{{Short description|American violinist, DJ, singer and producer}} {{other uses|D-sharp (disambiguation)}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = DSharp | image = File:DSharp (violinist).png | image_size = 250px | alt = photograph | birth_name = Derryck Gleaton | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1988|8|30}} | birth_place = South Carolina | genre = Classical, electronic dance music, hip hop | occupation = DJ, violinist, producer, singer, songwriter | instrument = Viola, violin | years_active = c. 1999–''present'' | website = [http://whoisdsharp.com/ whoisdsharp.com]<br/>[https://www.youtube.com/user/IAmDSharp IAmDSharp], YouTube. }} '''Derryck Gleaton''' (born 30 August 1988), better known as '''DSharp''', is an American violinist, DJ, singer and producer based in Atlanta, Georgia.<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/artist/246281-Dsharp DSharp], Discogs.</ref> Known for his trademark colored violins, he writes his own music and performs cover versions of popular songs, focusing on hip hop, electronic dance music and classical pieces.<ref name=Grayson2009/>
DSharp has played in clubs around the world, including in Amsterdam, Dubai, <span lang="es" dir="ltr">London</span>, the Philippines and Sweden, where he has performed with Smokey Robinson, American DJ Kaskade, Dutch DJs Afrojack, Chuckie, Nicky Romero and R3hab, and Swedish DJ Sebastian Ingrosso.<ref name=Grayson2009/><ref name=TimeOut/> He has played with The Dave Matthews Tribute Band, and in 2012 played on four tracks of rapper Rick Ross's album ''God Forgives, I Don't'', produced by the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League.<ref name=Williams2012/>
In 2009 DSharp was commissioned by the University of Alabama to write a piece for the unveiling of an African-American art collection donated to the university by Paul R. Jones.<ref name=Grayson2009>Wayne Grayson, [http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20090621/NEWS/906209963?p=1&tc=pg "UA violinist plays a mix of hip-hop, R&B and rock, and his popularity is rising"], ''Tuscaloosa News'', 21 June 2009.</ref> In 2015 he filmed a music video in New Zealand with grand prix horse rider Caroline Roffman.<ref>[http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/wellington/fl-wf-video-0506-20150506-story.html "Wellington horses star in music video"], ''SunSentinel'', 6 May 2015.</ref><ref>[http://horsetalk.co.nz/2015/04/10/dressage-funk-dsharp-music-video/#axzz3lE2Ju9Rm "Dressage gets its funk on for DSharp music video"], ''Horsetalk'' (New Zealand), 10 April 2015.</ref> __TOC__
==Background== Born to Don and Mae Gleaton in South Carolina, DSharp attended school in Columbus, Georgia.<ref name=Grayson2009/><ref>[http://artistdata.sonicbids.com/dsharp/biography/ "About DSharp"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208215408/http://artistdata.sonicbids.com/dsharp/biography |date=2015-12-08 }}, ''artistdata''.</ref> He began playing in sixth grade when, unable to find a trumpet for an elective course, he opted for a borrowed viola instead, and won a place with the Greater Columbus Youth String Orchestra. The family moved to Anniston, Alabama, where he was privately tutored by Bill Brazelton, who had been playing viola and violin for 65 years.<ref name=Grayson2009/>
DSharp played with the Jacksonville State Community Orchestra and Etowah Youth Orchestra, traveling to Memphis, St. Louis and London with the latter. After graduating from high school in 2006, he attended the University of Alabama on a music scholarship, where he became an ambassador for the university's Creative Campus initiative.<ref name=Grayson2009/><ref name=TimeOut>[https://www.timeout.com/mumbai/events/trilogy-saturday-with-dj-dsharp "Trilogy Saturday with DJ DSharp!"], ''TimeOut'', undated.</ref> In 2010 he transferred to Georgia State University in Atlanta.<ref name=Williams2012>Erin Williams, [http://www.annistonstar.com/life/anniston-s-d-sharp-is-the-jimi-hendrix-of-the/article_07463192-4aa2-5fd6-a18a-8b022abca14c.html "Anniston’s 'D-Sharp' is the Jimi Hendrix of the violin"], ''The Anniston Star'', 26 August 2012.</ref>
==See also== * List of popular music violinists
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://whoisdsharp.com/ Official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151022110419/http://whoisdsharp.com/ |date=2015-10-22 }} * [https://www.youtube.com/user/IAmDSharp DSharp on YouTube] * [http://www.facebook.com/whoisdsharp DSharp on Facebook] * [http://dj.beatport.com/dsharp DSharp on beatport DJs] * [http://www.aol.com/article/2016/04/30/viral-musician-turning-heads-with-an-unlikely-instrument/21352696/ "Viral musician turning heads with an unlikely instrument"], Aol. Entertainment, 30 April 2016. * Muhammad, Latifah. [http://www.vibe.com/2016/06/meet-d-sharp-official-dj-for-the-golden-state-warriors/ "Meet D-Sharp: Official DJ For The Golden State Warriors"], ''Vibe'', 6 June 2016. * Ullman, Whitney. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZa2Ijf0AEs "Interview with DSharp August] (video), Access AC Live, 8 February 2014.
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{{DEFAULTSORT:DSharp}} Category:1988 births Category:African-American DJs Category:Living people Category:21st-century American male musicians Category:Hip-hop violinists Category:American male classical violinists Category:21st-century African-American musicians Category:20th-century African-American musicians Category:21st-century American classical violinists