Vernon Garrett

Listen/Download – Vernon Garrett & Marie Franklin – Second To None

 

Greetings all.

I hope all is groovy on your segment of the sphere.

I’m slowly getting back into the swing of things, following a long and snow-infested Christmas break, during which the fam and I were literally trapped in the house for a few days. It’s not that we don’t enjoys each other’s company, but when the food and beverage choices start moving into crisis mode (what can you make from a can of tomato soup and a pack of instant rice) folk’s nerves start to get on edge.

Fortunately we were eventually plowed out and took a drive up to visit my in-laws, located much further north, and (oddly enough) under a whole lot less snow.

I did manage to get in a digging session, in what used to be one of my favorite ‘road’ spots. Unfortunately it looks like the place has changed ownership and I walked out of the store with every good record in the place, all eight of them.

It was mostly unusual rock stuff, but there were a couple of nice soulful selections as well, so all is well.

I should mention again that I’ll be taking part in the Spindletop night with DJ Perry Lane next Monday night, beginning at 10PM at Botanica, 47 East Houston Street (between Mulberry and Mott) in New York City. Expect all manner of Hammond grooves, Mod soul, International au go go goodies etc.

The tune I bring you today is yet another gem from the stash that keeps on giving.

As mentioned in this space many times, some years back my father-in-law came upon a deposit of several thousand 45s, which he was kind enough to procure on my behalf. Though I made several passes through the crates over the last five or six years, there are still a few stacks left that I head back to now and then, and as luck would have it, they still yield some goodies every once in a while (this being one of them).

I have to admit that before I heard Vernon Garrett and Marie Franklin’s ‘Second To None’ I didn’t know much about the Venture label, other than Calvin Arnold’s ‘Funky Way’ from 1967.

The label was founded when Mickey Stevenson (and his wife Kim Weston) left Motown and relocated to the West Coast in the mid-60s. The pair hooked up with MGM Records, which established Venture as a soul subsidiary*.

Though the label didn’t produce many hits, there were a number of solid artists on its roster, including Larry Williams, The Mighty Hannibal and the Ballads.

The raging ‘Second to None’, heard here in a duet with Vernon Garrett and Marie Franklin, was originally recorded as a solo by Garrett in 1968 as the first of his three 45s for the label.

Garrett had been recording since the early-50s, waxing gospel, R&B, duets with his wife Jewel (who died in the late 60s), and as a solo for a wide variety of labels like Kent, Venture, Watts USA, Gator and ICA.

Marie Franklin is even more of a mystery. After her duet with Garrett, she recorded at least one 45 for Tangerine, as well as the killer ‘You Ain’t Changed’ for Maverick.

‘Second To None’ is a rock solid, right on the edge of out and out funk 45, with heavy guitar and fantastic vocal interplay between Garrett and Franklin. Both singers have especially raw, soul-shouting voices and it pains me to think that they didn’t go on to record more as duet partners.

The tune was written by Darryl Carter, Dick Cooper and Ernie Shelby, with Carter (as a solo) and Shelby (as a member of the Seven Souls) both having recorded for Venture.

Interestingly, the flipside of ‘Second to None’, ‘Without You’ hit the R&B Top 40 in 1969.

I hope you dig the tune, and I’ll see you on Friday.

Peace

Larry

*There were also a couple of rock bands on the label, including the 49^th Parallel and Southwind

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PS Head over to Iron Leg for a garage cover of a soul classic

4 Responses to “Vernon Garrett & Marie Franklin – Second to None”

1. Alan says:

   January 5, 2011 at 4:44 am

   Hey there. Just a quick note on Marie Franklin: There’s an absolutely murderously tough 7″ – Westbound WT5021,’Bad Bad Woman’.

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JznsxbGoNeo

   I did here a rumour once that she was Dr Dre’s mother but that seems not to be the case.

   Thanks for all yr work here fella. It makes a boring office job here in London bearable.

2. Pam "COFFY" Carter says:

   January 29, 2014 at 3:58 am

   Awesome post. I have had the pleasure to work with both of these great and hard working artists. Met them both in Denver, CO in the 70’s at a hot spot during that time by the name of Smitty’s Playroom and Lounge. Was invited to sing in Marie’s group and was with her daughter’s Margaret and Nancy and her niece Janice for a while gigging in clubs in L. A. Marie is a work horse and perfectionist. A no nonsense artist and enjoyed working with her. Had a ball. Vernon is also hard working and I had a ball doing he and Jewel’s Without You also. Would love to see and talk to them both, but over the years we lost contact and neither has been in the Denver area performing in quite some time. God’s speed to both of these great singers.
   Love you both, still.
   Both are accomplished artists and it’s good too see they’re still performing.

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