Joe Smooth (US)

A self-taught musician from the age of 12, Joe Smooth is one of the pioneers of the style of music known today as house music. He has worked with such artists as Frankie Knuckles, Marshall Jefferson, Chip E, A Guy Called Gerald, Lil Louis , Tyree Cooper, Fast Eddie, The Art Of Noise, Sterling Void, The Pet Shop Boys, Janet Jackson, Atlantic Starr, New Order, Steve Hurley... and countless more. At 18, he opened his first underground nightclub called east Hollywood Mannequins. At 20 he became the head DJ at the now world famous Smart Bar nightclub, creating the atmosphere and mystique that still lives at Smart Bar today. In 1985, the Limelight looked at Joe as the number one DJ in Chicago and propositioned Joe for their Chicago nightclub as musical coordinator. This is the year Joe Smooth also joined the DJ International Records family. After joining the DJ International family he quickly became a central force behind almost everything written or produced from this visionary label. This included Co-producing The Jack Trax EP with Chip-E, the first record to use the words House and Jack. Many say this was the first true house record. Joe also Co-produced and mixed Frankie Knuckles first record the remake of "You Can't Hide". In 1988, with musical production work at a high Joe traveled abroad to put his concentration fully into his production, DJ gigs and Performing. In 1990 returning to Chicago from great success abroad, Joe saw a need for a serious underground house club in Chicago and opened the very successful Warehouse nightclub, named in tribute to the legendary Warehouse nightclub of the late seventies and early eighties with partners Julian Perez and DJ Internationals founder Rocky Jones. In 1994 Joe’s sought after talent led him to Rome to partner on a label called "Active Bass Music" with producer Claudio Donato. Which ran until 1999. In 1999 Joe Smooth returned home to Chicago and did extensive work with Slang Music Group and Nu Soul until 2005. Joe's work at Slang and Nu Soul would include projects featuring Whitney Houston, Donnell Jones, Destiny’s Child and Sisqo and earn a multitude of Gold and Platinum record awards.