Vocalist A.J. Franklin was born Franklin Spence in Westmorland, Jamaica, but raised in Kingston. He began his singing career in 1969 with the Federals, a trio popular in the club circuit in Kingston, and it wasn’t long before reggae star Derrick Harriott noticed the group, integrating them into his show as part of Derrick Harriott & His Musical Chariot as well as producing a couple of early singles for the group. While these early singles did well in Jamaica, it wasn’t until the group morphed into the Chosen Few that they gained full exposure, signing with Trojan and touring the United States and Canada in the early ’70s.

It was while on tour that The Chosen Few in Miami was recorded — with members of KC & the Sunshine Band helping out — and Franklin began to solidify some connections in the pop market. The Chosen Few continued to tour through the ’70s and became moderately well known in the U.K., which led to Franklin’s involvement as a sideman, singing backup for groups such as Eurythmics. Franklin continued to perform with the Chosen Few through the 1980s, and by the end of that decade he had opened his own recording studio with the intent on focusing on his solo work, producing records, and licensing material to reissue.

He was rather quiet through the ’90s, focusing more on his producing and community involvement while releasing a handful of singles, but in 2003 Franklin teamed up with Winston Francis to release Stand Firm under the moniker Francis & Franklin.