Vernon Garrett

	Vernon Garrett

Vernon Garrett

Born: Jan. 18, 1933 in Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.A. When he was 15 he sang with local gospel groups like the Southern Wonders. Claude Jeter of the Swan Silvertones heard him when he opened for them and the Soul Stirrers. For a short time he was with the Swan Silvertones. He then went into the service aboard the USS Sarsfield EDD 837 in the Korean war. "After I got out of the service and joined a vocal group called The Mixers".

Vernon soon starting performing as a solo artist and as a duo with his then wife jewel. "The f irst song we recorded was "You're Going To Be Paid for the Way You Treated Me"

Vernon and Jewel released several singles for Kent throughout the 60s until Jewel died and Vernon returned as a solo artist. After Kent folded Vernon released various 45s for various labels like Modern ("I'm Guilty"), Open G ("I Had A Dream"), Venture ("Love Has Caught Me"), R & B ("Born To Love Me"), Soul Clock ("Just Ain't My Day"), Glow Hill ("Merry Christmas Baby)", APT as "Biggie Ratt" ("Escape", "We Don't Need No Music"), Kapp ("You Blew My Mind"), Grenade ("Going To My Baby's Place"), Watts ("I Learned My Lesson"), Gator ("Jody Can Ease The Pain" and others. His first LP, "Going To My Baby's Place", came out in 1975 but his first national chart hit was "I'm At The Crossroads" for ICU in 1977. In the 80s a mostly-live LP, "Crossroads" and two obscure albums for White Enterprises (1987's Somebody Done Messed Up At The Crossroad" and 1989's "If You Can't Help Me Baby" appeared before Garrett was signed to Ichiban Records for three terrific albums. The label folded and Garrett recorded a pair of albums for Leon Haywood's Evejim imprint at the beginning of the 20th decade.

Album Discography

"Going To My Baby's Place" (Grenade 1975)

1. Going To My Baby's Place
2. I Learned My Lesson
3. One Man's Loss
4. Something Went Wrong
5. Love Junkie
6. Satisfied Woman, Satisfied Man
7. Keep On Forgiving You
8. I Made My Own World
9. To Be A Part Of You
10. Don't Do What I Do

"Crossroads" (California Gold 1982)

Mostly live set by Vernon. Contains a nearly 10 minute version of "Crossroads", plus "Jody Can Ease The Pain", "Love Vibration" & "I Love To See You Smile". The live tracks are strong. The studio tracks are simply re-issues of a couple 60s tracks including one by Vernon & Jewel. See "Live And Well" below.

"Somebody Done Messed Up At The Crossroad" (White Enterprises 1987)

1. Somebody Messed Up
2. Drifting Apart
3. That's The Way It Is
4. You Are My Trophy
5. I Am At The Crossroad
6. Love Me Right
7. Stranger In My Bed Tonight
8. I Got To Get Over To My Baby's Place

"If You Can't Help Me Baby" (White Enterprises 1989)

1. If You Can't Help Me Baby
2. Cross-Fire
3. Lonely Lonely Night
4. I Can't Work And Watch You Too
5. Aim To Please
6. Riches And Gold
7. Johnny Walker Red
8. Blood Of My Blood

"Caught In A Crossfire" (Ichiban 1991)

1. Lonely, Lonely Nights
2. Bottom Line
3. Drifting Apart
4. Love Me Right
5. If You Can't Help Me Baby
6. Somebody Done Messed Up
7. Don't Make Me Pay For His Mistakes
8. Walkin' The Back Streets and Crying
9. Caught In A Crossfire

"Too Hip To Be Happy" (Ichiban 1994)

1. Are You The One
2. You Just Call Me
3. You Don't Know Nothin' About Love
4. Too Hip To Be Happy
5. Doors Of My Heart
6. Special Kind Of Lady
7. She's A Burglar
8. I'll Be Doggone
9. Gonna Have To Use My Head
10. Lil' Black Woman

"Half Past The Blues" (Ichiban 1997)

1. Blues In Your Town
2. You Bought Your Ticket (Take A Ride)
3. Mixed Emotions
4. Half Past The Blues
5. Give Me One More Chance
6. Welfare Blues
7. Teeny Weeny Touch Of Your Love
8. Something Is Worrying My Baby
9. Dill Pickle And A Peppermint Stick
10. Help Me When I'm Down

"Live And Well" (California Gold 1999)

1. Crossroads (live)
2. Welfare Blues
3. Jody Can Ease The Pain (live)
4. Love Vibration (live)
5. Love To See You Smile (live)
6. Love Junkie/I Need A Love Injection (live)
7. Baby You Got What It Takes
8. Love Me Right

"Don't Look Any Further" (Evejim 2000)

1. Don't Look Any Further
2. (You're My) Aphrodisiac
3. I Still Love You
4. When a Man Loves a Woman
5. Going Back to My Wife
6. Things I Used to Do, The
7. I Just Gotta Know
8. Given My Love to the Otherman
9. License to Steal
10. Miss Rudolph

"When Something Is Wrong With My Baby" (Evejim 2002)

1. My Trial of Love
2. When Something Is Wrong With My Baby
3. Crossroads 2002
4. I'm Not Gonna Go Down
5. Don't Look Any Further
6. If You Don't Know Me by Now
7. Miss Rudolph
8. License to Steal
9. I Still Love You
10. I've Got to Get Over (To My Baby's Place)

"I Made My Own Word: Kent/Modern Recordings" (Kent 2003)

1. If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time
2. Running Out
3. You and Me Together
4. Shine It On
5. I'm Guilty
6. Going to My Baby's Place
7. I've Learned My Lesson
8. Things Are Lookin' Better
9. One Man's Loss
10. I Made My Own World
11. Slow and Easy
12. To Ba a Part of You
13. Those Lonely, Lonely Nights
14. Just to Hold My Hand
15. How About You?
16. Baby (You Got What It Takes)
17. You're So Fine
18. Does It Matter to You?
19. Since You Left Me All Alone
20. Sail On
21. In My Heart
22. Let the Good Times Roll
23. That's a Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around and Fall in Love)
24. If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time - (previously unreleased)

"New Beginnings" (Video Uptown 2005) LISTEN

1. Mother Bowed
2. God Is Knocking On Your Door
3. I've Changed My Life
4. Sing For The Lord
5. Got God In My Heart
6. Our Only Solution
7. I Can't Walk This Highway
8. Got Him In My Life
9. I Thank You Lord
10.Served The Lord

"Welfare Blues" (Video Uptown 2006) LISTEN
yet another re-issue of the California Gold LP "Crossroads"
"Blues In The Kitchen" (Video Uptown 2007) LISTEN
1. Barely Gettin' By
2. Our Love On Borrowed Time
3. You Choose Me To Be Your Man
4. Gotta Tell Ya People
5. Juke Joint Blues
6. Land Lord
7. My Woman And My Wife Can't Seem To Get Along
8. Sick And Tired Of Being Sick And Tired
9. Tax Man
10. Blacker The Berry
"I'm Too Far Gone" (Video Uptown 2009) LISTEN

1. Lovin' Arms
2. Blues Wont Leave me Alone
3. Time to Settle
4. You Went Back On Your Word
5. Make Up Your Mind
6. Because I Love You
7. I'm To Far Gone (featuring Sheila G)
8. Too Late
9. Mr.Crossroad
10. Crossroads

"Don't Fall In Love With Me" (Video Uptown 2011) LISTEN

1. Too Late Baby
2. Your the Reason I’m Singing This Song
3. Try You Tonight
4. Lies, Lies, Lies
5. I’m Glad You’re Mine
6. Let’s Try Again
7. You Choose Me to Be Your Man
8. Gonna Help You to Pack Your Bags
9. Don’t Fall in Love With Me
10.Got to Get Over to My Baby Place