Choker Campbell

Walter Luzar "Choker" Campbell (March 21, 1916 – July 20, 1993) was an American musician. Born as an only child in Shelby, Mississippi, his family moved to Saginaw, Michigan, when he was only five years old. Campbell studied saxophone under several musicians and left school at the age of nineteen. In the early 1960s he got a job at Hitsville USA (which later became Motown Records) playing with the resident band, then later as a supporting artist for several well-known Motown artists, such as The Supremes, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, the Four Tops, Stevie Wonder and others. Campbell toured the U.S. with stops at the Apollo Theater in New York City and many other venues. After leaving Motown Records, Campbell traveled to Canada with his own band and played several Canadian venues. He settled in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where he started his own record label, Campbell Artist Productions, and did several recordings with Attic Records (of Toronto), and studio work with his friend, Paul Zaza. After several years, Choker returned to Detroit, Michigan, where he remained until his death in July 1993, aged 77. Choker has left behind a son and two daughters in Canada, two in London, one in Halifax. He also appeared in the film Shake, Rattle & Rock!, with Big Joe Turner and Mike Connors. He made a cameo in the TV series, Mannix, with Mike Connors in the 1960s.