Sam Chatman, DJ known as the Godfather of Steppin', dies at 85

Popular disc jockey Sam Chatman was known as the Godfather of Steppin' because he coined the term that summed up the popular dance genre that was born in Chicago.

Its distinctive flow involves dance partners separating and then smoothly walking or spinning back to each other.

The dance evolved from Bopping, and Mr. Chatman, after seeing his friend add the smooth boomerang element at a West Side club one night in the '70s, exclaimed his approval by stating "Step on!"

Steppin' became a style of its own and grew a wide fan base around Chicago and the country. It experienced a rebirth in the early 2000s with popular music pointing back to the classic style.

"It's sort of a ballroom type dance with a twist to it," said Mr. Chatman's son Marlon Chatman.

Mr. Chatman began spinning at parties as an underclassman at Crane High School and continued after he graduated and began working for the CTA as a bus driver.

He promoted his DJ sets by leaving flyers on the seats of the bus he drove.

"One day his supervisor told him 'I heard what you're doing, and you need to stop or you're going to get fired,'" recalled Mr. Chatman's daughter Samantha Chatman, a news anchor and investigative reporter with ABC 7 Chicago.

"He told her 'I'll make you a deal, I'll give you VIP to all my parties if you let this slide.' And she agreed," Mr. Chatman's daughter said.

Mr. Chatman continued to DJ after retiring from the CTA and even live streamed sets during the pandemic.

"I wanted him to slow down a bit as he got older, but he was like 'Why would I stop doing what I love?' And how can you argue with that?" his daughter said.

Mr. Chatman died Oct. 22 from natural causes. He was 85.

He performed a DJ set the week before he passed away.

"He was a very gentle and kind spirit," his daughter said.

Steppin' music ranges from The Temptations to Luther Vandross and Michael Jackson and hip-hop.

Mr. Chatman's encouraging tagline to his audience was always "Let's go to work."

He believed in being "steppers sharp" with natty suits and spit shine shoes.

Samantha Chatman recalled participating in a fraternity pageant while attending the University of Illinois and inviting her father to come.

"I said 'Dad, maybe wear an orange tie' because it's the school color. He wore an orange suit instead. And I look out in the audience, and my eyes just go wide, and and then I look at my mom and I'm like 'How could you let him? You've got to be kidding me.' But I should have known," she recalled with a laugh.

She planned to attend the Soul Train Music Awards in Chicago on Nov. 27 with her dad as her date.

"I don't know if I can bear to go," she said. "I am very crushed. This is the worst heartache I've ever felt. He was so excited to go."

Mr. Chatman put a microphone in his daughter's hand at a young age. He encouraged her to take on emcee duties at free Halloween parties he hosted at a South Side venue for kids to have a safe place to eat, munch candy and dance.

"He'd tell me things like 'Look at the audience, hold the microphone like this, don't bite your tongue,'" she said.

Mr. Chatman, who lived in the South Suburbs in recent years, was also a monster Bears fan.

"He did not play when it came to the Bears, and like many, they dictated his mood for the day," she said.

"He was such a nice man. That's the biggest thing I can say about him. He wanted others to feel special and connected," she said.

In addition to his son and daughter, Mr. Chatman is survived by his wife, Eva Chatman; his daughters Cynthia Stewart, Rita Chatman, Donna Fuller and Kyra Chatman; his son Kevin Gore; and multiple grandchildren and great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son Keith Gore.

A visitation will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Leak and Sons Funeral Home at 18400 S. Pulaski Road, Country Club Hills. A wake will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday at House of Hope, 752 E. 114th St., Chicago, with a celebration of life to follow at 11 a.m.