Junior Walker Story

Junior Walker Story

Here's an article from Detroit City Limits by Graham Anthony (also has a good record list) who can be contacted at:

103 Buxton Road

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DE 21 4 JN

When Jr.Walker died of cancer on 23rd November 1995, Motown and the World lost it's most unlikely and genuine "stars".Motown who were promoting themselves as "The Sound Of Young America" used to give his date of birth as 1942,but Junior was older and had a legacy as a "Live" act going back to the mid 1950's,long before he cut his first Motown hits. The R+B Chart book gives his date of birth as 14th June 1931 and his given name as Oscar G.Mixon.Usual sources give his name as Autry DeWalt II (Junior) born in 1938 in Blythesville,Arkansas and he took the name Walker either from his step father or his tendency to walk everywhere.

As a child he was in Chicago for a while before settling in South Bend, Indiana .Early influences were Charlie Parker and Boots Randolph after he learned the Saxophone from one loaned by his uncle before his mother bought him one.He perfected his craft on the road with R&B combos The Jumping Jacks and while in St. Louis,The Billy "Sticks" Nix Band.Finally, along with guitarist Willie Woods, he settled in Battle Creek, Michigan where he remained until his death. Legend has it that the band were christened The All Stars after a fan at a live gig enthused that the band were so good, they were all stars! More live work followed and a record contract was secured at Harvey Fuqua's Harvey-Tri Phi label after backing Johnny (Bristol) and Jackey (Beavers) at several gigs around Michigan. Three 45's were issued between 1962-3,"Twist lackawanne", "Cleo's Mood" and "Good rockin" but none charted. Junior's distinctive tenor Sax sound was now well established with his trademark squeal and a hot,cookin' R&B backing from The All Stars.

Harvey Fuqua's labels were swallowed up by the by now growing Motown empire, Junior along with other Harvey acts like Shorty Long joined the Detroit giant and was assigned to the fledgling Soul subsidiary.In 1961 another All Stars group had a release scheduled for release on Motown but there was no connection between those "unknowns" and Junior's band. There was also no connection with The All Stars on Von who had "2-2-5 Special" in the late 50's. Junior's first release in 1964,"Satan's Blues'' failed to chart, but in '65 came the mighty "Shotgun" which blasted its way to #1 R&B and #4 Pop. Another 25 Hot 100 R&B hits, with 11 of them making the Pop top 40,followed.Junior wasn't the greatest of singers or the best Sax player (technically) but he had a unique style all of his own. His hits up until the melancholly of "What does it take to win your love" in '69 were good time Soul made for the dancefloor Junior cut records with a smile even when the Pop/Soul talents of Holland30zier-Holland got in on the act with the more "produced" sound of "I'm a Road Runner" Junior still made it sound as if he was at a party. "Road Runner" became Junior's anthem the lyrics aptly describing what was his life on the road was like, another town, another gig. He must have played it a million times in his "Live" shows but you talk to most who saw him live over the past 30 years and I bet they'd all say he played it like he was enjoying himself.

Most of Junior's early hits didn't fit into the usual Motown mould of well produced Pop/ Soul of The Supremes or Four Tops. They were much more "earthy" in feel with his rough vocal and chunky back-up.Maybe that Is why he never really seemed to be part of the Motown "family" It's said that Junior wasn't that bothered about cutting records, prefering the adrenalin of performing before an audience. By the time of the late 60's and early 7O's Soul music had moved on, becoming less spontanious and more crafted. Still,Junior came up with hits,'What does it take to win your love" being his second #1 R&B hit, swiftly followed up by similar sounding hits. The early 70's saw Junior still up there in the charts with the likes of "Way back home's (now given Social commentary lyrics) and "Take me girl I'm ready'. After the mellow "Disco" sound of "Walk in the night" made #10 R&B in 1972,it was a steady decline chartwise for honkin' horn man.With the slick sounds of Funk bands like Parliament, Ohio Players, Earth Vind and Fire etc dominating the charts and the onslaught of the "Disco Beat" through the rest of the 7O's, Junior's sound became outdated. Although the big hits dried up and Motown lost interest, Junior continued touring and was, as he always had been, very popular in Britain and Europe as well as his homeland. A move to the West Coast and the Whitfield label failed to revive his recording career and he re-joined Motown for his final L.P. "Blow the house down" in 1983.

He was due to have recorded for Ian Levine's Motor City project in the late 80's but I don't think anything was actually cut. He was also absent from the Motown reunion's that Ian Levine promoted, probably due to his live club gigs. Junior will always be remembered for the good-time music he made and though Motown didn't seem to quite accept him into the fold,the public did and can be summed up by a line from Roy Handy's "Baby that's a groove" (Stephanye)...

"We were dancin' to the sound of Junior Walker's SHOTGUN!"

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Posted: 2003/11/3 0:16 Updated: 2003/11/3 0:16

Too Cool

How cool was Jr. Walker? At a cabaret in Philadelphia in 1968 a fist fight broke out while Jr. was playing on the stage. With fist swinging, chairs flying, food being passed like missiles, the man did not miss a beat!!!