Quote Originally Posted by kenneth View Post
I posed this question in a different Jr. Walker thread but never got a response, so I'm asking it again. Maybe RossHolloway or others who have read up on Jr. more than I have know the answer.

What was Jr. Walker's reputation in jazz circles? I always wondered if that fact that he seems to be underrated stems from the fact that he recorded for Motown, a label not ordinarily associated with Jazz. Does anyone know how he was considered by real Jazz aficionados, either then or now?
Kenneth, most of my buddies who are into jazz don't know of Junior at all. I've tried to show them but they weren't so into the "gutbucket" music he was playing so they kind of shrugged it off. I bet that's the case with a lot of jazzmen, but I would bet that everyone who does know him has respect for him. Generally jazz musicians and listeners respect all kinds of music. Or at least I would hope they do!