Six years after his death, Frankie Knuckles‘ musical legacy continues to grow. An unreleased song by the late Chicago house pioneer “Carefree (I Am A Star)” will be included on DJ International‘s upcoming compilation, Jackmaster 7.
“Carefree (I Am A Star)” showcases soulful vocals and production elements by Frankie Knuckles (real name Francis Warren Nicholls Jr.) with glossy, updated production values that give it a radio-ready quality. Included are remixes of the song by DJ International label boss Rocky Jones, and the other by Chicago DJ and producer Chip E. – the latter of whom famously tutored Nicholls and produced his first original 1987 recording, “You Can’t Hide From Yourself.”
Household Names
Nicholls is often referred to as the “Godfather of House Music” for his instrumental role in shaping the genre. A disco DJ at seminal Chicago club Warehouse, from which some say house derives its name, he was one among the first to popularize the use of drum machines and synthesizers in dance music. He died at age 59 of complications from a snowboarding injury on March 31st, 2014.
Given DJ international’s history in house, the label is a suitable home for the release. Jackmaster 7 will follow installments 1-6 of the compilation series, which came out between 1987-1991, and showcased songs by definitive talents like Larry Heard, Marshall Jefferson, Steve “Silk” Hurley and Farley “Jackmaster” Funk.
DJ International has not announced an official release date for Jackmaster 7 at the time of writing. They will share additional entries from its tracklist over the next two months.
