Garner made acquaintance with local musicians such as Lonesome Sundown, Silas Hogan, Guitar Kelley and Tabby Thomas.

[3] His musical influences include Hogan, Clarence Edwards, Jimi Hendrix, and Henry Gray.

Garner completed military service in Korea and returned to Baton Rouge, working part-time in music and full-time at a Dow Chemical plant.

The latter album's title was in reply to a label executive who judged Garner's original demo to be "too blues".

[1] Thomas's nightclub, Tabby's Blues Box, provided Garner with a playing base in the 1980s and gave him the subject matter for the song "No Free Rides" on Double Dues.