Meet Joey Carvello

We recently connected with Joey Carvello and have shared our conversation below.

Joey, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

There was a roadmap to my purpose. It started in East Cambridge, Ma. where I was the only person that I knew in the twenty square blocks of my neighborhood who had records by black artists in their collection. It was the middle of the 1960’s and Motown artists were everywhere. But nobody in my neighborhood even knew they existed and if they did they were not into them because they were white. I was constantly bullied to the point where I had to hide my records by black artists. Fast forward to November 1973. It was the inaugural time I went to my first discotheque called Zelda. It was a “Wizard of Oz” moment when I walked into that club. Once I got past the fact that there was a club DJ with two turntables, I had to come to realize that everyone was white and were going crazy for music by black artists. About a year later in August of 1974, I had first found my purpose which started with an audition to become a club DJ at a Boston discotheque in Kenmore Square in the shadow of Fenway Park called “Yesterdays”. I got the job with no experience because of my enthusiasm for the music. After starting, when I looked out on the dancefloor of the club I found my purpose which was to get others to develop a love for disco and spread not only the music but the lifestyle.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

After four years of club DJing and developing a huge following in Boston, in 1978 I received “Disco DJ of the Year” for the Boston market from Billboard magazine which led to my first record company job as East Coast/Southeast Director of Disco Promotion for RFC/Warner Brothers Records. From there I moved into radio as Music Director for Kiss 108 in Boston. I eventually got called to New York in 1989 becoming Senior Director of Dance Music and Crossover Projects at Atlantic Records. During those record company years I worked closely with Prince, Donna Summer, Marc Anthony, Jellybean, Robin S, En Vogue, and many others. Next I moved into the hip hop world first for Priority Records followed by TVT Records. I worked hand in hand with Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, Master P, Lil Jon, Ying Yang Twins, and Pitbull. Over this time many urged me to write a book discussing my transition from disco to hip hop. The end result is my book “The Boston Hustle”, which is a memoir of my career as a pioneering disco club DJ in the 1970’s. In the book I wanted to set the record straight telling the real story of disco. It met with immediate acclaim debuting at #1 on the Arts and Entertainment New Releases section for five weeks on Amazon,. Now there is a demand for the book becoming a film, with Hollywood writers having finished a fantastic script with keen interest coming from several different directions. Stay tuned!

Prince, Donna Summer, Marc Anthony, Jellybean, Robin S, En Vogue

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

1 – Passion – I have a passion for music in all genres
2 – People person – Being able to communicate with people you have nothing in common with except for the music
3- Determination – I am a team leader who was able to able to engage with anybody and make people feel comfortable.

At the end of the day it is all about loyalty and honor.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

My first mentor was John “T.C.” Luongo. He is is one of the all-time greatest dance music remixers and producers having worked with the Michael Jackson, Gladys Knight, Patti Labelle, Huey Lewis and the News, Daryl Hall and John Oates, Tina Turner, and many others. He taught me about loyalty and made me his protege to the recording industry.

My second mentor was Ray Caviano who initially worked for TK Records (KC and the Sunshine Band/George McCrae) and then started RFC Records through Warner Brothers Records. He taught me the meaning of loyalty and how to be comfortable in any situation.

John taught me about the record industry and Ray brought me into the record industry.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @joeycarvello
• Facebook: Facebook Group; The Boston Hustle
• Linkedin: @joeycarvello
• Youtube: Joey Carvello I The Boston Hustle

Image Credits

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