Godfather of House Music Dies

One of the most prolific and important DJs of the 1980s and 1990s, Frankie Knuckles, passed away Monday at the age of 59 due to undisclosed causes. Knuckles was the man responsible for bringing electronic dance music to the masses, producing such hits as early Jamie Principle collaborations “Your Love” (1986) and “Baby Wants a Ride” (1987) along with his remixes of Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody” (1989), Sounds of Blackness “The Pressure” (1992), and Hercules and Love Affair’s “Blind” (2008). Born Francis Nicholls in the Bronx, he made a name for himself at Chicago’s famous The Warehouse and the Power Plant. He had more than an underground following, earning the admiration of music royalty. "[When] you’ve got someone as big as Luther Vandross and Michael Jackson sitting there saying, 'Whatever you want, however you want it, I’ll stay here as long as you need me,' that’s the reward right there," Knuckles once said.