DETROIT MUSIC HISTORY: FORTUNE RECORDS

Fortune Records 3942 Third Ave Detroit Michigan

THE FORTUNE RECORDS STORY

Ron Murphy is Detroit’s premier music authority and has worked in the music industry in Michigan for over 40 years. Ron’s story first appeared in a Michigan music magazine called R.P.M. in September of 1983.

The first songs cut in the new (11629 Linwood) Fortune Studio were recorded on a Magnacord tape machine. In 1953, they purchased an Ampex model 350 which was used to record all of the Fortune masters, until the early sixties.

Fortune Records used simple basic recording techniques and just a few mikes that let the quality of the singers voices, and musicians playing shine through without any gimmicks.

Written by Ron Murphy... posted on Soulful Detroit

The first time I visited Fortune Records was February 1960 and I was going to be a singer, so my best friend and I skipped school to go make a demo record. When we got down to the Fortune studio on Third Street and walked in, a man wearing a hat and an overcoat came out said “Hi boys, are you lost or what?”

Then he laughed and I explained that I had called last week about making a demo, then I asked again about the price just to be sure and he said “that’s right, I’ll give you couple of takes on a tape and then cut the dub for $7.50 – so are you ready? I said yes and gave him the money and we went to the studio in the back.

3942 Third Ave in 2001 just before demolition

I recorded one song and went into the control booth to listen back. While listening the man said, “Well how do you like it?” I told him it sounded pretty good. He replied “What do you mean pretty good? I’m giving you my best sound!”

The Fortune Records story started almost 40 years ago. Devora came to Detroit from Cleveland, Ohio and was introduced to Jack Brown through a blind date set up by a friend. Devora was already writing poems and songs, even though Jack was working as an accountant at the time, he liked her songs and encouraged her to send them to a few music publishers.

Devora Brown: songwriter, pianist, record store owner, producer, engineer, song publisher and co-principal of Detroit-based Fortune Records...Jack Brown: co-principal of Fortune Records with their daughter, Janice By this time Devora married Jack Brown, and in 1947 after little response from other publishers they decided to start a publishing company and record the songs themselves.

Jack and Devora Brown set up the publishing company with Devora’s brother helping out. In 1956 the Browns purchased the building at 3942 Third Street and moved into what was to become Fortune’s permanent home.

When Motown Records started to become successful around 1962, I remember asking Devora how come they let Motown get ahead of them. She replied “We had all those people down here but they sure didn’t play that way for us.”

Unlike most record companies of the 50’s, Fortune Records had a sound all of it’s own. You knew it was a Fortune Record without looking at the label. Just like Motown in the 60’s.

Other than the J-V-B record label started by Joe Von Battle in 1945 (which folded in 1968), Fortune has now become the oldest steady record producer from Detroit, Michigan. Out of all the record companies started in Detroit, including Motown who left, Fortune Records outlasted them all.

Ron Murphy September 1983

Read More About Fortune Records:

The Fortune Records Story by Rick Richards

Original Post

THE ROCKETS FILLMORE SHOW DEC 28

The Rockets Photo:Marty Rickard

 L to R Johnny "Bee" Badanjek, Mike Marshall, Joey Gaydos, Jim Edwards, Danny Taylor, Phil "Greasy" Carlisi 

The legions of Detroit rock fans are overjoyed that The Rockets will be playing 4 new tunes, live at the Fillmore on December 28.

Yes.. there have been some changes in the lineup.  

So what? This will no doubt prove to be a stellar show with Jim Edwards out front giving it everything he's got and that's plenty.  The new team have played a huge part in the Detroit rock scene forever. (read more below)

The Rocket's playlist contains a ton of tunes written by Johnny Bee Badanjek..his beat continues to astound us no matter what band he is in or what their NAME is...It doesn't matter...the fans will continue to support Detroit's hard working, hard rocking and bad ass musicians...(RK)

Live Nation presents The Rockets at The Filmore on Saturday Night December 28th. We haven't taken any promo shots yet because we've been so busy in the studio. This is the cover of our new four song EP Greetings From Detroit which will be put up on I-Tunes and Amazon and many other Internet sites with a week or so... stay tuned..

(TICKETS/DIRECTIONS)

The band will be recording more songs and adding onto the tracks we already have. It's some smokin' hot Detroit Shimmy. Live Nation will announce opening bands in the days to come.

Johnny “Bee” Badanjek, along with Jim Edwards (lead vocals), and Danny Taylor (keyboards) are thrilled to announce new band members;

Mike Marshall (bass). Mike Marshall (bass) has lent his musical virtuosity to hundreds of recording sessions and toured with The Motor City Mutants, Torpedoes, Rob Tyner (MC5), Catfish Hodge, Johnny Bassett. Joe Weaver, Alberta Adams, and many other Detroit acts.

Phil “Greasy” Carlisi (guitar) Sirius Trixon & The Motor City Bad Boys, legendary Stooges' members Ron and Scott Asheton (Destroy All Monsters) and toured extensively in the States and abroad with rock-a-billy musician, Robert Gordon, and British guitarist, Chris Spedding. Carlisi has been a mainstay player in the Detroit music scene for over 35 years.

Joey Gaydos (lead guitar), also a Detroit music veteran, has played with rock heavies Rob Tyner (MC5), Cub Koda and the Points (Brownsville Station). Gaydos built a loyal Detroit fan base with his bands, Mugsy, and Weapons and has a reputation for his showmanship and incendiary lead guitar prowess in the Midwest.

 KEEP UP WITH THE ROCKETS ON FACEBOOK 

STUDIO D HOLIDAY JAM TOMORROW NIGHT!

DETROIT DRUMMER RICKY LAWSON PASSED AWAY TODAY

 Detroit Drummer Ricky Lawson

Sadly..Ricky Lawson passed away today Dec. 18th 2013 from a stroke ...

The Yellow Jackets

Today the music community lost a great soul in the form of Ricky Lawson. A native Detroiter, Ricky Lawson was an extraordinary drummer, always on the cutting edge, Ricky's performances were always mesmerizing. His list of who he has performed with reads, like a who's who of greatest music artists. I met Ricky while he was playing with Whitney Houston.

I had heard of him through the normal channels, all of us Detroit musicians are sorta privy to when one of us leave Detroit to wander the world. He was a founding member of The Yellowjackets, I was blessed to play with him on one of The Winans' tours.

He has toured with Michael Jackson, Genesis,Steely Dan and countless others. I'm surely going to miss this young man as a dear friend and brother, and the world will miss the rhythm of his presence.

Farewell my friend, David Winans II

David Winans II is the eldest son of the famed Gospel group the Winans family. David is a well respected guitarist, composer, producer and was a close friend of Ricky Lawson.

JOHNNY KNOXVILLE: DETROIT LIVES VIDEO

 

Once the fourth-largest metropolis in America—some have called it the Death of the American Dream. Today, the young people of the Motor City are making it their own DIY paradise where rules are second to passion and creativity. They are creating the new Detroit on their own terms, against real adversity.

In it, Knoxville cruises the streets in a vintage Cadillac convertible talking to various local names -- Slows BBQ owner Phil Cooley and the Dirtbombs' Ko Melina and Zack Weedon among them -- and highlights what's being done to move the city forward -- instead of harping on where the city went wrong. "I can't believe there's nothing positive here, so we came to see what else is going on," the "Jackass" host says in the opening.

Original Post on RK

ROCK PHOTOGRAPHER KEN SETTLE:MOTOWN'S STUDIO B

Ken Settle From the film archives: Many, many years ago, I wanted to go photograph what remained of the old Motown Studio B. Though everyone knows about Motown's "Hitsville" Studio A, relatively few people were familiar with Studio B on Davison near Livernois in Detroit. This was the location of Golden World Records, who had a hit with The Reflections "Just Like Romeo and Juliet." In the mid '60s, Berry Gordy purchased Golden World and turned it into Studio B. This was the place where many of the incredible Motown vocals, horns and strings were overdubbed.

Most pivotal to me, was that Marvin Gaye's vocals for the groundbreaking What's Going On masterpiece were done right here at Studio B. Studio B sat vacant for much of the time after Motown moved to L.A. and has finally been torn down. At the time that I photographed this, you could still see a very weather worn Motown Studio B sign on the side of the battered structure.

I used the old Kodak Recording Film 2475 for this photo, because I wanted the incredibly grainy results that this film gave, along with its extended red sensitivity. I became real interested in that film for a time after I learned that many of the photos of the '67 Detroit riots were shot on this film. It was one of the first high speed (ISO 1000) films ever. Every time I look at this photo, I hear Marvin Gaye singing "Mother, Mother, there's too many of you crying."

Ken Settle Photography Ken Settle Photography on Facebook 

 posted from RK 

STEVE HUNTER'S NEW STRING CHANGE BUDDY!

STEVE HUNTER INVENTS:

THE STRING CHANGE BUDDY!

Steve and Karen Hunter have come up with an invaluable gadget for helping change strings on a Bigsby fitted guitar. 

THE BUDDY

World-renowned guitarist Steve Hunter, known for his work with Lou Reed and Alice Cooper, was trying to change some strings on one of his Gretsch Guitars. As always there was a good deal of frustration as this is difficult for most people, but even more so for someone like Steve who is partially sighted. Only certain guitars have a Bigsby, most of those are Gretsch but there are other makes of guitars such as Gibson and Fender who use the metal string bending arm attachment.

The main problem is how to hold the eyelet at the end of the new string in place, on the pin of the Bigsby, without it springing off when you go to the other end of the neck to wind on the string. Steve said “There must be a way of holding the string in place, maybe something simple that could be taken in and out easily”. Karen thought that a squishy door wedge shape would do the job.

Knowing Steve used foam speaker positioning wedges in his studio she found a spare one. Karen cut out a wedge to the exact requirements and low and behold! The String Change Buddy was born. Steve still uses that very wedge, with less hassle, less time and less swearing!

Perfecting the idea for production took nearly two years, mainly due to finding the right foam. It needed to be firm enough to push under the metal bar of the Bigsby but also needed to have the right compression and recovery so it could be used many times. Once they had started the process of protecting the design with a patent, all they had to do was find the right manufacturer whom they are proud to say is right here in the USA. The String Change Buddy will not change the world but it will help anybody with a Bigsby fitted guitar to change strings without losing their cool.

ORDER YOUR STRING CHANGE BUDDY