Frankie Knuckles, the man widely held as the Godfather of House Music, has passed away due to complications with diabetes, according to Billboard. He was 59-years-old.

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The sad news was confirmed by Knuckles’ longtime business partner DJ David Morales, who wrote on Twitter, “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.”

Born in the Bronx in 1955, Knuckles began DJing in New York in the early ’70s and later moved to Chicago. There, he developed his own sound which involved splicing disco hits and soul records with a drum-machine, becoming the premier DJ at spots like The Warehouse — thus birthing the term “house music.”

Frankie formed Def Mix Productions and reworked tracks from stars such as Michael Jackson, Diana Ross and Luther Vandross. As a solo artist, he released his debut album Beyond the Mix 1991, which spawned the teardrop anthem “The Whistle Song.” In addition to being inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame, Knuckles had a stretch of street and a day named after him in Chicago.

R.I.P. Frankie Knuckles.