Chicago house legend Frankie Knuckles has passed away.
Knuckles' influence on modern music simply cannot be overstated. Born in the Bronx in 1955, he became a disco DJ in the early '70s, spinning alongside garage pioneer Larry Levan at the Continental Baths. When the Warehouse nightclub opened in Chicago in 1977, Knuckles moved to the Windy City and became its greatest DJ.
The apocryphal legend goes that the music Knuckles would play at The Warehouse became so popular that clubgoers would go to record stores and request "house" music — that is, music being spun at The Warehouse. Knuckles began to make his own edits, lengthening disco tracks to make them work for the Warehouse crowd, and the music became its own, world-conquering genre.
Knuckles would eventually leave The Warehouse to open his own club, the Power Plant. He also became a producer, responsible for tracks like 'You Can't Hide' (featuring Ricky Dillard), Jamie Principle's 'Baby Wants To Ride', 'Tears' (with Robert Owens and Satoshi Tomiie) and his biggest hit, 'The Whistle Song'.
In 2004, a stretch of Jefferson Street in Chicago near the old Warehouse was named Frankie Knuckles Way.
I am devastated to write that my dear friend Frankie Knuckles has passed away today. Can't write anymore than this at the moment. I'm sorry.
— David Morales (@DJDavidMorales) April 1, 2014Yes unfortunately it is true- Frankie Knuckles has passed on today. I can't begin to count the ways he influenced me but I will never forget
— Roger Sanchez (@djrogersanchez) April 1, 2014Words Cannot describe the love i have for Frankie Knuckles he's been a friend a mentor & is a true pioneer in House Music, !
— Junior Sanchez (@juniorsanchez) April 1, 2014R.I.P Frankie Knuckles - @FKAlways - A great DJ responsible for one of the first seminal dance tunes. https://t.co/Fjq7zZYWMD
— Flight Facilities (@flightfac) April 1, 2014Can't believe that Frankie Knuckles has passed away… RIP
— The Aston Shuffle (@theastonshuffle) April 1, 2014jesus man. Frankie Knuckles was so under-appreciated. he was the dj that dj's aspired to be. true dance pioneer.
— Questlove Jenkins (@questlove) April 1, 2014
