Keni Burke | |
|---|---|
 Burke at the National R&B Music Society Awards Ceremony in 2022 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kenneth M. Burke |
| Born | (1951-09-28)September 28, 1951 (age 73) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | R&B,soul,funk |
| Occupation(s) | Musiciansongwriter,record producer |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, bass guitar, keyboardsbass guitar |
| Years active | 1966–present |
| Labels | Buddah,Dark Horse,RCA,Expansion |
Kenneth M. "Keni" Burke (born September 28, 1951)[1][2] is an American singer, songwriter,record producer, and multi-instrumentalist.
He began his career with four siblings in the 1970s band theFive Stairsteps.[2]
As a member of the Five Stairsteps, Burke wrote the group's first minor hit "You Waited Too Long" in 1966, but the group would see their biggest success with the million-selling song "Ooh Child" in 1970. The group went on to sign withGeorge Harrison'sDark Horse Records in 1975, and had their next hit with the Burke-penned "From Us to You", from their 1976 album2nd Resurrection. The group reemerged for two albums as the Invisible Man's Band but disbanded soon after.[2]
Skilled as aguitarist andbassist, Burke continued to work for the Dark Horse label as a session musician, while burgeoning a solo career of his own. In 1977, he released his self-titled debut album, which featured the songs "Keep on Singing", "Give All You Can Give", and "From Me to You".[2]
During this period he contributed instrumentation to songs by a diverse range of artists such asSly & the Family Stone,Natalie Cole,Billy Preston,Terry Callier,Curtis Mayfield,Bill Withers,Dusty Springfield,Diana Ross, andGladys Knight.[1]
In 1981, Burke released his self-produced follow-up solo album,You're the Best, but it was his third album,Changes, which appeared the following year, that made a more significant impact.[2] This album included the singles "Hang Tight" and his signature hit "Risin' to the Top," a big success in Chicago.[2] The latter song has become a popular sampling choice forhip hop artists, having been borrowed by artists such asDoug E Fresh ("Keep Risin to the Top"),Big Daddy Kane ("Smooth Operator"),LL Cool J featuring Amerie ("Paradise"),Pete Rock & CL Smooth ("Take You There"),Mary J. Blige ("Love No Limit"),O.C. ("Born 2 Live"), andSean Price ("Sabado Gigante"), though a lot of these songs have been mistakenly thought to use the bass line from the 1983 song "All Night Long" by theMary Jane Girls.[1] In 2006, "Rising to the Top" appeared in the soundtrack for thevideo gameGrand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, on fictional radio stationVice City for Lovers.[3]
Throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, Burke continued his session and production work for artists such asPeabo Bryson,The O'Jays,The Jones Girls andKeith Sweat, and in 1998 released his last album to dateNothin' but Love, containing the hit "Indigenous Love", which was popular in theUnited Kingdom via theExpansion Records Label.[2]
On April 3, 2022, Burke received a Lifetime Achievement Award from The National Rhythm and Blues Music Society at The Claridge Hotel, in Atlantic City, NJ.[4]
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Dance [5] | US R&B [5] | UK [6] | ||
| 1977 | "Shuffle" | — | — | ― |
| "Keep on Singing" | — | — | ― | |
| 1981 | "Let Somebody Love You" | 40 | 66 | 59 |
| "You're the Best" | ― | ― | ― | |
| 1982 | "Risin' to the Top" | — | 63 | 70 |
| "Can't Get Enough" | — | ― | — | |
| "Shakin'" | ― | — | ― | |
| "Hang Tight" | ― | — | ― | |
| 1998 | "I Need Your Love" | ― | ― | ― |
| 2003 | "(Love Is) Alive in My Heart" | ― | ― | ― |
| 2011 | "So Real" | ― | ― | ― |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | ||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |