In the vibrant soul music scene of Chicago during the 1960s and ’70s, one name resonates deeply with the eras’ biggest stars — that of Charles Stepney. Known for his innovative production, composition, and arranging skills, Stepney was pivotal to the success of artists such as Earth, Wind & Fire and Minnie Riperton.
Despite crafting hit songs like Earth, Wind & Fire’s “That’s the Way of the World” and “Reasons,” as well as Riperton’s iconic “Les Fleurs,” Stepney’s contributions remained relatively unrecognized in Chicago after his untimely passing in 1976, when he was just 45.
His daughter, Charlene Stepney, reflects on this glaring oversight, stating, “As the kids say, he never got the flowers that he was supposed to get.”
However, efforts to change this narrative are well underway, thanks to Charlene and her sisters, Eibur and Chanté Stepney. Together, they’ve embarked on a mission to shed light on their father’s extensive catalog and legacy.
Their initiatives culminated in the release of a 2022 album titled “Step on Step,” featuring demos and experimental music that Stepney created in the basement studio of their family’s South Side home. In addition, the sisters established a band called Rotary Connection 222, which draws inspiration from Stepney’s original band, Rotary Connection, instrumental in launching Riperton’s career.
With Chicago musician and bandleader Junius Paul’s help, Rotary Connection 222 made waves by headlining a concert at Millennium Park in 2022, showcasing a diverse array of musicians, some of whom are family members of the Stepneys.
Stepney’s legacy continues to thrive, with a recent collaboration emerging in 2023 with Chicago house music DJ and producer Terry Hunter. The reimagined track “You Make Me High,” featuring renowned session vocalist Kitty Haywood, showcases a contemporary adaptation of Stepney’s artistry.
This summer, the Stepney sisters are set to appear at the We Out Here festival in England, further highlighting their father’s enduring influence in the music industry.
In a tribute to Stepney’s legacy, two significant events are scheduled this month at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art. On July 22, a quartet rendition of Rotary Connection 222 will perform for the museum’s Tuesdays on the Terrace series. This will be followed by a conversation on July 27, featuring the sisters in dialogue with DJ and music historian Duane Powell, diving into their father’s profound impact on music.
Laura Paige Kyber, an MCA assistant curator, expressed the combined nature of these events, saying, “It’s part performance, part talk. It’s a lovely way to explore what’s behind the music that we listen to.”
Kyber notes that for some attendees, the music may evoke fond memories, while for others, it offers a unique opportunity to discover more about Chicago’s rich music history and its contributions to the national landscape.
Duane Powell, who grew up influenced by Stepney’s work, shares how it wasn’t until the 1990s, while listening to groups like 4hero that sampled his music, that he fully grasped the extent of Stepney’s impact on various musical genres. Stepney’s work has been extensively sampled over the years, with notable tracks like the Rotary Connection song “Memory Band” appearing in A Tribe Called Quest’s “Bonita Applebum” and The Fugees’ “Killing Me Softly With His Song.” Furthermore, “Les Fleurs” has found new audiences through samples by Jurassic 5 and Nelly Furtado.
Powell states the emotional resonance of Stepney’s music, saying, “His music was just so lush and full of all the things I love. It opened up my imagination. I could just close my eyes, and I’m everywhere.”
For Charlene Stepney, the revival of the Rotary Connection serves as a long-held dream. She reflects on the purpose behind their efforts, saying, “We want to see more music like what Dad produced.” The sisters feel that while other groups like Incognito and 4hero incorporated Stepney’s sound into their music, they are uniquely positioned to represent it authentically and elevate it further.
Chanté Stepney highlights their collaboration with Terry Hunter as an important step in bringing the essence of Stepney’s music into the modern era. “We were able to redo it with Terry Hunter as a house track, and that was important to me as a ‘house head.'”
“The track is buzzing. It is really buzzing,” Powell affirms, sharing that he has witnessed the electrifying response on dance floors.
The journey to digitizing 90 reels of Stepney’s music and bringing it back into the spotlight has been a labor of love for the sisters, funded by what they call their “reel angel,” a well-known celebrity who prefers to remain unnamed. This undertaking has, without a doubt, brought the sisters emotional fulfillment as they navigate their father’s artistic legacy.
Charlene Stepney describes their emotional journey, stating, “It’s been super emotional, because for so many years we have been trying to do something with it.” Eibur Stepney-Manuel adds that transforming this labor into a celebration has helped to mitigate past pain.
While Stepney’s name has gained appreciation globally, especially in the United Kingdom, the sisters are witnessing a renewal of recognition within Chicago, where their father created his art. “We are called a little bit more often,” Charlene Stepney notes, expressing pride in the cyclical acknowledgment of their father’s legacy coming back home to Chicago. “To circle the world and come back here feels pretty special.”
image source from：wbez
