#HighVoltageWoman Spotlight: Jenn D'Eugenio

BY LAURA HARPER/WWR Staff Writer

Music and all of its various forms have gone through many changes over the years, but the one trend that has made a huge comeback in recent years is vinyl, and with that, vinyl collecting. One woman determined to share that passion with others is Jenn D’Eugenio.

D’Eugenio started a blog called Women in Vinyl that works to showcase women involved in various aspects of the vinyl industry, from record store owners to women holding leadership positions at pressing plants. She was inspired to start her blog after witnessing how many women were involved in the vinyl industry after starting her career.

“There were a lot of women working behind the scenes and leading the way from the heads of labels to the owners of record pressing plants,” D’Eugenio said.

After seeing a meme circulating of a 1950s couple in which a man is telling his wife about a record variant and his wife responds by saying she doesn’t care, D’Eugenio decided that she wanted to do something to change the image of the woman presented in that meme.

“I was the guy in that meme, and while I understood the sentiment of someone not understanding this thing you’re crazy about, it wasn’t okay to sit back and let that image represent women’s  interest or love for vinyl,” D’Eugenio said.

D’Eugenio developed a passion for collecting vinyl after discovering her parent’s vinyl collection. She would often frequent antique shops with her mom and her sister looking for new records, which eventually led to her checking out the vinyl selection at her local Salvation Army and at an old, dilapidated shop (at the time) called Dragon Song.

“It was like stepping out the real world and into a new secret place with my friends,” D’Eugenio said. “I’ve never looked back.”

Over the years, D’Eugenio has managed to amass quite an extensive collection of vinyl that stands as a testament to her broad range of tastes. Specifically, she has over 40 variants of the third Black Sabbath album Master of Reality.

Now, in addition to Women in Vinyl, D’Eugenio also works as the Sales and Customer Experience Manager at Furnace Record Pressing in Alexandria, Virginia.

“Helping people release their music on vinyl is so rewarding,” D’Eugenio said. “I love being able to talk to someone about what they want their release to look like, and then putting all the pieces together to make that happen.”

D’Eugenio also noted that the world of record collecting has always been something of a “boys’ club,” and with that has come a certain set of challenges as a woman working in the vinyl industry. In particular, despite her experience, she has encountered people who speak to her and other women as though they would not understand the vinyl process.

“I’ve had people try and loop in my boss for some muscle or go around me to speak to a male colleague,” D’Eugenio said. “I think for some the mentality of women in the industry or as collectors is still a little behind the times; I’ve noticed this in particular during my time digging at various record stores.”

D’Eugenio said that it can also sometimes be scary for women to feel like it’s a safe space to ask questions when first starting out in the vinyl community, but that continued education from sites like Women in Vinyl is very valuable when it comes to showcasing women who are making breakthroughs and leading the way in the world of vinyl.

As for other women who wish to make a career in vinyl, D’Eugenio expresses the importance of confidence.

“Reach out to those that inspire you and learn from them, ask questions, take chances,” D’Eugenio said. “If you don’t put yourself out there, you’ll never know what you can accomplish.”