Held at Untitled, a Chicago nightclub, the second annual Frankie Knuckles Foundation benefit has raised over $10,000 in the name of the “Godfather of house music“.
The mission of the foundation is to support causes Knuckles was passionate about — research and prevention of AIDS and diabetes, LGBTQ youth homelessness and promoting music in schools.
It coincided with Frankie Knuckles Day, created in Chicago with the support of former president Barack Obama on August 25th, 2004.
Knuckles, who passed away in 2014 at the age of 59 due to complications from type II diabetes, was an American DJ, record producer and Grammy Award-winning remixer that revolutionized dance music, playing also a pivotal role in the creation and development of house music in Chicago during the 1980s.
The soundtrack of the evening was provided by the local band MAAD Soul and DJ Terry Hunter, while foundation founder and President Frederick Dunson shared the foundation’s recent achievements, talking also about the upcoming project for a global birthday celebration for the Godfather of house music in January.
Event committee member Robin Robinson instead spoke about Knuckles’ career and impact on music.
“House music is the foundation of the most popular music around the world, and Frankie is an ambassador and an icon, the godfather of house. That’s why we’re all here.”
She then continued: “We lost Frankie way too soon. He was always ahead of his time. He recognized the power to unite people who had never partied together before. Gay and straight, black and white, young and old, rich and poor, they all came together to crush the traditional social divisions in their mutual love of his DJ-created music that was made for dancing together.”
[Via: Chicago Tribune]
