Talk about a return from an extended hiatus. This entry comes to you after a period of reflection. I hope it marks my return to this form of expression...we shall see. In the meantime, I must talk about my friend, Sam 'The Man' Burns.
On Saturday, March 7, 2020, I received the heartbreaking news that my longtime friend, mentor, and fellow music lover, Sam ' The Man' Burns, had transitioned into heavenly heights. This dreadful news sparked sadness and countless dedications from fellow DJs and devoted followers all over the city and world. I found myself in a deep reflection of his influence and spirit. Most of all, I thought about how he had enriched my life, through his humor, music knowledge, and overall, wisdom. Sam brought extra life and enthusiasm to this thing we call House Music. He was Washington DC's own Godfather of House. Yes, Chicago had its beloved Frankie Knuckles, but DC had Sam Burns. For over four decades he was a fixture, banging ear-catching tracks to those eager to hear and dance, all over The District.
My friendship with Sam extended back into the early nineties when I would visit DC. I met him while purchasing records at Twelve Inch Dance Records, where he worked. Twelve Inch was the haven, that destination for DJs in Washington DC and THE place to get the latest in music, more specifically House music. After admiring my selected stack of records to purchase, he enthusiastically began to suggest even more gems that I had missed. From that day on, every time I visited Twelve Inch, it was like a family reunion. Sam would immediately lead me through the store, pushing records into my hands. He was always eager to answer my questions and always knew the songs I would attempt to sing...lol. He just became a big brother to me and when I shared one of my mixes with him, our bond seemed to strengthen even more. Every meeting picked up from the last one.
When I made the move to Washington DC in 2002, I was super excited to finally get to experience the city's House Music culture. DC had mad flavor then and there were multiple places one could go, during the week, to get a House fix. Around this time, Sam presented Soul Solution at a place called Red. THIS spot became home for me every Sunday night! I would leave there every Monday morning with a list of songs to purchase later in the week, armed with stronger motivation to continue honing my mixing skills. I guess you could say that I was on my grind to be heard as a DJ too and Sam inspired that. I would play at various events around the city. Sam would always provide continuous encouragement, emphasizing my ear as a gift. I truly appreciated that. When Sam started playing at Eighteen Street Lounge (ESL) he invited me to play an opening set. I will never forget that experience, which was exciting and enlightening all at once! Sam was always so giving of his time and energy to the extent that it seemed he knew no strangers.
Sam 'The Man' Burns will always remain my big brother ambassador to the culture. Memories of his residencies at ESL, Red, and the DC Sanctuary will remain in my heart. I will miss the feeling I'd get when he would drop the beat of a banging tune or how he made my belly ache with laughter from one of his outbursts. I will also miss hearing his perspective on worldly events, (I can only imagine what he would say about this COVID-19 situation). He was just a memorable kind of guy that people looked up to. I will continue to honor his memory and will do my best to continue bringing people together through music.
Much respect to you, my friend. A job well done. Rest well.
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