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Artist News Obituaries
Frankie Knuckles 1955-2014
By Andy Malt | Published on Wednesday 2 April 2014
DJ and producer Frankie Knuckles died on Monday from complications relating to diabetes. He was 59.
Born Francis Nicholls in New York in 1955, Knuckles first began DJing as a student in the city, before moving to Chicago in 1977 to take up a residency in the newly opened Warehouse club, where he stayed for five years before setting up his own clubbing operation The Power Plant.
As the popularity of disco waned in the late 70s and early 80s, Knuckles responded by creating re-edits of R&B and soul records, using drum machines to beef up the beat, and mixing in then obscure records from newer electronic acts from Europe, such as Depeche Mode and New Order. Developing this sound earned Knuckles the nickname ‘the godfather of house music’ – the genre term having been derived from the name of the club where he started it (ie Warehouse).
As well as becoming an in-demand DJ internationally, Knuckles created his own original house tracks, recording two albums for Virgin, and releasing singles such as ‘Your Love’ and ‘The Whistle Song’.
Despite various medical problems in recent years, including developing type II diabetes and having one of his feet amputated, Knuckles continued to travel the world DJing – his most recent performance being at Ministry Of Sound in London on the Saturday before his death.
