House Music Intelligence DB
Pioneer

Larry Levan

Resident DJ of Paradise Garage and father of the "garage" sound.

1954–1992 · New York City, United States · confidence 84/100 · verified June 8, 2026

Larry Levan (1954–1992) was an American DJ whose decade-long residency at New York's Paradise Garage made him a legend and gave the "garage" subgenre its name. Renowned for emotionally expansive, genre-blending sets and meticulous sound, he influenced generations of DJs and the entire soulful and vocal house tradition.

How to cite this page

House Music Intelligence Database. "Larry Levan." Published by World Famous House Crew. Last verified June 8, 2026. URL: https://database.worldfamoushousecrew.org/topic/larry-levan