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Washington D.C. house DJ, Sam ‘The Man’ Burns, has died, aged 63

One of the leading lights of "disco's revenge" in the US capital has passed away

Washington D.C. house DJ, Sam ‘The Man’ Burns, has died, aged 63. 

The sad news broke on Saturday 7th March with a report by Chris Richards, music critic at The Washington Post, paying homage to one of the city's most significant players. This was followed by a heartfelt tribute piece in the same publication yesterday. 

Burns had played a pivotal role in the US capital's house music scene since getting his first break — standing in for an absent resident DJ at the Chapter II nightclub circa 1978. Over the subsequent decades he would grace booths at spots such as the Roxy, Dragonfly, 18th Street Lounge, U Street Music Hall, Ritz, Tracks, the Insect Club, State of the Union and Red, to name but a few, commanding a huge level of respect from fans and peers alike for his ability to play and understanding of the sound he termed "disco's revenge". 

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help his friends and family raise money for funeral costs.