Frankie Knuckles

Frankie Knuckles

Frankie Knuckles is a DJ, producer and remix artist from The Bronx, United States. Born in 1955 and active in the development of Chicago house, dance and house music, he is widely associated with the title “The Godfather of House.”

Early work and Chicago residencies

Knuckles studies Textile Design at FIT in Manhattan and begins DJing while he is there. He plays soul, disco and R&B at The Continental Baths with Larry Levan, then gains wider attention at Better Days. In 1977 he is invited to DJ regularly at The Warehouse in Chicago, where he remains until 1982. After that he opens his own club, The Power Plant. When that venue closes because of business problems, he returns to New York and becomes resident DJ at The World, later holding further residencies including The Choice.

Production and remix work

As he becomes more involved in producing, remixing and recording, Knuckles makes early remixes of First Choice’s “Let No Man Put Asunder” and Jago’s “I’m Going To Go”. During the rise of house music, Chip E. produces his first recording, “You Can’t Hide”, featuring Ricky Dillard. He also works on Jamie Principle’s “Baby Wants to Ride” and later “Tears” with Satoshi Tomiie and Robert Owens. He creates a number of Def Classic Mixes with sound engineer John Poppo and partners David Morales in Def Mix Productions. He also forms part of Def Mix and Director’s Cut.

Albums, singles and later work

Knuckles’ debut album, Beyond the Mix, appears in 1991 on Virgin Records and includes “The Whistle Song” and “Rain Falls,” the latter featuring Lisa Michaelis. The album also connects to his Def Classic Mix of Lisa Stansfield’s “Change,” which uses a similar whistle-like motif. Key remixes from this period include Electribe 101’s “Talking With Myself” and Alison Limerick’s “Where Love Lives”.

In 1995 he releases his second album, Welcome to the Real World. He continues remixing through the 1990s and into the next decade, working on tracks by Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Diana Ross, Eternal and Toni Braxton. He also releases singles including “Keep on Movin’” and a reissue of “Bac N Da Day” on Definity Records. In 2004 he releases A New Reality, a thirteen-track album of original material.

Awards and recognition

Knuckles wins the Grammy Award for Remixer of the Year, Non-Classical, in 1997. He is inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame in 2005 for his work as a DJ. His track “Your Love” also appears in the videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on the SF-UR house music radio station. He is featured in the documentaries Maestro and The UnUsual Suspects - Once Upon a Time in House Music.