Sail on Papa Stairstep
In loving memory of Clarence Burke, Sr, 1929-2020. (Photo courtesy of Keni Burke)
Clarence Burke, Sr., the beloved patriarch of Chicago’s Five Stairsteps soul and rock group died on July 16, following a seizure in an Atlanta area hospital. He would have turned 91 on July 17.
I interviewed Mr. Burke in late June for a New City magazine article celebrating the 50th anniversary of the group’s biggest hit, “O-o-h Child.” A couple of days after our conversation he fell in his home and suffered a fractured hip. When I heard that news I recalled the satisfied, empathetic tones in Mr. Burke’s voice. He ended our interview by talking about the pleasures of raising, performing, and managing his children—and serving as a decorated member of the Chicago Police Department.
“More than God’s will” were his last words to me.
Mr. Burke was born in Chicago. His father James Marcellus Burke, Sr. was a bootlegger who became a Pullman train porter and later in life worked at the Palmer House hotel in downtown Chicago. Mr. Burke’s mother Florence was a homemaker. Mr. Burke was raised on the south side and was a CTA streetcar driver before becoming a cop. His late brother Marcellus Burke was also a Chicago policeman.
In 1967 Mr. Burke appeared on the “To Tell The Truth” quiz show to stump the panelists on who was the real Chicago detective who also managed his family band. The Five Stairsteps also performed live in what was their first national television appearance. “My dad was a policeman and his discipline was from the old school,” his son Keni Burke said on July 17. “Love, respect, and family was everything. That is how he treated everyone he knew.”
“You also have to take into consideration that we were in the late 1960s love movement. So he was out there hanging with us, wearing the mod clothes and the bell-bottoms. Oh, he was hip. He learned how to play bass in about three months. He wasn’t like a session bass guy but he started going on tour with us as our (manager) and bassist. What you heard in June was how he was his whole life. He loved people.”
Services are pending. They will be private.
Here is the link to my full “O-o-h Child” tribute with pictures and video.
This marks a chapter in all our lives for those of us that grew up with the family listening to their music . My deepest condolences go out to the entire family,.Papa Stairstep left a legacy and he was cool 😎. May he Rest In Peace .🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽😔😔❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thanks so much for reading and writing, Robin.
Brilliant tribute to one of music’s great patriarchs. Mr. Burke Sr. will be sadly missed.
Thanks for reading this, Kevin.
My condolences to the family of “Papa Stairstep” Clarence Burke, Sr. His sons and one daughter..made up one of Chicago’s finest family groups. For true Five Stairstep fans, “O-o-h Child” isn’t the only song that exemplified the group’s greatness. Rest well Mr. Burke; you gave us a musical family that remains in our hearts to this day.
Growing up in Chicago all my life, this group was one of my favorites. RIP Mr. Burke Sr.
I remember Mr. Burke from when I lived on 91st street in Chicago. Mr. Burke had a great sense of humor, and was always fun to be around.