Junior Walker

Junior Walker (b. Autry DeWalt Mixon in Blythesville, Arkansas, June 14, 1931 – d. Battle Creek, Michigan, November 25, 1995) – Vocalist, saxophonist, and bandleader. Born in Arkansas, Autrey DeWalt moved to South Bend as a teenager and organized his first band, the Jumping Jacks. It was also in Indiana, where he became “Junior Walker.” In the late 1950s, he moved to Battle Creek, Michigan, and formed Junior Walker and the All Stars, which was distinguished partly by his raucous saxophone playing. From the mid 1960s to 1979, Junior Walker and the All Stars was a Motown sensation, which produced several hit records including “Shotgun” (1965). Following the disbandment of the group, Walker pursued a solo career, which did not match the success of his group. In 1981, he made some noise when he played the famous wailing saxophone solo in Foreigner’s “Urgent.” In 1995, he died of cancer.