James Burke, Five Stairsteps Singer Who Crooned ‘O-o-h Child,’ Dead at 70
James Burke, a member of the classic Chicago soul group the Five Stairsteps died last Friday, February 19th. He was 70. Burke’s brother and bandmate, Dennis Burke, confirmed James’ death to Rolling Stone, adding that the cause was pneumonia but unrelated to Covid-19 complications.
Formed in the mid-1960s, the Five Stairsteps scored a string of hits, including their 1970 classic “O-o-h Child,” to earn the moniker, “the First Family of Soul.” Burke family patriarch, Clarence Burke, Sr., a former Chicago police detective, formed and managed the group, which consisted of his four sons, Clarence Jr., James, Dennis and Keni, and daughter, Alohe. The band’s name came from their mother, Betty, who said her children resembled a staircase when lined-up by age and height.
Dennis remembered James as “very creative” — a guitarist, songwriter and singer, who, along with Clarence Jr., served as the anchor of the Five Stairsteps. “They really had a focus on the music that helped to bring us all together into the industry,” he said.
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James Burke, Five Stairsteps Singer, Dead at 70 - Rolling Stone
