Jimmy Walker - I Got The Best Of You (Very cool Gary Puckett soundalike)

[straightupwv]

I got the Stereo/Mono 45 at a radio station giveaway, (WIXZ in Pittsburgh). I think it was in 1971. On first listening, I figured it was just some Gary Puckett rip off artist. I didn't know one songwriter from the other at the time so the Jerry Butler connection was lost on me. It didn't take very long to figure out that Jimmy Walker was in fact one terrific singer. Thanks for posting this!

[oldies1]

Fantastic !!! Blew me away immediately... ANY idea of an upload if the b-side please ?

[katyldr]

@oldies1 Thanks for the comment! I'm Jimmy's friend and manager. I will upload the B-side "Your Past Is Beginning To Show" in the next few days.

[blownmynd]

I just looked up this song not knowing who the artist was!?! When I saw it was Jimmy Walker I was quite surprised!!! The reason I even looked up the song is because I have an aircheck from 1969, an AFVN recording and the DJ wants someone to call in with the correct answer as to who is singing this!!! Of course all the guesses he's getting are for Gary Puckett!!! Unfortunately the aircheck runs out and we don't find out who the singer is!!!!

[katyldr]

@blownmynd Interesting story! I'm glad the mystery has been solved. Thanks for sharing.

[Damce]

Hey, good channel! Do you know this 45:

Jimmy Waker And His R&B Group - A-Side: Mr. Tom Cat; B-side: Duke Of Earl; Dutch pressing - 19..

[katyldr]

@Damce This is another Jimmy Walker.

[Damce]

@katyldr yeah later on i realized too, too much of a different voice. thanks!

[q89djdavek]

Jimmy Walker will be a guest on my show Relics & Rarities very soon. Stay tuned for further info or tune in on Saturday nights to Topshelf Oldies 10pm-3am Eastern time. Tentative date for Jimmy Walker's live appearance on Relics & Rarities is either May 22nd or May 29th, possibly May 15th. Details soon.

[katyldr]

Jimmy and his band are playing tomorrow night Sunday 4/11 at DADDY MAC's Vegas, from 7pm. Join the party if you can!

[katyldr]

The Jimmy Walker Band is playing BB KING's Las Vegas tomorrow night (3/1) from 8pm... Join the party if you can!

[katyldr]

Jimmy will be a special guest on 3 radio stations in January. WGHT and WFMU from New Jersey and Blogtalkradio.

Please check his profile on Myspace for more info.

[xwsftassell]

Heh, brill!

[katyldr]

Check out Jimmy's great interview with John Darlington on Blogtalkradio from 11/21. There's a podcast of it on his Myspace profile.

[beachsinger1]

Interesting that Jerry Fuller wrote and produced this song. He discovered Gary Puckett & the Union Gap. As far as I'm concerned, Gary blows this guy away vocally (then and now).

[SchenectadyScott]

Jimmy was discovered by Jerry Fuller back in 1965 when he was singing with the Knickerbockers. That is why the writer and production credit. Jerry had Jimmy before Puckett.

[katyldr]

Jimmy has a great new album called "PLAYING TO WIN" available for downloads on CD BABY. Soon on iTunes, Amazon etc. too.

[Scott4Jesus]

I think it is the other way around. Gary Puckett is a good Jimmy Walker sound alike. Being Jimmy has been recorded on vinyl since the early 60's prior to the Knicks. Gary got the breaks. Also check the label on this vid for the Buddy Randell (William Crandall Jr.)of the Knickerbockers (LIes) fame as arranger. Fine job all around. Thanks for the post!

[katyldr]

Yeah, would have been hilarious if it was Gary's copy but I doubt it is!

It's a white label (radio promo) and the paper sleeve is orange but says printed in the USA not Canada.

[TopshelfTom]

The one I gave gary definitely was not a white label promo, it was a canadian pressing. The white label means it is mono on both sides.... i was hoping the B side would turn up in stereo. Actually that promo with the b side may not be worth as much as the mono/stereo promo because of it being in mono on both sides....i think i've seen it only once before though.

[apple2480]

Yea. I can imagine Gary singing this. Thanks for posting. It appears that Jerry had a big influence on the UG sound.

[katyldr]

The record label Sundazed was contacted recently about a possible Jimmy Walker compilation of 60's material. With tracks he sang with the Knickerbockers, the Righteous Brothers and some solo singles (4 in total) that would be a great comp for a great singer.

If you want to show support for the project, please email Tim Livingston at Sundazed.

[katyldr]

I bought "I Got The Best Of You" on eBay a few months ago with "Your Past Is Beginning To Show" on the B-side for $9.99 so it looks like it was a bargain!

"Dawn" is an other single with "The Greatest Love" on the flip side.

[TopshelfTom]

I would laugh hard if the copy you bought ended up being the one I had given to gary! Is yours an orange label canadian pressing in a canadian company sleeve?

[borderking59]

Wow! what a great song. yes i definitely could imagine gary singing this back then.

jerry fuller definitely had the magic touch.

[GPFCPrez]

Topshelf, do you remember the name of the song on the flip side of that 45? I have a 45 of Jimmy Walker's somewhere in my collection of GP stuff, because an ebay seller thought it was really Gary, but was mis-labeled. I can only remember that the song Dawn is on one side...not sure where that 45 is, but if it's the one you want, I will try to find it!

[TopshelfTom]

The flipside of the Canadian 45 (and thus, any U.S. stock copy) is called Your Past Is Beginning To Show. I made (and still have) a dub of the record on my computer before i gave Gary the 45 although i was not smart enough to get a picture of the label at the time (my scanner wasn't working). Since i only post my 45s with my original label scans I will not add it to youtube because I like to share records I have or once had, with the scans of the 45s i have or had in my posession.

[kachzvi18]

I must admit.......I cannot get this tune out of my mind!!! Gary recorded "Don't Give in to Him" I can only assume that when Gary and Fuller parted ways, this most arguably was on Jerry's HIT list for gary and was probably already written right before the split. A TERRIFIC SONG!

[roccop2]

wow, a Puckett tune if I ever heard one! Walker does a great job on it though!

[kachzvi18]

This is of course jerry fuller at his best,

Theres no doubt that if Puckett still was with him at the time,,he would have recorded this. Whether it would have been a hit is arguable, but it is definitely a vocal Gary Puckett could have exploited!

[hyde5011]

It's easy to see why he was picked by Bobby H to replace Bill M . To bad the Knicks didn't get the break they deserved. Where did you ever find this copy written by Jerry Fuller.

[TopshelfTom]

This 45 turns up on ebay once in a while...usually sells for around $20-30 when it does (think i picked this one up for $20). Kind of wish i still had my canadian copy with the B side though, but it's in better hands now (unless GP got rid of it!). I would've been content with my canadian copy but the song was mono there and i wanted the stereo version (which is 5 seconds shorter than the mono, surprisingly).

[kachzvi18]

How long and well do you know Gary Puckett?

[TopshelfTom]

I met him once, at a concert, where i gave him a copy of this record. Prior to that I used to email him off his website (to which he would personally reply), until his wife took over his fanmail.

[spacepatrolman]

puckett did a solo album where he does that song angelica that roy hamilton and gene pitney did

[medicicard]

do you know if this tune can be downloaded?

[TopshelfTom]

It's never been reissued.

[spacepatrolman]

Arranged by william crandall?

thats buddy randall of the knickerbockers real name.

[TopshelfTom]

Never knew that!

[VeeFan1964]

SUPER! If you like this, check out "She's Gotten To Me" by The Knickerbockers. Also, in a slighly 4-seasons vein, "Please Don't Love Him" is also excellent.

[medicicard]

what a great song. Can't believe Gary

Puckett hasn't try recording it. It could be

a hit for Gary?

[medicicard]

what a great song!!! I can't believe Gary

Puckett hasn't recorded it. He may be able to make it a hit!!! who knows?