top of page

Black Gaye History - Frankie Knuckles, The Godfather of House Music

Writer's picture: Brandon Adams Brandon Adams

History | Feature Spotlight

Source: Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/ Getty Images
Source: Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/ Getty Images

Frankie Knuckles. Godfather of House Music. DJ. Producer. Openly Gay. Knuckles made his stamp on the culture as one of the early queer architects of house music. Born in the Bronx in 1955, Knuckles began his career in New York City, where he studied commercial art and costume design before taking his first job as a DJ in 1971. 


Chicago promoter Robert Williams recruited Frankie Knuckles as the resident DJ for the Warehouse, the legendary dance club historically recognized as the birthplace of house music, where the genre derived its name.



It was in Chicago where Knuckles incorporated his own stylings, mixing in Philadelphia soul music, New York club music, and European disco. All of these elements worked together to help create the DNA of house music. 


Source: Claire Greenway/Getty Images
Source: Claire Greenway/Getty Images


Beyond serving as the resident DJ at the iconic Warehouse, Knuckles opened his own club, The Power Plant in 1983. He then co-founded Def Mix Productions and as a producer Knuckles worked with superstar talent such as Janet Jackson, Diana Ross, and Luther Vandross.


In 1997, Knuckles became the inaugural recipient of the Grammy for Remixer of the Year, Non-Classical for artists like Mary J. Blige and Toni Braxton, and earned a Grammy nomination for the same category. 



In 2014, Knuckles passed away due to complications from Type 2 diabetes. Although Knuckles enjoyed virtually universal critical acclaim, he hardly received the mainstream recognition that he deserves, at least one that matches the magnitude of his impact in music history. Nevertheless he still remains as a celebrated and integral figure in the world of music. 


Source: Defected Records
Source: Defected Records

House music holds a special place in history and is inherently tied to Black, LGBTQ+ history, our history. Similar to ballroom, house music originated as a space for Black and Brown queer people to feel liberated and accepted. Overtime, the freeing sound reverberated from Chicago to the globe and has since remained a staple in the music world. 



  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Black Twitter Icon
  • YouTube

Subscribe to Gaye Magazine! Stay in tune with the Culture and Our Latest Projects!

© 2023 Gaye Magazine All Rights Reserved.

bottom of page