Godfather of House Music – Frankie Knuckles Dead at 59

“RIP to the legendary @frankieknuckles. Seldom does one man influence so many people in music. From his hundreds of remixes, his original records and his flawless DJ sets, including the one I witnessed last Saturday night at the Def Mix event in Miami, Frankie Knuckles was a mainstay and pioneer of house music. My heartfelt sympathy goes out to his family, his massive musical following, and his soul brothers and sisters at Def Mix. May you rest forever in peace my friend.” –DJ Lynnwood

Knuckles was born in the Bronx in 1955, and became a disco DJ in the early 1970s, spinning with childhood friend and garage pioneer Larry Levan at the Continental Baths. In 1977, the Warehouse nightclub opened in Chicago, and Knuckles moved to the city to become its premier DJ. The music Knuckles would spin at “The Warehouse” became shortened to “house,” and soon evolved into its own genre, as producers used drum machines to produce less expensive version of popular dance styles.

The Warehouse became the crucible of a genre that would conquer the world and can still be heard on radio stations to this day.

In 1983, Knuckles moved from The Warehouse to his own club, the Power Plant.

Knuckles also became a producer, recording iconic versions of Jamie Principle’s “Your Love,” “Baby Wants To Ride,” and “Cold World.” Other singles included 1991’s elegaic teardrop anthem “The Whistle Song.”