Rita Houston

Rita Houston
Born(1961-09-28)September 28, 1961[1]
White Plains, New York
DiedDecember 15, 2020(2020-12-15) (aged 59)
Valley Cottage, New York
PartnerLaura Fedele
Career
ShowThe Whole Wide World
StationWFUV
CountryUnited States of America

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.[2]

Houston was considered a "tastemaker" in the radio world, helping guide WFUV's musical direction for decades.[3] 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.[4] 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.[4]

Houston came to WFUV in 1994 from WXPS, where she had worked since the late 1980s, hosting the program Starlight Express.[5] She was known for showcasing new talent, such as David Gray.[5] She began as a DJ in the midday slot, and launched her own Friday night program, The Whole Wide World, in 2001.[5] 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".[5] She became program director in 2014.

Houston died of cancer in December 2020, having stepped down from her role at WFUV earlier in the month.[6] In March 2021, Houston was honored during the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards in memoriam segment.[7]

  1. ^ "Rita Houston 1961-2020 WFUV". wfuv.org. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  2. ^ Manning, Kara (December 15, 2020). "Rita Houston: Apostle of Artistry". WFUV. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  3. ^ "Rita Houston, Curator of Eclectic Sound on New York's WFUV, Dies at 59". Variety. December 15, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Verel, Patrick (December 15, 2020). "Rita Houston, WFUV Program Director and National Music Tastemaker, Dies at 59". Fordham Newsroom. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d "Rita Houston, Beloved DJ & Tastemaker at New York Radio Station WFUV, Dead at 59". Billboard. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  6. ^ Ruiz, Matthew Ismael (December 16, 2020). "Rita Houston, New York City Radio Mainstay, Dead at 59". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  7. ^ "Recording Academy In Memoriam 2021". GRAMMY.com. March 14, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2021.