About Frankie Knuckles
Francis Warren Nicholls Jr. (January 18, 1955 – March 31, 2014), known professionally as Frankie Knuckles, was an American DJ, record producer, and remixer. He played an important role in developing and popularizing house music, which originated in Chicago during the early 1980s and spread worldwide. In 1997, Knuckles won the Grammy Award for Remixer of the Year, Non-Classical. Knuckles was often called "the godfather of house music". == Musical career == === 1970s–1980s === Born in New York City, in the Bronx, Knuckles and his friend Larry Levan began frequenting discos as teenagers. While studying textile design at the FIT, Knuckles and Levan began working as DJs, playing soul, disco, and R&B at two of the most important early discos, The Continental Baths and The Gallery. Their DJing led them to the Loft and the Gallery, with Levan becoming the main DJ at the Continental Baths. Knuckles, initially hesitant about the Baths, eventually began playing there until its closure in 1976. The Continental Baths, located below the Ansonia Hotel, was an opulent gay bathhouse known for its steam rooms, swimming pool, disco, and more.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.