Farley Jackmaster Funk is one of the most influential members of house music’s first wave. Often referred to as the King of House, the Chicago-born DJ, producer, songwriter, director and radio host was the first artist to bring house music to the UK, way back in 1986. He gave house its first UK hit: ‘Love Can’t Turn Around’ feat. Darryl Pandy. The song had a huge impact on the UK charts, and on Top of the Pops. By the time he was making noise in the UK, Farley was already a veteran of the Chicago scene. He started out in 1981 as a member of the now-legendary Hot Mix 5, the famed team of DJs who regularly presented Chicago’s WBMX FM. Throughout his career, Farley Jackmaster Funk has scored a number of hits, including ‘Jack My Body’, ‘The Trax U Lost’, ‘Hey Norton’, and ‘House Nation’ – another UK top ten hit. His music has been released on groundbreaking labels such as TRAX Records and DJ International. He’s put his skills to use on records by Diana Ross, Arthur Baker, Giorgio Moroder and Earth, Wind and Fire. Outside of the studio, Farley has made a name for himself on the global DJ circuit, playing gigs at major clubs and festivals worldwide.
