Wendy Carlos
Wendy Carlos, a transgender music pioneer, revolutionized electronic music with her innovative use of synthesizers, leaving a lasting impact on the genre's development.
Walter Carlos
Composer
November 14, 1939
Scorpio
85
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Wendy Carlos, born in 1939, is an American electronic music pioneer, composer, and musician. She gained prominence with her groundbreaking album “Switched-On Bach” (1968), featuring synthesizer renditions of classical pieces. Carlos’s innovative work continued with acclaimed albums like “The Well-Tempered Synthesizer” and film scores for “A Clockwork Orange,” “The Shining,” and “Tron.”
Throughout her career, she garnered numerous accolades, including Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, and the Moog Innovation Award. Beyond her musical achievements, Carlos is recognized for her advocacy for transgender rights, having transitioned in the early 1970s and sharing her experiences in her book “The Gender Swap.” Despite her reclusive nature, Wendy Carlos remains an influential figure in electronic music and an inspiration to LGBTQ+ individuals.