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Article: He's no longer Mr. Used to Be.(VARIETY / FREETIME)
- Article from:
- Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
- Article date:
- May 7, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Star Tribune Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Chris Riemenschneider; Staff Writer
It's a common tale in old-time R&B music: Old black guy. Voice like a lion. Treated like an alley cat by the white record industry. Never really got his due.
Willie Walker, however, always knew that music wasn't a reliable business. Even as his singles for Memphis' influential Goldwax label, including the obscure classic "There Goes My Used to Be," made it onto the Billboard charts in the late 1960s, the sweet-voiced soul singer went to work in a Minneapolis packing plant. He sacrificed half a finger and most of his music career on that job. But at least he got paid.
"Money?" Walker says, surprised. ...