ABOUT
The Five Stairsteps were a highly acclaimed family soul group from Chicago, Illinois that became famous during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Best known for the uplifting soft soul classic, "O-o-h Child" (1970), other top hits include "World Of Fantasy" (1966) and "All Night Thing" (1980, as The Invisible Man's Band).
Formed in 1965 while all members were still in their teens, the lineup consisted of brothers Clarence Jr., Dennis, Kenneth, and James Burke (September 19, 1950 - February 19, 2021) and sister Alohe Jean, who were joined briefly by their younger brother Cubie during the late 1960s. Led by Clarence Burke Jr. (May 25, 1949 - May 26, 2013), they were produced by Curtis Mayfield and managed by their father Clarence Sr. who also played backing bass and served as one of the group's songwriters. The Five Stairsteps got their name from their mother who thought they looked like stairsteps when they lined up according to their age. In 1978, they renamed themselves The Invisible Man's Band and disbanded in 1983. Their signature song, "O-o-h Child," is included in Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
LINKS
- Rolling Stone remembers James Burke.
- Billboard remembers Five Stairsteps lead singer Clarence Burke, Jr.
SHOP EXCLUSIVE RECORDINGS FOR THE FIVE STAIRSTEPS
Disclosure: The following links will take you to various online merchants outside of allbutforgottenoldies.net that sell recordings and other merchandise for the performing artist featured on this page. Please note that these are referral or affiliate links from which allbutforgottenoldies.net may receive, at no additional cost to you, a commission if you should make any purchases through them.
- The Five Stairsteps - CDs, vinyl, & more - Amazon.com
- The Five Stairsteps - Digital music - Amazon.com
- The Five Stairsteps - Rare vinyl, CDs, & more - MusicStack.com
SONGS
To listen to a song clip, click any song title that has a speaker icon. This will take you to a list of links to CD and/or MP3 product pages from one or more online merchants that have sound samples.
The Five Stairsteps
- O-o-h Child 1970
(This song later also became a hit for Dino (1993).)
Previous Artist | Next Artist