Five Stairsteps

The Five Stairsteps, known as "The First Family of Soul" and later "The Invisible Man's Band", were an American Chicago soul group made up of five of Betty and Clarence Burke Sr.'s six children: Alohe Jean, Clarence Jr., James, Dennis, and Kenneth "Keni", and briefly, Cubie. They are best known for the 1970 song "O-o-h Child", listed at number 402 on Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

History

The Chicago group was dubbed "First Family of Soul" because of their successful five-year chart run; the moniker was later passed on to the Jackson 5. Initially a teenage five-member brothers and sister vocal group made up of the children of Betty and Clarence Burke, the Five Stairsteps, named by Mrs. Burke who thought her children looked like stair steps when lined up according to their age, featured lead singer Clarence Jr. (May 25, 1949 – May 26, 2013), Alohe, James, Dennis, and 13-year-old Kenneth ("Keni"). Most of the members attended Harlan High School. Clarence Sr. was a detective for the Chicago Police Department. He backed the group on bass guitar, managed them, and co-wrote songs with Clarence Jr. and Gregory Fowler.

After winning first prize in a talent contest at the Regal Theater, the Five Stairsteps received recording contract offers. A close neighbor and family friend was Fred Cash of the Impressions, who introduced the group to Curtis Mayfield.

In early 1970, the group released their biggest hit, "O-o-h Child" (written by Stan Vincent), The record sold over one million copies, and received a gold disc awarded by the Recording Industry Association of America in August 1970. The B-side of the single, a cover of Lennon–McCartney's "Dear Prudence", charted at number 49 R&B. Both songs were included on the group's 1970 album Stairsteps. Later that year, the group's first compilation, Step by Step by Step, was released. The Five Stairsteps appeared in the 1970 film The Isley Brothers Live at Yankee Stadium, a documentary of a benefit concert filmed at the home of the New York Yankees featuring the Isley Brothers, the Brooklyn Bridge and other Buddah-affiliated artists. The following year, the group resurfaced as The Stairsteps with two charting singles: "Didn't It Look So Easy" and "I Love You-Stop". He was survived by his wife, Crystal, and five children.

Cubie Burke died May 14, 2014, in Smyrna, Georgia, at the age of 49. In addition to his parents and remaining siblings, he was survived by his daughter, DeCoda, and a granddaughter. Speculation was that his death was related to brain trauma, which, according to daughter DeCoda, he had suffered some six years prior.

Dean Gant died April 25, 2020, in an Atlanta area hospital at the age of 67.

Clarence Burke Sr., died on July 16, 2020, the day before his 91st birthday, in an Atlanta area hospital.

James Burke died on February 19, 2021, from pneumonia at age 70.

Discography

Studio albums

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

! rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Album

! colspan="3"| Peak chart positions

! rowspan="2"| Record label

! width="35"|US

! width="35"|US R&B

! width="35"|CAN

| rowspan="1"| 1967

| style="text-align:left;"| The Five Stairsteps

| 139

| —

| rowspan="1"| Windy City

|| 1968

| style="text-align:left;"| Our Family Portrait

| 195

| 20

| —

| rowspan="1"| Buddah Records

| rowspan="1"| 1969

| style="text-align:left;"| Love's Happening

| 198

| —

| rowspan="1"| Curtom Records

| rowspan="2"| 1970

| style="text-align:left;"| Stairsteps

| 83

| 12

| —

| rowspan="3"| Buddah Records

| style="text-align:left;"| Step by Step by Step

| 199

| —

| rowspan="1"| 1971

| style="text-align:left;"| The Stairsteps

| —

| rowspan="1"| 1976

| style="text-align:left;"| 2nd Resurrection

| —

| rowspan="1"| Dark Horse

| colspan="9" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart.

As the "Invisible Man's Band"

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

! rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Album

! colspan="3"| Peak chart positions

! rowspan="2"| Record label

! width="35"|US

! width="35"|US R&B

! width="35"|CAN

| rowspan="1"| 1980

| style="text-align:left;"| Invisible Man's Band

| 90

| 19

| —

| rowspan="1"| Island Records

| rowspan="1"|1981

| style="text-align:left;"| Really Wanna See You

| —

| rowspan="1"| southside Records

| colspan="9" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Singles

{| class="wikitable"

! rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Title

! colspan="4"| Peak chart positions

! width="35"|US Pop

! width="35"|US R&B