Walker, who often said he couldn’t sing, soon found he had a hit record on his hands. Shotgun was the debut release for Jr. Walker & The All Stars,  on the newly formed Tamla Motown label in the UK. Walker went on to write a string of hits including Shake and Finger Pop, Shoot Your Shot, Do The Boomerang and Tune Up. In 1966 he released the evergreen Road Runner which aptly described the lifestyle of a man who seemingly never stopped touring.

Motown perciussionist and vibes man Jack Ashford is quoted...

“He was always on the run. He came in, cut his shit, and was out somewhere playing a gig before you even realised he was gone"

Funk Brother musician Eddie Willis recalls a time Junior Walker fell off the stage at The Detroit Fox Theatre during a Motortown Revue Show toppling ten feet into the orchestra pit.

“It was really scary. We all thought he’d killed himself. But no, here comes Junior climbing out of the pit, back on to the stage, blowing like a fool. Once he got started, nothin’ could stop that guy from playing”

Berry Gordy who was skilled at forming and shaping bands into polished performers wanted to keep Walker’s rough and ready sound, and his edict to producers was...

“Let him cut the way he is”

That proved a winning formula and Junior Walker & The All Stars continued producing top ten R&B hit records throughout the sixties.