Ears To The House is saddened to learn that Jesse Saunders, quite possibly the first person to release a house track on vinyl, has had what we understand to be “a major stroke”. Two sources in Chicago have confirmed the news to us today.

We understand that Saunders, who celebrated his 60th birthday back in March, was hospitalised at the start of the week – and it’s now been confirmed he’s had a large stroke. Further details are sketchy at the moment, but The Chosen Few DJs – of whom Saunders was the second member after being invited to join by founder Wayne Williams – have revealed he’s “likely [to face] a long and difficult rehab”.

We’ll come back to this when we know more. In the meantime, the entire Ears To The House team sends our love to Jesse Saunders’s friends and family at this time.