House music icon Frankie Knuckle passes away at 59

theGRIO REPORT = Details in the cause of death for 'The Godfather of House' are unknown, but what is certain is that during the 80's and 90's his music dominated the Chicago night club scene...

Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.

DJ Frankie Knuckles, the man widely known for his contributions to house music, died yesterday at the age of 59.

Details in the cause of  death for “The Godfather of House” are unknown, but what is certain is that during the ’80s and ’90s his music dominated the Chicago night club scene.

The popular venue The Warehouse, a mainstay for Knuckles’ marathon DJ sets, is where the genre acquired its nickname.

Merging punk, disco, and euro synth with traditional R&B, Knuckles has numerous hits including “Baby Wants To Ride,” “The Whistle Song” and “Waiting On My Angel.”

The Bronx native was born Francis Nichols on January 18, 1955 and has worked with many illustrious names in popular music including Toni Braxton and the late Michael Jackson and Luther Vandross.

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For the latest music news, follow Kyle Harvey on Twitter at @HarveyWins

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