True or false: the last Lady Gaga album was the soundtrack to “A Star is Born.”

False.

The last Lady Gaga album was “Joanne,” released October 30, 2016. Its first week sales were a total 162,000, and it collapsed after that. It wasn’t until Gaga appeared as the half time musical act on the Super Bowl, the following February, that the “Joanne” album finally exploded. Indeed, all Gaga recordings flew up the charts that night, and revived her sales enormously.

“A Star is Born” followed almost exactly two years later, in October 2018. Opening week sales were 201,000. It was another slow builder, until the movie finally took hold and “Shallow” became an anthem.

Now we wait for Friday’s “Chromatica.” Postponed from April 10th, the album had a first single, “Stupid Love,” that was more of a loss leader, a teaser. It didn’t do much more than tell the world Lady Gaga was back.

The second single, a duet with Ariana Grande called “Rain on Me,” is number 1 right now. It couldn’t be anything else. Ariana’s manager, Scooter Braun, touts it on social media like it’s his client’s record and Gaga is the guest star. But it’s brilliant marketing, the marriage of two superstars.

“Chromatica” is already number 1 on Amazon, and will debut on iTunes Friday at midnight at number 1. But aside from the two singles, no one’s heard any of it. There are no press copies — too much concern about piracy. Even Tony Bennett hasn’t heard it. So Friday midnight could cause Spotify to crash, as all Gaga fans pile on the service to hear the album for the first time.

With very little else going on, will “Chromatica” have a bigger opening week that “Joanne” or “A Star is Born?” If the marketing is any indication, first week sales should exceed 200,000. Of course, the big problem is media appearances. In a normal release, Gaga would be on Jimmy Fallon first, then doing Carpool Karaoke with James Corden, hitting “Today” or “GMA” for morning concerts, etc. But none of that is available this week.

Lucky for Gaga, with all the beef shortages, her meat dress was probably broiled and served a long time ago. “Chromatica” will be a vegetarian delight!

Tonight while I was listening to Junior Walker on SiriusXM Soul Town, I thought maybe people don’t know much about him anymore. So here’s a little tribute to one of  Motown’s unsung stars.

Jr. Walker and the All Stars were not quite as big as the Temptations or Four Tops, but just as talented. And Junior himself was a double threat. He was a very good R&B singer, but a superstar saxophonist. And that sax was the trademark on his many hits.

Sadly, Junior passed in 1995 at age 64. He didn’t live long enough to have a Renaissance or a great period of nostalgic reflection. But if you stop and listen to those records– so many hits– his accomplishments were extraordinary. They were also incredibly enjoyable.

Walker was born Autry DeWalt Mixon Jr. on June 14, 1931 in Blytheville, Arkansas, and grew up in South Bend, Indiana. He began playing saxophone while in high school. He kicked around Indiana with different bands until he was discovered by Johnny Bristol and Harvey Fuqua, two of the famous Motown lieutenants. He and his “All-Stars” took off immediately with “Shotgun.” To me their signature hit is “What Does It Take (to Win Your Love for Me)” but I noticed on Spotify that it’s not streamed much. Crazy.

Something you may not know. That’s Junior Walker wailing away on his sax featured on Foreigner’s smash hit, “Urgent.” (That blistering solo still gives chills.) And Junior was featured with Sam Moore as “the Swanky Modes” in Bill Fishman’s cult comedy comedy, “Tapeheads.”

All hail Junior Walker!

It’s Bob Dylan’s 79th birthday. We’re celebrating, of course, but also anticipating his new album in a couple of weeks.

So for Bob’s birthday I thought we’d go back to 1969 to a little known album called “Dylan’s Gospel.” The great Lou Adler produced it for his then new Ode Records. Within two years, Ode would take off with Carole King, and Cheech and Chong, among others.

For “Dylan’s Gospel,” an album of Dylan covers, Adler brought in some stunning singers including Merry Clayton (the Rolling Stones, Carole King) and Gloria Jones– the very same Gloria Jones who had a soul hit in the UK with “Tainted Love,” a song Soft Cell would cover in 1979 and turn into a new whole new hit again.

The group called themselves “The Brothers and the Sisters.” There were so many terrific singers including Clydie King, Edna Wright, and so on. All the names are on Wikipedia.

I’m putting the Spotify embed below, and a promotional documentary. But first, Merry Clayton singing “The Mighty Quinn,” which had been a Dylan cover hit for Manfred Mann. Merry, a superstar, makes this a candidate for best track on the album. Merry, out on the West Coast, we salute you as always.

Dylan wasn’t into gospel in 1969. But ten years later he was, just think of “Tight Connection to My Heart.” Adler, as with everything, was ahead of his time. “Dylan’s Gospel” was a flop but it was re-released, I just learned, in 2014. Who knew?

Happy Birthday, Bob! Thanks, Lou and Merry and Gloria.