{{short description|American R&B, funk and soul singer, guitarist and songwriter (1937–1998)}} {{Infobox musical artist | birth_name = Donald Ray Julian | alias = The Meadowlarks<br>The Larks | birth_date = {{Birth date|1937|4|7}} | origin = Los Angeles, California, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|1998|11|6|1937|4|7}} | genre = {{flatlist| * R&B * funk *soul }} | years_active = 1950s–1960s }}

'''Don Julian''' (April 7, 1937 – November 6, 1998)<ref name="Dead">{{Cite web|url=http://thedeadrockstarsclub.com/1998.html|title=The Dead Rock Stars Club 1998 - 1999|website=Thedeadrockstarsclub.com|access-date=May 28, 2025}}</ref> was an American rhythm and blues,<ref name="Music">{{cite book | first= Paul | last= Du Noyer | year= 2003 | title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music | edition= 1st | publisher= Flame Tree Publishing | location= London, England | isbn= 1-904041-96-5 | page= 181}}</ref> funk and soul singer, guitarist and songwriter. Most famous for his work as an R&B singer in the 1950s and 1960s, he was also known for composing the soundtrack and songs to the blaxploitation film, ''Savage!''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.moviegrooves.com/shop/savagesoundtrackdonjulian.htm |title=Moviegrooves.com |access-date=2009-01-20 |archive-date=2009-05-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090515153257/http://www.moviegrooves.com/shop/savagesoundtrackdonjulian.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dustygroove.com/item.php?id=357jvvzp39&ref=browse.php&refQ=cat=12&amp;format=lp|title=Jazz, Soul, Funk, Hip Hop, Brazil, Latin, and more on LP and CD -- Dusty Groove is Chicago's Online Record Store|website=Dustygroove.com|access-date=May 28, 2025}}</ref>

==Career== Born '''Donald Ray Julian''' in Houston, Texas, United States, in his teens he moved to Los Angeles, California, where he began performing with local bands.<ref name="soulsounds">{{Cite web|url=http://www.soulsounds.com/ajulian.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107024204/http://www.soulsounds.com/ajulian.html|url-status=dead|title=Don Julian|archive-date=January 7, 2009|website=Soulsounds.com|access-date=May 28, 2025}}</ref>

He performed both solo and with backing bands. His most famous backing group was "The Meadowlarks" (later named The Larks), although most of his film music was performed with instrumental funk bands.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.groovecollector.com/don-julian-soul-kaleidoscope/release/293/|title=DON JULIAN soul kaleidoscope, LP released on 1970 on label money|website=Groovecollector.com|access-date=May 28, 2025}}</ref> The Meadowlarks is considered the first integrated doo-wop group.<ref name="soulsounds"/> In 1954, Don Julian and the Meadowlarks' debut single "Heaven and Paradise", became popular with R&B fans.<ref name="AMG"/> In 1964, the single, "The Jerk" was released under the band name, The Larks. The single, released on the Money label, was Julian's only chart hit. It went to number one on both the ''Billboard'' R&B chart and the ''Cash Box'' R&B chart and peaked at number seven on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart.<ref>{{cite book |title= Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |authorlink=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |location=Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin|ISBN=978-0898201604|page=340}}</ref>

Julian recorded several solo albums for a variety of record labels in the 1970s.<ref name="AMG">{{cite web |first= |last= |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p4648/biography|pure_url=yes}} |title=Biography by Bryan Thomas |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 3, 2011}}</ref>

Julian died on November 6, 1998, from pneumonia, aged 61.<ref name="Dead"/>

==Discography==

===Solo (incomplete)=== * ''Savage! (1973)'' (soundtrack to the film ''Savage!'')

===With the Meadowlarks or the Larks=== * ''Heaven and Paradise'' (1955) * ''The Jerk'' (1964) * ''Shorty the Pimp'' (1973) (soundtrack to limited release film starring the band)<ref name="AMG"/> * ''Golden Classics'' (1990)

==Influence== A song from the album ''Savage!'' titled "Janitizo" was sampled by Warren G, on his song "And Ya Don't Stop" on his debut album, ''Regulate...G Funk Era''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.whosampled.com/sample/8977/Warren-G-And-Ya-Don%27t-Stop-Don-Julian-Janitzio/|title=Warren G's 'And Ya Don't Stop' sample of Don Julian's 'Janitzio'|website=Whosampled.com|access-date=September 10, 2021}}</ref> The title track "Shorty the Pimp" was sampled by Too Short as the intro track for his 1992 album ''Shorty the Pimp''.

==References== {{Reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Julian, Don}} Category:1937 births Category:1998 deaths Category:American rhythm and blues singers Category:American rhythm and blues guitarists Category:American male guitarists Category:Songwriters from Texas Category:Musicians from Houston Category:Deaths from pneumonia in California Category:20th-century American guitarists Category:Guitarists from Texas Category:African-American male songwriters Category:African-American guitarists Category:20th-century African-American male singers Category:20th-century American male singers Category:20th-century American singers Category:20th-century American songwriters