John Walker[[Maus) of the Walker Bros RIP

[luke]

If I missed it being posted here , let me know. He died 5/7 in California.

[mark speck]

I'd heard about it elsewhere, but no further info anywhere...anyhow, RIP, John, and thank you...

Best,

Mark

[luke]

Im surprised lack of notice. Wernt they big in UK?

[theboyfromxtown]

Luke

They had a very big fan base with the teenage girls - more of a pretty boy image. Not particularly one for soul fans

[Doug-Morgan]

Walker passed away in Los Angeles at the age of 67 of liver cancer on May 8th.

[bankhousedave]

This is bad news. I loved the Walker Bros and went to see John Maus play in 1967. He was brilliant, and gave a solo spot to his backing singers, Sue and Sunny, who whad a nit with Joe Hunter's You Can't Bypass Love on [[UK) Columbia.

[luke]

His website reports he died 5/7. Were they pretty similar to the Righteous Bros? I just remember Sun Aint Gonna Shine Anymore. They toured with Jimi Hendrix.

[mark speck]

I would say there was some similarity to the Righteous Brothers in the way their songs were structured...the one guy had a voice that was a lot like Bill Medley.

John was at one time married to Kathy Young of "A Thousand Stars" fame.

Best,

Mark

[bankhousedave]

I seem to think, as an act, there were three Walker Brothers. John Maus and Scott Engel were up front, and there was a Gary [[Walker?) who played drums. Their material was mainly written and produced by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio, who also worked with the Four Seasons and wound up at Motown LA, and they also did some Bacharach songs. Their delivery was very bassy and powerful and the production was BIG - Phillips/Mercury style. My Ship is Coming In, I remember members of my school class singing this in the corridor when it came out; Make it Easy on Yourself. Timeless singles and productions. Scott Engel had solo hits at the same time, including Joanna, which he wrote. There was a big shindig when an English housewife claimed she had written it. He went on to specialise in more big production records, especially the songs of French genius, Jaques Brel of which he was one of the greatest interpreters. Had not heard much about John in the intervening years.

[alanh]

Some additions and corrections to your post Dave. The Walker Brothers were Scott Engel, John Maus and Gary Leeds. They came to the UK in 1965 after lack of success in the States and were signed to Philips records, the home of Dusty Springfield, where they benefited from the same great arrangers that made her records sound so great. The head of A&R Johnny Franz was mainly the producer. Arrangers included Ivor Raymonde and Reg Guest. Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio weren't involved at all although the group did record their song 'The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore'. Other hits included 'Make It Easy On Yourself' and 'Another Tear Falls' [[both Bacharach & David) and 'My Ship Is Coming In' [[originally by Walter Jackson and written by Joey Brooks).

Indeed they were very much in the Righteous Brothers style and actually recorded a lot of soul material. Their albums included 'Dancing In The Street', 'Land Of 1000 Dances', 'People Get Ready', 'Stand By Me' and 'There Goes My Baby'. One of their singles was even a cover of Lorraine Ellison's 'Stay With Me Baby'. But they were certainly a lush, big ballad act. After the main hit run ended, Scott went solo had his own BBC TV series and recorded a number of well regarded albums, moving very much into the introspective ballad area as Dave said. 'Joanna' was his second solo hit single, but he didn't write it - it was composed by Tony Hatch and Jackie Trent [[responsible for all those Petula Clark hits [and more]). Gary Walker/Leeds, by the way, still lives in the UK, and I've got a feeling that Scott does too.

[heikki]

Hi Alan,

"My Ship Is Coming In" - Walter Jackson or Jimmy Radcliffe?

Best regards
Heikki

[alanh]

You got me Heikki!

There's me correcting Dave and I get it wrong myself! I've always been confused in my head about that one because Walter Jackson's was the first version I heard for some reason, but yes, of course, the original was by Jimmy Radcliffe. Thanks.

Alan

[bankhousedave]

Whoops, Alan. My memory is very reliable until I use it to remember things. Johnny Franz, of course, Gary Leeds - I knew those things. Amazed even now to find Tony Hatch and his missus wrote Joanna. Still say there was a to-do when a lady claimed to have written it - not Jackie of course. Are Tony and Jackie still in a land down under? They did write the theme to Neighbours, after all.

[theboyfromxtown]

Neighbours! Dave, this is Great Britain...

Crossroads..

[bankhousedave]

OK, John. Tony also wrote the theme to Emmerdale, Hadleigh and others [[Champions?), but only Neighbours had lyrics by Jackie, as far as I can recall. Fair dinkum?