The history of Wally & the Champs can be traced back to the summer of 1982. A young Walter Clark was making his rounds in various dive bars throughout the Southeast, when he came across a guitarist by the name of Richie Stevens. "I was doing a 20-minute set at this sweatbox called Springwater in Nashville, playing for 22s of Pabst Blue Ribbon and a pork sandwich from the barbecue joint next door," says Clark. "Halfway through my cover of "She Loves Me Knot," I heard a commotion towards the back of the bar. It was smokey, so I couldn't see what was happening, but I remember hearing the distinct sound of a guitar breaking over someone's head — It was Richie."
The son of a mariachi player, Richie Stevens came to the states in 1979 after a bar fight left him a wanted man. "I'm not a violent person," says Stevens. "I get along with everybody. But I just lose control when people step on my shoes."
The two had instant chemistry, and for years they recorded a string of local hits such as "The Wally Well" and "Cookville." When the group the Velvet Five disbanded in '85, bassist Guy "Butter Soft" Mowery and drummer Nevillson Johnson joined the Champs. "When we met Wally and Richie, we clicked immediately," says Mowery. "We were like childhood friends reunited." Nevellson Johnson agrees. "Both Guy and I were digging their sound, that old dusty dirty vibe, but what really drew us to them was that they shared our love of comfortable footwear."
The band now had it's core members, but they were still missing two of the essential ingredients that give Wally & the Champs their signature sound. "I came across Rocko (Suede) in a club in Pamona," says Stevens. "As soon as I saw him I knew he was one of us. This cat was rocking green and tan two-tone Clarks and blowing the brass off of his horn. And I'm not just talking trumpet, he's a master at any horn he picks up. And the ladies just love the kid."
One of those ladies was a singer by the name of Tammy England. The two had been seeing each other for a couple of months when Suede joined the band. After weeks of convincing, Suede brought her and two of her friends to a practice session to sing for the band. That night, Tammy England, Ruby Thursday and Sandra Summers became the Wall-etts.
"Once we got Rocko and the girls, the band really came together," says Clark. The group continued to develop their sound while touring, performing up to 349 shows a year. Once they began to sell out larger venues, they hired Dezzy "Do Wrong" Duprie to introduce the band as well as provide vocals. Duprie began his career as a disc jockey for WCLK in Mt. Juliet, and Wally & the Champs were always on the top of his playlist. "I was honored when Mr. Clark asked me to join him on the road," says Duprie. "Not many groups share their dedication to the music."
Wally & the Champs continue to work on new material and have plans record a live album in the near future.
