Born in The Bronx but moving to the Windy City in the late ‘70s, he DJ-ed first at The Warehouse there and then launched his own club, The Power Plant, which quickly became renowned for its dancefloor innovation.
Moving into production, he remixed tunes for such heavy-hitters as Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Diana Ross, Toni Braxton, Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode and Whitney Houston.
His own releases inspired successive waves of house acts, and then Illinois State Senator Barack Obama was instrumental in a stretch of Chicago street being renamed Frankie Knuckles Way.
“Gentleman, genius, groundbreaker, inspiration,” reflects Pete Tong. “Blessed to have worked with you. Sad news.”
“Rest in peace Frankie Knuckles, an inspirational pioneer of the music we love,” adds Disclosure; “Jesus man, Frankie Knuckles was so under-appreciated; he was the DJ that (other) DJs aspired to be. True dance pioneer,” rues Questlove Jenkins while Cork dance guru Stephen Grainger sadly proclaims: “Damn. Frankie Knuckles RIP. So many tears.”