WALKER, Johnnie

Photo courtesy: https://www.johnniewalkermusic.com/#!

WALKER, Johnnie. (Dubuque, IA-- ). The Iowa Rock 'n' Roll Music Association named Walker, a log-time tri-state guitarist, to the Iowa Rock 'n' Roll Music Association Hall of Fame in 2019. Walker had been a member of the local music scene for over forty years.

Walker formed the band, Chrystal, in 1976 when he was its youngest member at the age of seventeen. Two years later he established the short-lived band, Illusion. He was asked to join the already established regional band, Tussle, as its lead singer and guitarist in 1980 and remained with it until 1986. Traveling, however, took him away from home and he returned home to form the group Secret Admirer with Steil and then Grand Slam.

Grand Slam performed throughout Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin and was an opening act for Badfinger and Bachman-Turner Overdrive before thousands of people. The band broke-up in 1991 with Walker beginning a solo act an helping to begin the local karaoke scene. He performed three to four nights each week and sometimes joined other musicians. He aso performed with a rotating set of tri-state musicians called the Castaways.

Despite the changing trends in music, Walker usually performs classic rock 'n' roll songs his followers like to hear. Hearing played a great role in Walker's success because he had no formal musical training. A "play-by-the ear kind of guy" Walker learned from with whom he performed.

Walker has donated his time and talent in fund-raising for Camp Albrecht Acres as part of ROCK 'N' ROLL REWIND and mentored many new musicians. Ralph KLUSEMAN, president of the Iowa Rock 'n' Roll Association, has called Walker a 'local treasure' and included him as part of the band No Boundaries and Kluseman's "A Celeration of the Beatles" tribute.

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Source:

Gloss<, Megan, "Johnnie Walker Receives the Call from the Hall," Telegraph Herald, August 9, 2019, p. 8A