Black History Month: Frankie Knuckles

[AK]

[AK]

Share some favorite productions and remixes by the Godfather...

[däp]

[AK]

[AK]

IMHO, no one living or departed has given more to what has evolved into the deep house genre and scene. I just hope folks truly understand and appreciate the gift to all of us that is Frankie Knuckles.

[AK]

[AK]

[AK]

Frankie Knuckles

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Frankie Knuckles (born January 18, 1955, New York) is an American DJ, record producer and remix artist. He played an important role in developing house music (an electronic, disco-influenced dance music) as a Chicago DJ in the 1980s and he helped to popularize house music in the 1990s, with his work as a producer and remixer. In 2005, Knuckles was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame for his achievements as a DJ.

Contents

1 Career
1.1 1970s-1980s
1.2 1990s-2000s
2 Selected discography
2.1 Releases
2.2 Remixes
3 See also
4 External links

Career

1970s-1980s

While studying textile design at FIT in Manhattan, Knuckles began working as a DJ, playing soul, disco and R&B at The Continental Baths with fellow DJ Larry Levan. When he became better known, he DJed at the club Better Days. When the Warehouse club opened in Chicago in 1977, he was invited to play on a regular basis. He continued DJing there until 1982, when he started his own club, The Power Plant. It is possible that the term 'House Music' surfaced in reference to the sounds played at the Warehouse by Frankie. Initially it was a catch-all term to describe the wide range of music being played at the Warehouse. It soon became the word used to define the raw, drum machine based edits and tracks that Frankie was playing in the early 80s. Incidentally Frankie bought his first drum machine from a young Derrick May who regularly made the trip from Detroit to see Frankie at the Warehouse and fellow pioneer Ron Hardy at the Music Box.

Knuckles also had a musical partnership with Jamie Principle, and helped put 'Your Love' and 'Baby Wants to Ride' out on vinyl after these tunes had been regulars on his reel-to-reel player at the Warehouse for a year.

As house music gained momentum, pioneering producer Chip E. took Knuckles under his tutelage and produced Knuckle's first recording, "You Can't Hide", featuring vocalist Ricky Dillard. Then came more production work, including Jamie Principle's "Baby Wants to Ride", and later "Tears" with Robert Owens (of Fingers, Inc.) and (Knuckles' protege and future Def Mix associate) Satoshi Tomiie.

When business difficulties caused the Warehouse to fold, he moved back to New York, and was the featured resident DJ at The World, and also had numerous subsequent residencies, including at The Choice club.
In New York, he immersed himself in producing, remixing and recording.

1990s-2000s

Knuckles did a number of popular Def Classic Mixes with John Poppo as sound engineer. Knuckles partnered with David Morales on Def Mix Productions, and both men's mixing styles became very similar for a period in the early 1990s as they honed the formula for a "Def Classic Mix" sound. With several important original productions and remixes to his name, by the early 1990s, Knuckles was becoming a well-known name in the increasingly popular house music genre.

In 1991 he released his biggest hit to date, "The Whistle Song" which bears a slight similarity to Van McCoy's "The Hustle" in its whistle-like refrain. The Def Classic Mix of "Change" by Lisa Stansfield done around this period also features the whistle like motif. Knuckles' debut album - Beyond the Mix, released on Virgin Records also contained "Rain Falls" and featured vocals from Lisa Michaelis. Key remixes from this time include his rework of the Electribe 101 anthem "Talking With Myself" and "Where Love Lives" by Alison Limerick.

As his productions and remixes were becoming more popular, and he was also breaking new ground. When Junior Vasquez took a sabbatical from Manhattan's The Sound Factory, he took over and launched a successful run as resident DJ until Vasquez made his return, at which point Knuckles became the resident DJ at The Sound Factory Bar. Knuckles remained part of the underground scene. In 1992, Billboard's Larry Flick commented "He's probably the best dance music producer we have in America. He understands the groove, but he understands songs, and the whole picture." Knuckles won the 1997 Grammy Award for Remixer of the Year, Non-Classical.

Knuckles continued to work as a remixer through the 90s and into the next decade, reworking tracks from Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Diana Ross, Eternal and Toni Braxton. He released several new singles, including "Keep On Movin'" and a re-issue of an earlier hit "Bac N Da Day" with Definity Records. In 2004, he released a thirteen track album of original material - his first in over a decade, entitled A New Reality, which was critically well received. In October 2004 "Your Love" appeared in the popular videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing on house music radio station, SF-UR. On 19 September 2005, Knuckles was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame for his outstanding achievement as a DJ. Knuckles is featured in the 2006 documentary film, "The UnUsual Suspects - Once Upon a Time in House Music" by Chip E. and the 2005 documentary film, "Maestro" by Josell Ramos.

Selected discography

Releases

"Rains Falls" - Single
"You Can't Hide from Yourself" - CBS Records
"Tears" - Single - Frankie Knuckles presents Satoshi Tomiie - FFRR
"Your Love/Baby Wants To Ride" - Trax Records
"Beyond the Mix" - Virgin Records
"The Whistle Song" - Virgin Records
"Sessions Six - Mixed by Frankie Knuckles" - Ministry of Sound
"Choice: A Collection of Classics" - Trax Records
"Keep on Movin'" - Definity Records
"A New Reality" - Definity Records

Remixes

"This Time" - Chanté Moore
"Happy" - Towa Tei
"Let No Man Put Asunder" - First Choice
"Ain't Nobody" - Chaka Khan
"Watcha Gonna Do with My Lovin'" - Inner City
"Talking with Myself" - Electribe 101
"The Pressure" - Sounds of Blackness
"Where Love Lives (Come On In)" - Alison Limerick
"I Want A Dog" - Pet Shop Boys
"Notgonnachange" - Swing Out Sister
"Because of Love" - Janet Jackson
"Love Hangover" - Diana Ross
"Bring Me Love" - Andrea Mendez
"Rock with You" - Michael Jackson
"You Are Not Alone" - Michael Jackson
"Closer Than Close" - Rosie Gaines
"Unbreak My Heart" - Toni Braxton
"Sunshine" - Gabrielle
"I'm Going to Go" - Jago
"Blind" - Hercules & Love Affair
"You've Got the Love" - The Source ft. Candi Station
"Million Dollar Bill" - Whitney Houston

See also

List of number-one dance hits (United States)
List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
Def Classic Mix

External links

Review of album Motivation Too 2009
FKAlways.com Frankie Knuckles official website.
Discogs Frankie Knuckles discography and biography.
Disco Museum Biography and information on Frankie Knuckles.
Disco Disco Disco disco pays respect to the godfather of house music.
Frankie Knuckles Day Photos of Frankie Knuckles Day (August 25, 2004) in Chicago

Categories: 1955 births | Living people | American dance musicians | American electronic musicians | American house musicians | Remixers | Club DJs | Musicians from Chicago, Illinois | LGBT musicians from the United States | Gay musicians | LGBT African Americans | Grammy Award winners

[righteous knowledge]

Frankie Knuckles

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Frankie Knuckles (born January 18, 1955, New York) is an American DJ, record producer and remix artist. He played an important role in developing house music (an electronic, disco-influenced dance music) as a Chicago DJ in the 1980s and he helped to popularize house music in the 1990s, with his work as a producer and remixer. In 2005, Knuckles was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame for his achievements as a DJ.

Contents

1 Career
1.1 1970s-1980s
1.2 1990s-2000s
2 Selected discography
2.1 Releases
2.2 Remixes
3 See also
4 External links

Career

1970s-1980s

While studying textile design at FIT in Manhattan, Knuckles began working as a DJ, playing soul, disco and R&B at The Continental Baths with fellow DJ Larry Levan. When he became better known, he DJed at the club Better Days. When the Warehouse club opened in Chicago in 1977, he was invited to play on a regular basis. He continued DJing there until 1982, when he started his own club, The Power Plant. It is possible that the term 'House Music' surfaced in reference to the sounds played at the Warehouse by Frankie. Initially it was a catch-all term to describe the wide range of music being played at the Warehouse. It soon became the word used to define the raw, drum machine based edits and tracks that Frankie was playing in the early 80s. Incidentally Frankie bought his first drum machine from a young Derrick May who regularly made the trip from Detroit to see Frankie at the Warehouse and fellow pioneer Ron Hardy at the Music Box.

Knuckles also had a musical partnership with Jamie Principle, and helped put 'Your Love' and 'Baby Wants to Ride' out on vinyl after these tunes had been regulars on his reel-to-reel player at the Warehouse for a year.

As house music gained momentum, pioneering producer Chip E. took Knuckles under his tutelage and produced Knuckle's first recording, "You Can't Hide", featuring vocalist Ricky Dillard. Then came more production work, including Jamie Principle's "Baby Wants to Ride", and later "Tears" with Robert Owens (of Fingers, Inc.) and (Knuckles' protege and future Def Mix associate) Satoshi Tomiie.

When business difficulties caused the Warehouse to fold, he moved back to New York, and was the featured resident DJ at The World, and also had numerous subsequent residencies, including at The Choice club.
In New York, he immersed himself in producing, remixing and recording.

1990s-2000s

Knuckles did a number of popular Def Classic Mixes with John Poppo as sound engineer. Knuckles partnered with David Morales on Def Mix Productions, and both men's mixing styles became very similar for a period in the early 1990s as they honed the formula for a "Def Classic Mix" sound. With several important original productions and remixes to his name, by the early 1990s, Knuckles was becoming a well-known name in the increasingly popular house music genre.

In 1991 he released his biggest hit to date, "The Whistle Song" which bears a slight similarity to Van McCoy's "The Hustle" in its whistle-like refrain. The Def Classic Mix of "Change" by Lisa Stansfield done around this period also features the whistle like motif. Knuckles' debut album - Beyond the Mix, released on Virgin Records also contained "Rain Falls" and featured vocals from Lisa Michaelis. Key remixes from this time include his rework of the Electribe 101 anthem "Talking With Myself" and "Where Love Lives" by Alison Limerick.

As his productions and remixes were becoming more popular, and he was also breaking new ground. When Junior Vasquez took a sabbatical from Manhattan's The Sound Factory, he took over and launched a successful run as resident DJ until Vasquez made his return, at which point Knuckles became the resident DJ at The Sound Factory Bar. Knuckles remained part of the underground scene. In 1992, Billboard's Larry Flick commented "He's probably the best dance music producer we have in America. He understands the groove, but he understands songs, and the whole picture." Knuckles won the 1997 Grammy Award for Remixer of the Year, Non-Classical.

Knuckles continued to work as a remixer through the 90s and into the next decade, reworking tracks from Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Diana Ross, Eternal and Toni Braxton. He released several new singles, including "Keep On Movin'" and a re-issue of an earlier hit "Bac N Da Day" with Definity Records. In 2004, he released a thirteen track album of original material - his first in over a decade, entitled A New Reality, which was critically well received. In October 2004 "Your Love" appeared in the popular videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing on house music radio station, SF-UR. On 19 September 2005, Knuckles was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame for his outstanding achievement as a DJ. Knuckles is featured in the 2006 documentary film, "The UnUsual Suspects - Once Upon a Time in House Music" by Chip E. and the 2005 documentary film, "Maestro" by Josell Ramos.

Selected discography

Releases

"Rains Falls" - Single
"You Can't Hide from Yourself" - CBS Records
"Tears" - Single - Frankie Knuckles presents Satoshi Tomiie - FFRR
"Your Love/Baby Wants To Ride" - Trax Records
"Beyond the Mix" - Virgin Records
"The Whistle Song" - Virgin Records
"Sessions Six - Mixed by Frankie Knuckles" - Ministry of Sound
"Choice: A Collection of Classics" - Trax Records
"Keep on Movin'" - Definity Records
"A New Reality" - Definity Records

Remixes

"This Time" - Chanté Moore
"Happy" - Towa Tei
"Let No Man Put Asunder" - First Choice
"Ain't Nobody" - Chaka Khan
"Watcha Gonna Do with My Lovin'" - Inner City
"Talking with Myself" - Electribe 101
"The Pressure" - Sounds of Blackness
"Where Love Lives (Come On In)" - Alison Limerick
"I Want A Dog" - Pet Shop Boys
"Notgonnachange" - Swing Out Sister
"Because of Love" - Janet Jackson
"Love Hangover" - Diana Ross
"Bring Me Love" - Andrea Mendez
"Rock with You" - Michael Jackson
"You Are Not Alone" - Michael Jackson
"Closer Than Close" - Rosie Gaines
"Unbreak My Heart" - Toni Braxton
"Sunshine" - Gabrielle
"I'm Going to Go" - Jago
"Blind" - Hercules & Love Affair
"You've Got the Love" - The Source ft. Candi Station
"Million Dollar Bill" - Whitney Houston

See also

List of number-one dance hits (United States)
List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
Def Classic Mix

External links

Review of album Motivation Too 2009
FKAlways.com Frankie Knuckles official website.
Discogs Frankie Knuckles discography and biography.
Disco Museum Biography and information on Frankie Knuckles.
Disco Disco Disco disco pays respect to the godfather of house music.
Frankie Knuckles Day Photos of Frankie Knuckles Day (August 25, 2004) in Chicago

Categories: 1955 births | Living people | American dance musicians | American electronic musicians | American house musicians | Remixers | Club DJs | Musicians from Chicago, Illinois | LGBT musicians from the United States | Gay musicians | LGBT African Americans | Grammy Award winners

Thanks AK!

[david_mancuso]

IMHO, no one living or departed has given more to what has evolved into the deep house genre and scene. I just hope folks truly understand and appreciate the gift to all of us that is Frankie Knuckles.

amen

[raw stylus]

[Long Island Head]

thanx for the education, Frankie's is a Legend in our community and to the world!!.

[mhd]

nothing but love and gratitude to this brother, when he came to the chi in 77 he changed my life, literally, thanks Alan, for this most deserving thread

[Mike Barnes]

AK, Your man Frankie Knuckles, Has most definitely put in much work, In regards to Frankie Knuckles impact and contributions to the Dance music circuit, Though, I would like to add that Frankie Knuckles learned alot in regards to rockin a party, Musically, From, Tee Scott,

At Better Days, During the mid 70's(Tee Scott gave Frankie Knuckles the opportunity to mix at Better days), AK, I did not have the opportunity to here Frankie Knuckles mix live until 1994(At The Sound Factory Bar on 21thst, Between 5thave and 6thave in

Manhattan), I was very impressed by Frankie Knuckles feel for music(Though, Money kept the tempo mad fast the whole night, I still had a very nice time/LOL), AK, The next time you build with your man Frankie Knuckles, Ask Him about my man Dave Brockington(Who

Ran with Frankie Knuckles, Tee Scott, Larry Levan, Francios K, David Mancuso, Etc, During the early 70's to mid 80's), AK, Can you also ask Frankie Knuckles, What he remembers about cats like Pete Dj Jones, Grandmaster Flowers, Maboya, The Smith Brothers, Plummer,

Etc, Being that Frankie Knuckles, From the Bronx, I would imagine that Frankie Knuckles was more familiar with Pete Dj Jones(Who's from the Bronx, Though, Pete Dj Jones, Used to mix all-over New York, During the early 70's to early 80's, AK, One of my favorite plates by Frankie Knuckles, Is, 'It's hard Somtimes', Featuring, Shelton Becton on vocals, During the

Mid 90's, AK, I wish i could have heard Frankie Knuckles mix at Better Days, During the mid 70's(Around 1975-1977), Frankie Knuckles used to mix on Monday and Tuesday nites at Better Days, During the mid 70's(Much respect to Tee Scott, For looking out like that, In regards to putting Frankie Knuckles on at Better Days).

Much Respect
Mike Barnes

[Shannon]

Here's another Classic Mix I loved back in the day. Got it in the record pool.

[Tim Martinez]

some of my faves..

[Tim Martinez]

[AK]

amen

From one living legend to another. Thank you, David.

[Jamie 3:26]

You can't deny this brother...regardless of where he is musically,you can't deny his hard work and dedication.

He's someone I've personally seen blow the hell up and it lets me know what sticking to your musical guns can get you.

I agree..let's celebrate this brother while he's still here.

Speaking from experience...you don't want him to read you...

[AK]

AK, Your man Frankie Knuckles, Has most definitely put in much work, In regards to Frankie Knuckles impact and contributions to the Dance music circuit, Though, I would like to add that Frankie Knuckles learned alot in regards to rockin a party, Musically, From, Tee Scott,

At Better Days, During the mid 70's(Tee Scott gave Frankie Knuckles the opportunity to mix at Better days), AK, I did not have the opportunity to here Frankie Knuckles mix live until 1994(At The Sound Factory Bar on 21thst, Between 5thave and 6thave in

Manhattan), I was very impressed by Frankie Knuckles feel for music(Though, Money kept the tempo mad fast the whole night, I still had a very nice time/LOL), AK, The next time you build with your man Frankie Knuckles, Ask Him about my man Dave Brockington(Who

Ran with Frankie Knuckles, Tee Scott, Larry Levan, Francios K, David Mancuso, Etc, During the early 70's to mid 80's), AK, Can you also ask Frankie Knuckles, What he remembers about cats like Pete Dj Jones, Grandmaster Flowers, Maboya, The Smith Brothers, Plummer,

Etc, Being that Frankie Knuckles, From the Bronx, I would imagine that Frankie Knuckles was more familiar with Pete Dj Jones(Who's from the Bronx, Though, Pete Dj Jones, Used to mix all-over New York, During the early 70's to early 80's, AK, One of my favorite plates by Frankie Knuckles, Is, 'It's hard Somtimes', Featuring, Shelton Becton on vocals, During the

Mid 90's, AK, I wish i could have heard Frankie Knuckles mix at Better Days, During the mid 70's(Around 1975-1977), Frankie Knuckles used to mix on Monday and Tuesday nites at Better Days, During the mid 70's(Much respect to Tee Scott, For looking out like that, In regards to putting Frankie Knuckles on at Better Days).

Much Respect
Mike Barnes

Mike, there is no doubt that Frankie owes a lot to Tee and to Larry for the opportunities, inspiration and friendship they provided. I would imagine that he thinks of them often.

[wiz247]

Frankie Knuckles - Only The Strong Survive. Killa tune!
Much respects and props to Frankie Knuckles

[richierich]

Frankie, I can't say enough..You know you are an icon when folks refer to you by your first name only...

When I came onto the scene there was only Frankie, Ron and Mike Ezebukwu in the world that I was entrenched in..

I can only imagine what it must be like to have beat the hell out of so many parties throughout the world..

Much respect..

[Armento]

love Frankie.. i was overwhelmed the first time i saw him.. i had to sit down as i walked into the club. seriously

[AK]

Thanks, Tim. Lots of friends and memories in those videos.

[AK]