The newly formed group established themselves as the in house band at The El Grotto club in Battle Creek. Walker’s performances there are documented as ‘electrifying’ which might be in part due to the regular fights that broke out in the club.

It was while playing at The El Grotto that Johnny Bristol ‘discovered’ Jr. Walker & The All Stars, and he quickly recommended them to Harvey Fuqua and they signed to Fuqua’s Harvey label in 1962.

Their first recordings on Harvey were all blues instrumentals:

Harvey 113 - Twist Lackawanna / Willie’s Blues

Harvey 117 - Cleo’s Mood / Brainwasher

Harvey 119 - Good Rockin’ / Brain Washer Pt 2

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Fuqua’s Harvey label was taken over by his brother in law, Berry Gordy’s Motown Records in 1963, and Junior Walker & The All Stars started recording on their subsidiary Soul label in 1964.

The conversation between Walker and Gordy on signing with Motown went like this...

Gordy “So you want a contract?”

Walker “Yeah, I want a contract”.

Gordy “So you want to record?”

Walker “Yes sir, I wanna record”

Gordy “Give that boy a contract”

Walker “Exactly what am I signing”.

Gordy “Can you read?”

Walker “I can read some stuff, but not everything”

Gordy “Go ahead and sign we won’t mess you around”.

Gordy probably never signed any artist so quickly before or since.

The Soul label was set up by Gordy to compete head on with with the Stax / Volt line up of soul artists. Walker’s earthy, raw sound complimented the label perfectly.

Shotgun was a dance popular at The El Grotto and Junior Walker was asked to write a song to go with it. Fred Paton had been scheduled to sing on the recording, but he failed to show up. With musicians and studio staff waiting it was decided Walker would sing, and the rest as they say is history.