Raleigh Music to Publish the Catalog of Legendary Motown Giant, Jr. Walker
NEW YORK, February 15, 2022 (Newswire.com) - Raleigh Music, a boutique, global music publishing company known for the iconic catalogs it represents and its successful track record of film, TV and commercial synch licensing, has entered into a multi-year deal to represent the legendary Jr. Walker & The All Stars Catalog.
Born Autry DeWalt II in 1931 in Blytheville, Arkansas, Jr. Walker was inspired to take up the saxophone by the jump blues and R&B bands he heard in the early 50s. In 1964, Walker signed to Motown Records, where he perfected a blend of raunchy R&B and Detroit soul typified by his 1965 hit, "Shotgun." With its repeated saxophone riffs and call-and-response vocals, it established Walker as the label's prime exponent of traditional R&B, a reputation that was confirmed by later hits like "Shake And Fingerpop" and "Road Runner." The latter was produced by Holland/Dozier/Holland, who also encouraged Walker to record instrumental versions of hits they had written for other Motown artists. Walker's style became progressively more lyrical in the late 60s, a development that reached its peak on the 1969 US Top 5 hit, "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)?"
On April 11, 1981, Walker was the musical guest on the season finale of Saturday Night Live, and Foreigner's 1981 album 4 featured Walker's sax solo on "Urgent." In 1983, he appeared as a part of NBC's Motown's 25th Anniversary television special which also featured performances by Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson, and Diana Ross.
In November 1995, Jr. Walker lost a two-year battle with cancer. He was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1995 and Walker's "Shotgun" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002.
"After several interviews with different Music Administrators, we decided Raleigh Music Group was the perfect fit for our late Father Jr. Walker & The All-Stars catalog of music. Raleigh Music Group offers a unique combination of business savvy and dynamic leadership in paving the way for all Music Artists that they take under their wing. We are extremely pleased with how they have taken our music catalog to an even higher level," says Tim DeWalt.
"We are honored to be showcasing the musical genius of Jr. Walker, a seminal artist whose influence still reverberates in today's music," says Co-Founder Peter Raleigh.
"We are thrilled and excited to have the privilege of representing the music of the legendary Jr. Walker and the All Stars. We are thankful for the opportunity and will be working day in and day out to ensure that these amazing songs are re-introduced to younger audiences through synch licensing, re-records, interpolations as well as extensive social media promotion," says Co-Founder Steven Storch.
Boutique global music publisher, Raleigh Music Group, headquartered in Time Square, NYC, with offices in Los Angeles and Miami, was founded in 2016 by longtime music execs Peter Raleigh and Steven Storch. The company, which prides itself on high-touch client services, represents the iconic catalogs of Elvis Presley, George Gershwin, Anthony Newley, Bo Diddley, Francoise Hardy, Hugo Peretti (The Lion Sleeps Tonight), Lords of the Underground, Willy Deville, and Muhammad Ali. The company also publishes a select roster of contemporary artists, composers and producers including Randy Edelman, Denise Rich, Lost Frequencies, Melissa Ferrick, Shawn James, Tarro, Croosh, Anthony Russo, Elko, OBN Jay, Baby Goth, Jack Larsen, Victor Internet, ISLAND and Mika Means. www.raleighmusicgroup.com
Source: Raleigh Music Publishing, LLC
