“The minute you think you’re greater than the music, you’re finished.“
- Name: Frankie Knuckles
- Born: January 18, 1955
- Died: March 31, 2014
- From: The Bronx, NY, USA
- Pronouns: He/Him
- Contribution/Impact: Due to his importance in the development of the genre, Knuckles was often called “The Godfather of House Music.”
- Occupation: Musician/ DJ/ Record Producer/Remixer
- Known For: “Boiler Room” and “Black Coffee”.
- Awards: In 1997, Knuckles won the Grammy Award for Remixer of the Year.
- Interesting Facts: Knuckles was popular at the Warehouse, a members-only club for largely black gay men.
Frankie Knuckles, was an American DJ, record producer and remixer. He played an important role in developing and popularizing house music in Chicago during the 1980s, when the genre was in its infancy. Knuckles made numerous popular Def Classic Mixes with John Poppo as sound engineer, and Knuckles partnered with David Morales on Def Mix Productions. In the mid-2000s, Knuckles developed Type II diabetes. On March 31, 2014, he died in Chicago at the age of 59 due to the complications from his diabetes.
Handout
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