Allen Burke
R&B, Funk Singer, Keyboardist, & Arranger
Inducted into the Indianapolis Jazz Hall of Fame in 2011
Allen “Turk” Burke
(June 14, 1949 – Present)
Allen “Turk” Burke is an Indianapolis singer, keyboardist, and arranger with a fascinating career in music on both the local and national stage. A graduate of Indy's Shortridge High School, Burke played keyboards and sang with a variety of Indy bands that played a mixture of R & B and funk in the 1970s. Among his bands were Black Magic, Fresh, and Fingers.
Burke worked as music director for twenty-three years with the long-running Spinners, for whom he arranged, played keyboards, and provided back-up vocals. He has also performed with Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, Dionne Warwick, the Drifters, and Pattie Labelle. After retiring from touring with the Spinners in 2002, Burke returned to Indianapolis where he became the Director of Music Ministry at Speedway United Methodist Church as well as performing locally for the Souled Out Band and others.
