Soul Strutter: NS509 Gwen Owens [1967] - Just You're Wanted (And Needed) [Velgo V0-002]

Tuesday 3 March 2020

NS509 Gwen Owens [1967] - Just You're Wanted (And Needed) [Velgo V0-002]

509 Gwen Owens [1967] - Just Say You're Wanted (And Needed) [Velgo V0-002]

Artist:	Gwen Owens
A:	You're Wanted (And Needed)
B:	Still True To You
Format:	45
Country:	US
Label:	Velgo
Label Discography:	Velgo Discography
Cat No:	VO-002
Year:	1966
Value:	£4,000-£5,500+
Value Link:	£4,000-£5,500
Artist Biography:	Gwen Owens Biography
Artist Discography:	Gwen Owens Discography

A monster sound in it's day (mid 70s) and surprised it's not higher up in the 500!

This is a very rare record as apparently there was a pressing fault and they were withdrawn for sale and destroyed but obviously a few have escaped! It is suggested that there were 2 presses - one skips towards the end. There's an interesting thread here: Soul Source Gwen Owens. There is also quite a detailed biography for her on Discogs.

In summary she recorded 7 singles in the 60s for a number of labels OnCore, Rem, Velgo (2), Lau-Reen, Josie and 2 in 70s Casablanca and Big Tree. An early unreleased 45, that was recorded on Harthon in 1967 just before she joined Josie, was licensed from Weldon McDougal / Harthon and released by Adey Pierce on Mel-Ady.

Discography

1964	Oncore ON-84	Mystery Man/Someone To Love
1964	REM 105	Mystery Of Love /
		The Impacs - Myster of Love (Sing-A-Long)
1966	Velgo VO-001	I Lost A Good Thing/I'll Be Crying
1967	Velgo VO-002	Just Say You're Wanted (And Needed)/Still True To You
1967	Mal-Ady MA-100	Lies/Rain
1968	Lau-Reen 1002	Make Him Mine/One More Day
1969	Josie 45-1009	Keep On Living/It Ain't Hardly Over
1974	Casablanca NB 808	You Better Watch Out/Everybody Needs Love
1979	Big Tree K 11335	I Don't Want To Dance No More /
		Hold Me Like You Never Had Me

She released 2 of only 3 releases on Velgo based in New Haven MI, owned by Larry Lick (Pavlik). Velgo was a subsidiary of Sound Inc. which released Gary Haines - Keep On Going S1 110 and Capreez - How To Make A Sad Man Glad S1-149.

In 1976 she joined the group Hot (a trio of Gwen, Owens, Cathy Carson and Juanita Curiel) who had a US Top 10 hit with 'Angel In Your Arms' which reached #6. Hot released 3 albums and around 7 singles on Big Tree between 1976-79, (a further single was released on Boradwalk in 1982) 3 of these (incl. Angel In My Arms entered the Hot 100.

509 Gwen Owens [1967] - Just Say You're Wanted (And Needed) [Velgo V0-002]

Gwen Owens [1967] - Still True To You [Velgo V0-002]

Gwen Owens [1966] - I Lost A Good Thing [Velgo V0-001]

Gwen Owens [1966] - I'll Be Crying [Velgo V0-001]

Gwen Owens [1964] - Mystery Man [Oncore ON-84]

Gwen Owens [1964] - Someone To Love [Oncore ON-84]

One for tyhe lowriders.

Gwen Owens [1964] - Mystery Of Love [REM 105]

Gwen Owens [1968] - Make Him Mine [Lau-Reen 1002]

Lau-Reen was a sister label to Ram-Brock run by Rudy Robinson from Dexter Ave., Detroit. There were only 2 releases, the first being by Rudy Robinson & The Hungry Four - Close Your Mouth Pts. 1 & 2 (a horn-laden funky instrumental) and the 2nd and last by Gwen Owens.

Ram-Brock released 4 45s between 1967-68 and all but the first one from Magic Tones were from Cody Black who had several other release on Detroit labels such as D-Town, Wheelsville and Groove City. The Magic Tones also had many other relases on Detroit labels such as Wheelsville, Solid Hit, MAH's and Westbound.