THE FIVE STAIRSTEPS
The Five Stairsteps made the Billboard Hot 100 fifteen times but only once cracked the top forty.
The Chicago-based group consisted of the sons and daughter of Betty and Clarence Burke: Alohe Jean, Clarence, Jr., James, Dennis, Kenneth A/K/A “Keni,” and (briefly) Cubie. They were known as the “First Family of Soul,” though the moniker was latter passed on to the Jackson Five. Clarence Burke, Sr., was a detective with the Chicago Police Department. He backed his kids on bass guitar, co-wrote their songs with Clarence, Jr. and Gregory Fowler, and managed the group. They called themselves the Five Stairsteps because when they stood from tallest to shortest, it implied a staircase.
After they won first prize in a talent contest at the Regal Theater, the Five Stairsteps received offers for recording contracts. Fred Cash of the Impressions was a friend of the Burke family and introduced them to Curtis Mayfield. They signed with Mayfield’s Windy City Records, which was distributed by Cameo/Parkway. The group’s 1966 debut release was a Gregory Fowler song, “You Waited Too Long.” It peaked at #16 on the Billboard Rhythm & Blues chart and grazed the Hot 100 at #94.
In 1967, Cameo/Parkway went out of business. From then on, the Stairsteps’ recordings were distributed by Buddah Records. Their second album, Family Portrait, was produced by Clarence, Jr. They often toured with the Impressions.
In the spring of 1970, the group released their signature hit, “O-o-h Child.” It reached #14 on the Soul chart and did even better in the pop market, hitting #8. The record sold over one million copies and received a gold disc from the Recording Industry Association of America. It also was the Stairsteps’ only single to climb higher than #49 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Also in 1970, the group appeared in the concert film, The Isley Brothers Live at Yankee Stadium, along with other Buddah affiliated acts. By 1971, they had dropped the “Five” from their name and started calling themselves the Stairsteps. Alohe Burke left the group in 1972 to begin a spiritual journey. She also attended college at Emory University.
In 1976, Billy Preston introduced the Stairsteps to George Harrison, who signed them to his Dark Horse label. Their album Second Resurrection spawned the single “From Us to You,” their biggest hit since “O-o-h Child.” It was was co-written by Clarence, Jr., and Keni Burke.
The Stairsteps had broken up by 1977, but Keni Burke stayed on as a solo act with Dark Horse. He self-produced his first LP, Keni Burke. He also became an in-demand session bassist and joined Bill Withers’ band. Burke co-produced Withers’ album, Menagerie, which included the single “Lovely Day.”
In 1978, Clarence, Jr., teamed up with the New York-based producer Alex Masucci to form a new group, the Invisible Man’s Band. Their 1980 single, “All Night Thing,” reached #9 on the Soul chart and #45 pop.
Cubie, the youngest Burke child, never really sang with the group. He did, however, grow up to be a popular dancer with the Dance Theater of Harlem and other troupes. Cubie died on May 14, 2014, at age forty-nine.
In 1993, a remake of “O-o-h Child” by Dino reached #27 on the Billboard Hot 100. Other remakes include the Spinners, Nine Simone, Dusty Springfield, New Birth, the Edwin Hawkins Singers, Richie Havens, Dee Dee Sharp, Mary Wilson, Ramsey Lewis, Hall & Oates, Trey Anastasio, Janet Jackson, Lisa Loeb, and Jill Sobule. In December 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked “O-o-h Child” at #402 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Clarence Burke, Jr., died on May 26, 2013, just one day after his 64th birthday. Clarence Burke, Sr., died on July 16, 2020, just one day before his 91st birthday. And James Burke, 70, died of pneumonia on February 19, 2021.
Charted singles:
“You Waited Too Long” (1966) R&B #16, Pop #94
“World of Fantasy” (1966) R&B #12, Pop #49
“Come Back” (1966) R&B #15, Pop #61
“Danger! She’s a Stranger” (1967) R&B #16, Pop #89
“Ain’t Gonna Rest (Till I Get You)” (1967) R&B #37, Pop #87
“Oooh, Baby Baby” (1967) R&B #34, Pop #63
“Something’s Missing” (1968) R&B #17, Pop #88
“A Million to One” (1968) R&B #28, Pop #68
“Don’t Change Your Love” (1969) R&B #15, Pop #59
“Baby, Make Me Feel So Good” (1968) R&B #12, Pop #101
“Stay Close to Me” (1968) Pop #91
“We Must Be in Love” (1969) R&B #17, Pop #88
“Because I Love You” (1970) Pop #83
“O-o-h Child” (1970) R&B #14, Pop #8
“Dear Prudence” (1970) R&B #49, Pop #66
“Didn’t It Look So Easy” (1971) R&B #32, Pop #81
“I Love You—Stop” (1972) R&B #40, Pop #115
“From Us to You” (1976) R&B #10, Pop #102
“All Night Thing” (as the Invisible Man’s Band, 1980) R&B #9, Pop #45
