic music. You know, he was just that guy.ĪM: Did he like all kinds of electronic music, or did he gravitate more toward house or drum and bass or any genre in particular? We’d have long conversations about music and life in general.
He just wanted to go out and have a good time. JD: My experience with Leon was that he was just pretty happy. Those were my first two bookings with Leon. It was on a Wednesday night and then the following month it was Bad Boy Bill at the same venue. It was a church that they converted into a nightclub. JP: The first show I played for Leon was Richard Humpty Vision at The Church in downtown Nashville. This was before any involvement with Disco Donnie or before Ultimo.ĪM: What was the first booking that you did together? That was one of his earlier electronic events. We had a mutual friend, and she was doing this party called Black Coffee.Īt the time, he was doing a party called Electric Lounge. He introduced me to another side of DJing, for the bigger shows. I came in from radio and from the gay bar scene. Jane Dupree: He really introduced me to a different side of the electronic music scene. I spoke with one Nashville DJ and artist who knew him well, Jane Dupree.Īaron Monty: I wish that I would have I would have known him because he seemed like a great guy.
Jackson not only set the stage for global names like Paul Oakenfold and Boy George to play here, he made way for local DJs AND created safe and inclusive spaces for people who wanted to dance in Music City. The once mostly underground dance music scene grew in Nashville because of his efforts. He was a Nashville native, an event promoter, a lover of all electronic music and a beloved figure in the DJ community that I’m also part of. Instead of focusing on one Nashville Artist of the Month in June, we’re celebrating the marks that Black Originators have made on the city, and one of those important figures is the late Leon Jackson.
Public gay videos tumblr full#
Listen to Aaron Monty’s audio Q&A with Jane Dupree, and read the full interview below