From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Fri Jun 14, 2002  1:48 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Junior Walker
 
JUNIOR WALKER

Born Autry DeWalt Mixon, 14 June 1931, Blythesville, Arkansas
Died 23 November 1995, Battle Creek, Michigan

Saxophonist / vocalist / bandleader
Born in Arkansas, Junior Walker grew up in South Bend, Indiana. It was there
while in high school where he took up the sax and picked up his nickname.
Inspired by Louis Jordan, Walker fell in love with the saxophone. Soon after
graduating high school he turned professional and played in local jazz and
R&B clubs. Moving to Battle Creek, Michigan in the late '50s he formed
Junior Walker and The All Stars. The group consisted of Junior Walker, sax,
vocals; Vic Thomas, keyboards; Willie Woods, guitar; James Graves, drums.
While playing the local club circuit the following year the group was spotted
by Johnny Bristol. Bristol recommended them to Harvey Fuqua, who signed
them to his own Harvey label. Fuqua's Tri-Phi and Harvey labels were taken
over by Motown Records in 1963, and Junior Walker and the All-Stars began
recording for the subsidiary label Soul in 1964. Their first hit was also their
biggest: "Shotgun" went to # 4 pop and # 1 R&B in early 1965. Next came a
string of party hits that included "Do the Boomerang", "Shake and Fingerpop"
"Road Runner" and "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)". With Walker
singing, The All Stars had success with "What Does It Take (To Win Your
Love)" (# 4 pop, # 1 R&B) and "These Eyes" (# 16 pop, # 3 R&B) in 1969,
followed by several other hits 1970-72. Walker continued recording in the '70s,
including a stint with ex-Motown producer writer Norman Whitfield's label in
1979, but was never as commercially successful as he had been with Motown.
He provided the saxophone solo for Foreigner's 1981 hit "Urgent" and re-signed
with Motown in 1983. Junior Walker and The All-Stars toured into the '90s
until Walker died of cancer at the age of 64.

CD: The Ultimate Collection (Motown, 25 tracks)