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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZWALKER, Junior(b Autry DeWalt Jr, '42, Blytheville; AR; d 23 Nov. '95, Battle Creek MI) R&B alto sax; bandleader. Early infl. incl. Illinois Jacquet, Earl Bostic; played in local Jumping Jacks, later Stix Nix; by early '60s he lived in Battle Creek, formed the All Stars (a minor exaggeration) with Vic Thomas on keyboards, Willie Woods on guitar, James Graves on drums; Johnny Bristol recommended them to Harvey Fuqua, then running his own Harvey label but soon absorbed by Motown; Junior Walker and the All Stars were issued on subsidiary Soul in USA, had 21 Hot 100 entries in US charts '65--72, many instrumentals (though Junior also sang). Biggest were the first, 'Shotgun', and 'What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)' '69, both no. 4; also 'How Sweet It Is' and 'Road Runner' '66, 'These Eyes' '69, all top 20; also six top 40 hits in UK on Tamla/Motown. The good-time music was an echo of the jump bands of the late '40s and made many a packed house happy; later hits were often ballads, sometimes with strings. Ten hit LPs in USA incl. instrumental Soul Session '66; Greatest Hits '69 reached top 50. He still toured '80s, sometimes with son Autry DeWalt III on drums. |