Jr. Walker & The All Stars is tagged as: soul, motown, funk, 60s, rhythm and blues Walker was either born Autry DeWalt II or re-christened such following an earlier name, Oscar G. Mixon, on June 14, 1931. Although he mastered the crawl and the toddle, “Junior Walker” got that moniker not from frequent roaming but from his father, Roosevelt Walker.|Still, after his family moved from Blytheville, Arkansas to South Bend, Indiana, people started noticing his special rhythms. In his new home, he could pursue his lifelong specialty: music. With his trusty tenor saxophone, Junior Walker blew through high school and nearby R&B and jazz clubs with the Jumping Jacks. Yet he wasn’t so focused on a straight-ahead path that he couldn’t stop and appreciate others’ talents, including those of organist Fred Patton and, later, blues guitarist Willie Woods. After the rotating door of sidemen got its first spin, Junior Walker took the lead and served as the axis of what would become his signature band. Having gigged in upper Indiana and lower Michigan, Walker settled down in the latter state. Late-1950s Battle Creek was the birthplace of what would officially be known as Jr. Walker and the All Stars: Woods, organist Vic Thomas, and Tony Washington on drums. Here comes the inevitable Hitsville connection! Singer Johnny Bristol watched ... Read More About Jr. Walker & The All Stars Biography... Send Jr. Walker & The All Stars ringtones to your cell |
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