John Walker

John Joseph Maus (November 12, 1943 – May 7, 2011), known professionally as John Walker, was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known as the founder of the Walker Brothers, who had their greatest success in the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom.

Early life and career John Maus was born in New York City, the son of John Joseph Maus Sr., who was of German extraction, and his wife Regina. With his parents and his older sister, Judith, he moved to California in 1947, at first settling in Redondo Beach, California and later in Hermosa Beach. He began learning saxophone, clarinet and guitar as a child, and by the age of 11 also began acting and appearing in TV talent shows. He had a role in the sitcom Hello Mom, and small uncredited parts in the movies The Eddy Duchin Story (1956) and The Missouri Traveler (1958). He became a friend of Ritchie Valens, and was an honorary pallbearer at Valens' funeral. In 1959, the family moved again, to Inglewood, California, where he made the acquaintance of future Beach Boys members David Marks and Dennis and Carl Wilson, helping to teach them guitar. He began using the name John Walker at the age of 17, because he was unhappy at how people pronounced his real name.

From 1957 onwards, he worked as singer and guitarist with his sister, as the duo John and Judy. They recorded several singles for the Aladdin, Dore, Arvee and Eldo labels between 1958 and 1962. In 1961, they formed a backing band and performed as John, Judy and the Newports, until the band split up after an engagement in Hawaii. They then met Scott Engel, who had been playing bass in The Routers, and, with drummer "Spider" Webb, formed a new band, Judy and the Gents. Maus obtained an ID card in the name of John Walker, to perform in clubs around Los Angeles while under the legal age to do so. In 1963, Walker and Engel, with two other musicians, toured the Midwest as "The Surfaris", although the group included none of the musicians who played on the Surfaris' records. Walker also released his first solo record, "What a Thrill", on the Almo label, with The Blossoms as backing singers. Walker and Engel signed a new recording contract, and, with Leeds, began performing live in England, to considerable press attention and with growing numbers of - predominantly female teenage - fans. Their next record, a version of the Bacharach and David song "Make It Easy On Yourself", produced like their other British recordings by Johnny Franz, reached No. 1 in the UK chart in September 1965. and an album, If You Go Away. Later solo singles on Philips, and then on the Carnaby label owned by Mervyn Conn, were less successful, as was a 1969 album, This Is John Walker. In 1971, he recorded an album co-produced by Bill Wyman at the Château d'Hérouville in France, but it was never released. Two years later, he toured briefly with singer Jimmy Wilson and a backing group, as The New Walkers, before they split up.

A dual autobiography, written by Walker and Gary Leeds, The Walker Brothers: No Regrets – Our Story, was published in 2009. ) "Annabella" / "You Don't Understand Me" (Philips BF 1593, 1967) (UK No. 24) "If I Promise" / "I See Love In You" (Philips BF 1612, 1967) (UK No. 56) "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" / "Open The Door Homer" (Philips BF 1655, 1968) "Kentucky Woman" / "I Cried All The Way Home" (Philips BF 1676, 1968) "Woman" / "A Dream" (Philips BF 1724, 1968) "Yesterday's Sunshine" / "Little One" (Philips BF 1758, 1968) "Everywhere Under The Sun" / "Traces Of Tomorrow" (Carnaby CNS 4004, 1969) "True Grit" / "Sun Comes Up" (Carnaby CNS 4009, 1969) "Cottonfields" / "Jamie" (Carnaby CNS 4012, 1970) "Over And Over Again" / "Sun Comes Up" (Carnaby CNS 4017, 1970) "Huellas de Manana" / "Quienes Somos Nosotros" (Carnaby, 1970) "Good Days" / "Midnight Morning" (1973)

Albums If You Go Away (Philips BL 7829, 1967) This Is John Walker (Carnaby CNLS 6001, 1969) You (2000) The Silver Sixties Tour 2004 (2004) Just for You (2007) Songs of Christmas and Inspiration (2007) Golden Dreams (2012)