Joon

James Walker Jr., or “Joon” as he is better known in the music industry, has been a musician since he was a child. Starting with private lessons on the trumpet and then teaching himself how to play the guitar, Joon enjoyed the pure sound and feel of making music. In 1964, Joon saw the Beatles perform live on the Ed Sullivan show and that sparked his desire to make a career in music. Awed by the novel sound of the music and  the spunk that the Beatles embodied, Joon walked up to his parents that night and said to them, “I want to do that job there.”

Soon after, Joon, who was a teenager at the time, began his musical journey by teaming up with close friend Rodney Stepp to create a soul band. Joon played the guitar, and the two of them, along with a few other friends, started writing songs and performing them around their neighborhood and city.

After high school, Joon got married and diverted his attention from music so he could concentrate on raising a family. But music never left his soul.  He was always singing around the house and his wife prompted him to join the choir at his church. He did and his desire for music was sparked again.  Eventually Joon took over as bassist for a female artist named Hazel Johnson Strong, who was the lead vocalist in a jazz combo. They performed around Indiana and Joon really began to understand and consider his options in the music industry. Joon teamed up with childhood friend Rodney Stepp under Brooks Street Music to write jingles that were used in local and national advertising campaigns.

Joon is currently a vocalist with a band called The Toy Factory, which performs old-school R&B funk around the city of Indianapolis. As a songwriter Joon’s soft spot when it comes to writing music is love songs. “I would say my music is about falling in love, staying in love, being in a love that goes bad, and falling in love all over again.” Joon believes that with love songs you can’t go wrong.  Working in collaboration with Rodney Stepp and Simple Life Records, Joon is finalizing his debut solo album, anticipated for release Fall 2010.