Frankie Knuckles began DJing in New York in the early '70s. Ten years later he was in Chicago, putting together megamixes of old disco hits with new drum-machine percussion. Inducted to the Dance Music Hall of Fame two years after its establishment, Knuckles was active until his 2014 death.
Knuckles introduced the sound of the Southside to a new, gay crowd. The Bronx native was born in 1955 and grew up listening to jazz through his sister's record collection. He studied commercial art and costume design before taking his first job as a DJ in 1971. Virgin signed him to an artist contract in 1991 and released his debut album Beyond the Mix. In 2004, Knuckles was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame. He continued to DJ globally and played clubs and festivals until his death in March 2014, at the age of 82.