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Detroit house pioneer Dwayne Jensen has died

R.I.P

Influential house producer Dwayne Jensen has passed away.

The sad news announced on 28th May via social media. The cause of death is not yet known.

Born in Detroit, Jensen began his musical career in the ‘80s as a self-taught drummer and percussionist. Inspired by DJ luminaries such as Frankie Knuckles, Steve Silk Hurley, Mr. Fingers AKA Larry Heard, Louie Vega, DJ Sneak and Todd Terry, Jensen gravitated towards house music and spent time performing at Luomo where he made a name for himself.

Later, he lived in Finsbury Park, London, for a brief period, DJing in Soho’s underground clubs before moving back to his hometown of Detroit. Motor City remained his biggest influence throughout his career and he was heavily influenced by iconic radio DJ The Electrifying Mojo.

Jensen also founded Fathom Records in the mid-1990s which released countless floor-filling records such as Believe featuring Miyon, Don't Fight It featuring Courtney Jackson — an artist who toured with Aretha Franklin in 2003 — and Digital People, which had Billy Love, Kat and Jensen on vocals.

The house pioneer had been living and working in his native Detroit at the time of his passing, but had not put out any music since his latest release, Regain Your Soul EP, came out in 2017. 

Condolences and celebrations of Jensen's legacy have been pouring across social media since the news of his passing away broke, with tribtues being paid across the dance music community.