Keni Burke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Keni Burke
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Burke at the National R&B Music Society Awards Ceremony in 2022
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kenneth M. Burke |
| Born | September 28, 1951 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | R&B, soul, funk |
| Occupation(s) | Musician songwriter, record producer |
| Instruments | Guitar, bass guitar, keyboards bass guitar |
| Years active | 1966–present |
| Labels | Buddah, Dark Horse, RCA, Expansion |
| Associated acts | Five Stairsteps |
Kenneth M. "Keni" Burke (born September 28, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter, and music producer. He also plays many instruments, like the guitar and bass guitar.
Keni started his music journey with his four siblings in a band called the Five Stairsteps in the 1970s.
Contents
Keni Burke's Music Journey
Starting with the Five Stairsteps
Keni Burke was an important part of the band the Five Stairsteps. He wrote their first small hit song, "You Waited Too Long," in 1966. The band became very famous with their huge hit song "Ooh Child" in 1970. This song sold over a million copies!
Later, in 1975, the group signed with George Harrison's record company, Dark Horse Records. George Harrison was a member of the famous band The Beatles. Keni wrote another hit song for the group called "From Us to You." This song was on their 1976 album, 2nd Resurrection. The band later changed their name to the Invisible Man's Band for two albums, but they stopped playing together soon after.
Solo Music and Helping Other Artists
Keni Burke is very good at playing the guitar and bass. After the Five Stairsteps, he kept working for Dark Horse Records. He became a session musician. This means he played instruments on songs for other artists in the recording studio.
In 1977, Keni released his first solo album, also called Keni Burke. It included songs like "Keep on Singing." He played instruments for many different famous artists during this time. Some of them were Sly & the Family Stone, Natalie Cole, and Diana Ross.
In 1981, Keni released his second solo album, You're the Best. But his third album, Changes, released in 1982, became very popular. This album had his most famous song, "Risin' to the Top." This song was a big hit, especially in Chicago.
"Risin' to the Top" and Sampling
"Risin' to the Top" became very popular for sampling in hip hop songs. Sampling is when artists take a small part of an old song and use it in their new song. Many famous hip hop artists have used parts of "Risin' to the Top." These include LL Cool J, Mary J. Blige, and Big Daddy Kane. Sometimes, people mistakenly thought the bass line from "Risin' to the Top" came from a different song.
In 2006, "Risin' to the Top" was even featured in the soundtrack for the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. You could hear it on a fictional radio station in the game.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Keni Burke continued to play for and produce music for other artists. Some of these artists were Peabo Bryson and Keith Sweat. In 1998, he released his latest album, Nothin' but Love. This album had a popular song called "Indigenous Love" in the United Kingdom.
On April 3, 2022, Keni Burke received a special award. The National Rhythm and Blues Music Society gave him a Lifetime Achievement Award. This award honored his long and successful career in music.
Keni Burke's Albums
- See also Five Stairsteps discography
Studio Albums
- Keni Burke (1977)
- You're the Best (1981)
- Changes (1982)
- Nothin' but Love (1998)
