- Johnnie Walker
Founder and Chairman
Currently serving as Executive Director of the Memphis & Shelby County Music Commission, Johnnie Walker is the Founder of NABFEME, the National Association of Black Female Executives in Music & Entertainment, Inc. Johnnie holds the distinction of being named the first female Sr. Vice President of Promotion for the Island Def Jam Music Group and the only female to ever hold that position for the company. A native of Grenada, Mississippi, Walker was recently honored as one of Women’s eNews’ 21 Leaders for the 21st Century. Johnnie’s career trajectory truly exemplifies the phrase, “the road less traveled.”
In 1978, she started her career in Mississippi at WNAG as a country music air personality. A natural-born marketing maven, Walker developed a radio sales plan, which encompassed an R&B format targeting Black listeners. The local business community, which depended on Black consumers for their livelihood, was targeted. The plan began as a risky two (2) hour test program and developed into the radio station’s most successful six (6) hour time slot.
The stint at WNAG led JW (as she is affectionately called) to an opportunity in Memphis, TN at KRNB. The “WIN” momentum that would become Johnnie’s career trademark continued in Memphis where she progressed quickly from air personality to Promotions Director, to Music Director, to Program Director in less than three (3) years.
In 1989, Johnnie Walker’s marketing zeal brought her to the attention of Russell Simmons at Def Jam Recordings, where he wooed her from a career in radio broadcasting to become the label’s regional marketing rep in Memphis. Within one (1) year she was promoted from Regional Promotions Manager to National Director of Promotion. In this position, Johnnie handled Def Jam’s field operations. The Sr. National Director position soon followed and positioned Johnnie to be instrumental in launching the careers of Redman, Method Man, Onyx, Montell Jordan and Foxy Brown!
In 1997, Johnnie continued her “WIN” philosophy with a move to New York City where she assumed the position of Vice President of R&B Promotion for Def Jam. Two years later, she restructured the company’s promotion department, created their much sought after “R&B Radio Promotions Guide,” and hired the company’s first national promotions field staff. This was most significant because the staff was primarily comprised of young, inexperienced field reps that Johnnie molded into a “winning force.” Together, this force successfully marketed the Def Comedy Jam, Phat Farm clothing and Russell Simmons’ produced movies, “The Nutty Professor,” Jackie Chan’s “Rush Hour 1 and 2” plus several #1 Gold and Platinum albums from Jay-Z, Sisqo, Kelly Price, Ashanti, Ja Rule, DMX, LL Cool J, Musiq, Dru Hill and others.
At the end of the summer of 2003 after 14 years of tenure at Def Jam Recordings, Johnnie Walker relocated to Los Angeles, CA and took the reins of Head of Urban Promotion for DreamWorks Records, marketing the musical careers of The Isley Brothers, Floetry, Burt Bacharach and many others.
In an effort to make the road less traveled become a smoother journey for those to come, in 1999, Johnnie Walker, a longtime advocate of formal mentoring, founded NABFEME, the National Association of Black Female Executives in Music and Entertainment, Inc. NABFEME is a nonprofit professional organization, staffed by entertainment industry volunteers, whose mission is to raise the profile and increase the awareness of women of color in music and entertainment. The organization accomplishes its mission through activities that foster empowerment, education, mentoring, career development and networking opportunities.
Johnnie Walker has been the recipient of countless awards. Named Radio & Records Urban Promotion Executive Of The Year and largely due to her efforts, the Island Def Jam Music Group was named #1 Rap Label Of The Year and #1 R&B Label Of The Year by Billboard and Airplay Monitor consecutively in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003. In 2005, Walker was honored with the Woman of Conscience Award from Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rainbow/PUSH. Ms Walker also received Delta Sigma Theta’s 2006 Osceola Award, the highest honor given to professionals in the arts.