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Junior Walker & The All Stars (Artist Of The Week)

motown and beyond

By 45cellar in Soul Music Articles
Published 15 Jul 2019

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Junior Walker Biography Preview (Wikipedia)

Autry DeWalt Mixon Jr. (June 14, 1931 – November 23, 1995), known professionally as Junior Walker, was an American saxophonist and vocalist who recorded for Motown during the 1960s.

His career started when he developed his own band in the mid-1950s as the Jumping Jacks. His longtime friend and drummer Billy Nicks (1935–2017) formed his own group, the Rhythm Rockers. Periodically, Nicks would sit in on Jumping Jack's shows, and Walker would sit in on the Rhythm Rockers shows.

Nicks obtained a permanent gig at a local TV station in South Bend, Indiana, and asked Walker to join him and keyboard player Fred Patton permanently. Nicks asked Willie Woods (1936–1997), a local singer, to perform with the group; Woods would learn how to play guitar. When Nicks was drafted into the United States Army, Walker convinced the band to move from South Bend to Battle Creek, Michigan.[1] While performing in Benton Harbor, Walker found a drummer, Tony Washington, to replace Nicks. Eventually, Fred Patton left the group, and Victor Thomas stepped in. The original name, The Rhythm Rockers, was changed to The All Stars"l. Walker's style was inspired by jump blues and early R&B, particularly players like Louis Jordan, Earl Bostic, and Illinois Jacquet.

The group was spotted by Johnny Bristol, and he recommended them to Harvey Fuqua, in 1961, who had his own record labels. Once the group started recording on the Harvey label, their name was changed to Jr. Walker All Stars. The name was modified again when Fuqua's labels were taken over by Motown's Berry Gordy, and Jr. Walker & the All Stars became members of the Motown family, recording for their Soul imprint in 1964...

This preview is from Wikipedia, the user-contributed encyclopedia

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Junior Walker & The All Stars Discography (Soulful Kinda Music Link)

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Ian Parker

AWESOME !! Raw and Soulful. saw him live 3 times, loved every minute!

p.s. if anyone has a signed copy of 'How sweet it is' on a SOUL Demo, can i have it back please? mine was nicked from under my nose whilst at the cloakroom desk after a JW gig at Rock City, Nottm , early 80's ! :thumbsup:

I tried to get it signed at Nottm Palais a couple of yrs earlier but he wouldnt do it, this time he did, i was over the moon

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Dean

Dean 368

Posted (edited)

Only got DJ box here at moment, got some nice pic covers elsewhere, will see if I get time to look them out.

Meantime:

Got this signed on sleeve on stage at Wigan, almost fell across stage tripping on wires and falling into Jr. He looked at the lanky English kid and said "Where did you get this?" Think I've got a C90 tape of that gig somewhere.

Still an all-time fav

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Edited by Dean
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45cellar

Only got DJ box here at moment, got some nice pic covers elsewhere, will see if I get time to look them out.

Meantime:

Got this signed on sleeve on stage at Wigan, almost fell across stage tripping on wires and falling into Jr. He looked at the lanky English kid and said "Where did you get this?"

Still an all-time fav

That's a Beauty Mate. :thumbsup:
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Dean

Dean 368

Posted (edited)

Some to enjoy at home, but non-the-less soulful. The 4 set pic later and much funkier but good for when you fancy a change. Way Back Home; "Walk In The Night"; I'm So Glad; Peace and Understanding; Hard Love; Dancin' Like They Do On Soul Train

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post-5677-0-09603700-1309364268_thumb.jp

Edited by Dean
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Tony A

Some to enjoy at home, but non-the-less soulful. The 4 set pic later and much funkier but good for when you fancy a change. Way Back Home; "Walk In The Night"; I'm So Glad; Peace and Understanding; Hard Love; Dancin' Like They Do On Soul Train

Love, way back home, should be played out everywhere. :thumbsup:

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KevH

KevH 3,694

Posted (edited)

Anyone for "Gotta hold on to this feeling"?, "I aint going nowhere"?.

Or off the lp.."Its alright,do what you gotta do"?

Edited by KevH
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Guest Paul

There was only one Junior Walker.

Loads of favourites, including all the classics, but I've always had a soft spot for a couple of tracks from 1971 that don't get mentioned very often:

'RIGHT ON BROTHERS AND SISTERS'

Great song (with nice lyrics by Gladys Knight) from the Rainbow Funk LP and also issued on the flip of a 45.

'ME AND MY FAMILY'

Soulful ballad from the Moody Junior album, not issued as a 45 I don't think.

I had the pleasure to meet Junior once. He was a nice guy, homely and down to earth.

Paul

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Pete Jay

default.jpg2 great tracks from the 1976 album 'HOT SHOT'

Why Cant We Be Lovers

I Need You Right Now (Featuring Thelma Houston)

Edited by Pete Jay
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Windlesoul

I put this up on one of the FB memorabilia forums last week, may be of interest to some here too. Venue contract for a Junior Walker appearance at Sibylla’s, October 1967.

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  • Up vote 2
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Wheelsville1
1 hour ago, 45cellar said:

 

 

I love his later recordings when he was working with Johnny Bristol.These eyes is a cover version which was originally recorded by a Canadian rock group called The Guess Who. Chris.

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Ian Parker
11 minutes ago, Wheelsville1 said:

I love his later recordings when he was working with Johnny Bristol.These eyes is a cover version which was originally recorded by a Canadian rock group called The Guess Who. Chris.

Who we later knew as 'Bachman Turner overdrive'    (Randy Bachman wrote 'These eyes')

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Richard
2 hours ago, Ian Parker said:

Who we later knew as 'Bachman Turner overdrive'    (Randy Bachman wrote 'These eyes')

Here we go pop pickers, let’s rock 😁

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Ian Parker

Nottm Palais

Nottm Rock City

P'Boro Wirrina

Melton 'Painted Lady' 

4 times i had the pleasure of seeing this Legend on stage,  each time, i was literally blown away .    just wonderful to witness so much energy and passion,  from a musician , who can still to this day, fill a dance floor .  

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