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And Finally Artist News
Barack and Michelle Obama pay tribute to Frankie Knuckles
By Andy Malt | Published on Wednesday 23 April 2014
US president Barack Obama and his wife Michelle were amongst the people to pay tribute to DJ and producer Frankie Knuckles at a memorial service last week. Knuckles died from complications relating to diabetes earlier this month, aged 59.
Although not there in person, the Obamas sent a letter, a photograph of which was posted to Facebook by DJ David Morales. In it, they said: “Frankie’s work helped [to] open minds and bring people together, blending genres to capture our attention and ignite our imaginations. He was a trail blazer in his field, and his legacy lives on in the city of Chicago and on dancefloors across the globe”.
A former Chicago resident, Obama helped to rename a street in the city Frankie Knuckles Way while Illinois State Senator in 2004. The street marks the former site of the Warehouse nightclub, where Knuckles is credited with developing what would become house music.