House pioneer Frankie Knuckles dies aged 59.

The US star was credited with the emergence of house music in Chicago in the 1980s.

He died unexpectedly on Monday (March 31) and more details are due to be released today (April 1).

Fellow DJ David Morales reportedly broke the news on Twitter, saying: "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."

Frankie Warren Knuckles Jr was born in the Bronx in 1955 and he honed his skills as a club DJ in New York City.

He then moved to Chicago in the 1970s before pioneering the sound of house music.

Knuckles was inducted to the Dance Music Hall of Fame in 2005, whilst he also had a Chicago street named after him in 2004.

Tributes have poured in for the musician, with BBC's Pete Tong saying: "RIP gentleman genius, groundbreaker, inspiration. Blessed to have worked with you."

Watch Frankie Knuckles perform live below: