Neal Howard was a techno/house music DJ and producer from Chicago, Illinois. He began DJing in the 1980s and became known for his hit track "The Gathering" in 1988. He released several other tracks and remixes throughout the 1990s, but ultimately retired from music in the early 2000s. Despite his relatively short discography, Howard is remembered as a pioneer of the Chicago techno scene and a key figure in the development of early house music.