Rita Houston

{{short description|American radio broadcaster (1961–2020)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}} {{Infobox presenter | name = Rita Houston | image = | image_upright = | caption = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1961|09|28}}<ref name="wfuv-obit-singleton">{{cite web |title=Rita Houston 1961-2020 WFUV |url=https://wfuv.org/content/rita-houston-1961-2020 |website=wfuv.org |access-date=December 17, 2020}}</ref> | birth_place = White Plains, New York, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2020|12|15|1961|09|28}} | death_place = Valley Cottage, New York, U.S. | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = | alma_mater = | show = ''The Whole Wide World'' | station = WFUV | network = | timeslot = | show2 = | station2 = | network2 = | timeslot2 = | style = | country = United States | prevshow = | parents = | spouse(s) = | partner = Laura Fedele | children = | memorials = | awards = | website = | module = }}

'''Rita Houston''' (September 28, 1961 – December 15, 2020) was the program director of Fordham University's public radio station WFUV and the host of the show ''The Whole Wide World''.<ref name="Manning 2020">{{cite web | last=Manning | first=Kara | title=Rita Houston: Apostle of Artistry | website=WFUV | date=December 15, 2020 | url=https://wfuv.org/content/rita-houston-apostle-artistry | access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref>

Houston was considered a "tastemaker" in the radio world, helping guide WFUV's musical direction for decades.<ref name="Variety">{{cite web | title=Rita Houston, Curator of Eclectic Sound on New York's WFUV, Dies at 59 | website=Variety | date=December 15, 2020 | url=https://variety.com/2020/music/news/rita-houston-dead-wfuv-new-york-radio-1234854055/ | access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> She was instrumental in the ''Required Listening'' series of shows showcasing new and lesser-well-known artists at The Bottom Line club in Greenwich Village; she also interviewed songwriters for the club’s ''In Their Own Words'' series.<ref name="Verel 2020">{{cite web | last=Verel | first=Patrick | title=Rita Houston, WFUV Program Director and National Music Tastemaker, Dies at 59 | website=Fordham Newsroom | date=December 15, 2020 | url=https://news.fordham.edu/arts-and-culture/rita-houston-wfuv-program-director-and-national-music-tastemaker-dies-at-59/ | access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> She anchored National Public Radio's coverage of the Newport Folk Festival for several years and helped NPR with their best-of-the-year lists, as well as sometimes appearing on ''Morning Edition''.<ref name="Verel 2020" />

Houston came to WFUV in 1994 from WXPS, where she had worked since the late 1980s, hosting the program ''Starlight Express''.<ref name="Billboard">{{cite magazine | title=Rita Houston, Beloved DJ & Tastemaker at New York Radio Station WFUV, Dead at 59 | magazine=Billboard | url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/obituary/9500275/rita-houston-wfuv-obituary | access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> She was known for showcasing new talent, such as David Gray.<ref name="Billboard" /> She began as a DJ in the midday slot, and launched her own Friday night program, ''The Whole Wide World'', in 2001.<ref name="Billboard" /> On this show she continued to showcase new talent including Joan Osborne, Adele and Brandi Carlile, who stated "Rita was the very first person to play my music on the radio".<ref name="Billboard" /> Houston became program director in 2014.

Houston died of cancer in December 2020, having stepped down from her role at WFUV earlier in the month.<ref name="Ruiz">{{cite web | last=Ruiz | first=Matthew Ismael | title=Rita Houston, New York City Radio Mainstay, Dead at 59 | website=Pitchfork | date=December 16, 2020 | url=https://pitchfork.com/news/rita-houston-new-york-city-radio-mainstay-dead-at-59/ | access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> In March 2021, she was honored during the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards ''in memoriam'' segment.<ref>{{Cite web|date=March 14, 2021|title=Recording Academy In Memoriam 2021|url=https://www.grammy.com/news/recording-academy-grammy-in-memoriam-2021|access-date=March 22, 2021|website=GRAMMY.com|language=en}}</ref>

== Further reading == * "[https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/30/obituaries/rita-houston-dead.html Rita Houston, WFUV D.J. Who Lifted Music Careers, Dies at 59]". ''The New York Times''. 2020.

== References == {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Houston, Rita}} Category:Radio personalities from New York City Category:1961 births Category:2020 deaths Category:American radio DJs Category:Women radio directors Category:American women radio hosts Category:WFUV people