James Burke, who along with his siblings rose from obscurity to the pop charts, has died at the age of 70 on Feb. 19. The official cause was listed as pneumonia.
A triple threat as a guitarist, singer, and songwriter, he and his brothers Clarence Jr., Dennis and Keni, along with sister, Alohe made up the “Five Stairsteps,” while building up a loyal following among soul music fans in mid to late 1960 Chicago.
Their father, Clarence Burke, Sr., built up a formidable “rep” as a legendary policeman fighting crime on the notorious South side (another Black cop who traded in his badge for musical success was impresario Don Cornelius of “Soul Train” fame), before retiring to shape his talented offspring into a successful vocal group at talent shows throughout the area (on one memorable night they bested another sibling group called “The Jackson Five”).
Abetted by fellow Chicagoan Curtis Mayfield of The Impressions, they scored their most memorable hit “O-h-h Child,” in 1970. The song has gone on to be included in the soundtracks of motion pictures “Boys n the Hood,” “Crooklyn,” and “Guardians of the Galaxy,” and sampled by rappers 2Pac, Curren$y, and De La Soul. During the Democratic Convention last August, the tune was included in a segment about the early relationship of Joe And Jill Biden.
Equally talented as a visual artist, James Burke honed his skills at that city’s esteemed Art Institute of Chicago.
Burke was preceded in death by his father, Clarence Sr., last August, and his brother Clarence, in 2013, who served as the group’s choreographer and lead singer.
For more on this music making family, go to their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/clarenceburkejr/.
