Knuckles was known as The Godfather of Chicago House. He was best known for his No.1 US dance hit The Whistle Song in 1991. He also had a No.1 hit with Workout in 1992, and a string of other hits including Tears (1989), It's Hard Sometime (1991), Rain Falls (1992), Whadda U Want (From Me) 1995, Too Many Fish (1995) and Back In The Day (2004).
Knuckles was the remixer to the stars. He worked on songs by Michael Jackson (Rock With You), Pet Shop Boys (Left To My Own Devices), Diana Ross (Love Hangover) and Depeche Mode (Wrong).
He was born in The Bronx in 1955 and became a disco DJ in the early `70s. Knuckles soon took residency at new Chicago nightclub, The Warehouse, and would play a style which later became known as "house" music.
In 2004 the City of Chicago recognised his contribution to the culture of the city by naming a stretch of Jefferson Street Frankie Knuckles Way.
His friend and fellow DJ David Morales tweeted: "I am devastated to write that my dear friend Frankie Knuckles has passed away today. Can't write anymore than this at the moment. I'm sorry."
