Jimmy Walker (drummer)
Jimmy Walker was an American musician and singer who was the drummer for one-hit wonder band The Knickerbockers and the replacement for Bill Medley in the Righteous Brothers, following his 1968 departure.
Early life
Born in The Bronx, New York, Walker learned the drums when he was around seven or eight. He was of Irish descent. His first group was in New York called The Castle Kings. They had signed to Atlantic Records after Ahmet Ertegun, the then president of the company, heard them:When he was a young adult, he moved to Bergenfield, New Jersey, and worked as a truck driver.
The Knickerbockers (1964–1967)
Walker rose to prominence in 1965 as the drummer for the New Jersey–based group The Knickerbockers, consisting of brothers John and Beau Charles, and Buddy Randall. He first heard of them after hearing them play at a local fire department for memorial day in 1964:They were spotted by producer and singer-songwriter Jerry Fuller playing the University Twist Palace in Albany, New York, and he signed them to Los Angeles–based Challenge Records. A one-hit wonder band, they had a number 20 charting hit in 1965, with their “Lies”. With the three-way vocal harmonies by John Charles, Beau Charles, and Buddy Randall, "Lies" stood out due to its Beatles-esque sound. The Knickerbockers would become regulars on Dick Clark's Where The Action Is. Their debut album was released a few months later, in early 1966, and was named after the hit, and featured the song on there too.
"Lies" entered the Billboard Hot 100 in the final week of December 1965, went to number 20 on the charts in late January 1966, and was, in total, on the Hot 100 for thirteen weeks, before leaving the charts in February 1966, last placed at number 34. "Lies" has since been covered by the likes of Linda Ronstadt, Styx, Nancy Sinatra, Gary Lewis & the Playboys, Lulu, and an instrumental version by The Ventures.
Despite appearing daily on Where the Action Is and constantly releasing new material, such as “One Track Mind”, “My Feet Are Off The Ground”, and a cover of Tom Jones' “It's Not Unusual”, none of them could match the popularity of “Lies”, and Walker left the band in 1967.
He reappeared with the group for two reunions in 1983 and 1990.
The Righteous Brothers (1968–1971)
In February 1968, Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers, left the duo to pursue a solo career. Walker would fill in Medley's place as the new righteous brother, from 1968 to 1971. As the Righteous Brothers, Walker and Bobby Hatfield released one album, Re-Birth, which Walker also co-produced.Walker remained in the duo until their three-year hiatus in 1971. In a 2013 interview, Walker said he had wanted to continue, but Hatfield decided to take a break and broke up the act.
The Righteous Brothers reformed again in 1974, with the original duo of Medley and Hatfield.
Solo
In 1968, Walker signed to Columbia Records, and recorded a handful of solo singles between 1968 and 1970, including; Down In My Broken Dreams, The Greatest Love and I Got The Best Of You, Chop No Wood, and Feel The Warm. His time in Columbia Records was short-lived, as he stepped down from his contract two years later.Walker released his debut solo album, Still There In My Soul, in 2014.