Walter Morrison
Encyclopedia
Walter "Junie" Morrison is a musician and producer
born in Dayton, Ohio
. Morrison was a producer, writer, keyboardist and vocalist for the funk
band the Ohio Players
in the early 70s, where he wrote and produced their first major hit, "Funky Worm" (1971). He left the band in 1974 to release three solo album
s on Westbound Records
(When We Do, Freeze, and Suzie Supergroupie).
In 1977 Morrison joined George Clinton
's P-Funk
(Parliament
-Funkadelic
) where he became musical director. He brought a unique sound to P-Funk and played a key role during the time of their greatest popularity from 1978 through 1980. In particular, he made prominent contributions to the platinum-selling Funkadelic album One Nation Under a Groove
, the single "(Not Just) Knee Deep
" (a #1 hit on the U.S. R&B charts
in 1979) and the gold-selling Parliament albums Motor Booty Affair
, and Gloryhallastoopid
. Morrison also played on and produced some P-Funk material under the pseudonym
J.S. Theracon, apparently to avoid contractual difficulties. Morrison is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic
.
After his time with Parliament-Funkadelic, he recorded three solo albums in the eighties including 1980's Bread Alone
, 1981's Junie 5
, and 1984's Evacuate Your Seats.
Morrison produced other artists throughout the 90s
and continued to contribute to P-Funk albums, most recently in 1996.
He released a new solo album, When the City, on his own label Juniefunk in 2004.
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
born in Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
. Morrison was a producer, writer, keyboardist and vocalist for the funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
band the Ohio Players
Ohio Players
The Ohio Players were an American funk and R&B band, most popular in the 1970s. They are best known for their double #1 hit songs "Fire" and "Love Rollercoaster".- Biography :...
in the early 70s, where he wrote and produced their first major hit, "Funky Worm" (1971). He left the band in 1974 to release three solo album
Solo album
A solo album, in popular music, is an album headlined by a current or former member of a band. A solo album may feature simply one person performing all instruments, but typically features the work of other collaborators; rather, it may be made with different collaborators than the artist is...
s on Westbound Records
Westbound Records
Westbound Records is a Detroit-based record label founded by Armen Boladian in 1970. It had a distribution deal with Janus Records from 1970 to 1975, but then it switched distribution to 20th Century Records during 1975 and 1976, but again switched distribution to Atlantic Records from 1976 to...
(When We Do, Freeze, and Suzie Supergroupie).
In 1977 Morrison joined George Clinton
George Clinton (funk musician)
George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
's P-Funk
P-Funk
P-Funk is a shorthand term for the repertoire and performers associated with George Clinton and the Parliament-Funkadelic collective and the distinctive style of funk music they performed...
(Parliament
Parliament (band)
Parliament was a funk band most prominent during the 1970s. It and its sister act Funkadelic, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...
-Funkadelic
Funkadelic
Funkadelic was an American band most prominent during the 1970s. The band and its sister act Parliament, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...
) where he became musical director. He brought a unique sound to P-Funk and played a key role during the time of their greatest popularity from 1978 through 1980. In particular, he made prominent contributions to the platinum-selling Funkadelic album One Nation Under a Groove
One Nation Under a Groove
In Europe, the Bonus-EP was replaced by a bonus 12" 45rpm mini-album containing the 3 EP tracks on one side and an extended version of "One Nation Under a Groove" on the other.-Personnel:Funkadelic Main Invasion Force :...
, the single "(Not Just) Knee Deep
(Not Just) Knee Deep
" Knee Deep" is a funk song running 15 minutes, 21 seconds on side 1 of Funkadelic's 1979 album Uncle Jam Wants You.-Song information:...
" (a #1 hit on the U.S. R&B charts
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
in 1979) and the gold-selling Parliament albums Motor Booty Affair
Motor Booty Affair
Motor Booty Affair is an album by funk band Parliament. Released in late 1978, it contains two of the group's most popular tracks, "Rumpofsteelskin" and "Aqua Boogie " which went to number one on the Billboard Black Singles chart. The album title refers to the music coming out of "Motor town"...
, and Gloryhallastoopid
Gloryhallastoopid
Gloryhallastoopid is a 1979 album by the funk ensemble Parliament. It was their penultimate album on the Casablanca Records label, and is another concept album which tries to explain that Funk was responsible for the creation of the universe...
. Morrison also played on and produced some P-Funk material under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
J.S. Theracon, apparently to avoid contractual difficulties. Morrison is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic is a funk, soul and rock music collective headed by George Clinton. Their style has been dubbed P-Funk. Collectively the group has existed under various names since the 1960s and has been known for top-notch musicianship, politically charged lyrics, outlandish concept albums...
.
After his time with Parliament-Funkadelic, he recorded three solo albums in the eighties including 1980's Bread Alone
Bread Alone
Bread Alone is a 1980 album by singer/multi-instrumentalist Walter "Junie" Morrison. The album was released by Columbia Records and was produced by Walter "Junie" Morrison for J.S. Theracon Productions. It was the first solo album released while simultaneously preparing to depart from...
, 1981's Junie 5
Junie 5
Junie 5 is a 1981 solo album recorded by singer/multi-instrumentalist Walter "Junie" Morrison. It was the second and last album that he would record for Columbia Records. As with the previous album Bread Alone, all of the instruments used on the album would be played by Morrison himself...
, and 1984's Evacuate Your Seats.
Morrison produced other artists throughout the 90s
1990s in music
For music from a year in the 1990s, go to 90 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99This article includes trends in popular music in the 1990s....
and continued to contribute to P-Funk albums, most recently in 1996.
He released a new solo album, When the City, on his own label Juniefunk in 2004.
Solo albums
- When We Do (1975) - Credited to Junie
- Freeze (1975) - Credited to Junie
- Suzie Supergroupie (1976) - Credited to Junie
- Bread AloneBread AloneBread Alone is a 1980 album by singer/multi-instrumentalist Walter "Junie" Morrison. The album was released by Columbia Records and was produced by Walter "Junie" Morrison for J.S. Theracon Productions. It was the first solo album released while simultaneously preparing to depart from...
(1980) - Junie 5Junie 5Junie 5 is a 1981 solo album recorded by singer/multi-instrumentalist Walter "Junie" Morrison. It was the second and last album that he would record for Columbia Records. As with the previous album Bread Alone, all of the instruments used on the album would be played by Morrison himself...
(1981) - Evacuate Your Seats (1984)