Category Archive

Nathaniel Mayer was a giant of Detroit’s almost forgotten Soul history.  He is best remembered for his scorching vocals on a hit he recorded for Fortune Records when he was just eighteen years-old, “Village of Love.”  The record was licensed to United Artists for national distribution and sold well, which makes it one of the easiest records to find on the Fortune Records label.  Sadly after recording a number of records that didn’t do nearly as well as “Village of Love,” partially due to the lack of major distribution, he faded into obscurity and hardship on Detroit’s east side.

There was a happy ending to Mayer’s story however.  He performed at a Detroit “Legends” concert in 2000 and eventually put out a new record on Fat Possum in 2004, “I Just Want to be Held.”  He had no access to the Internet and had no clue that he had a substantial following, including some members of the Midwestern Blues and Garage revival.  Members of the Black Keys and the Detroit Cobras played on his last two records; his last album was “Why Don’t You Give It to Me?” released in 2007 by Alive.  Both records are well worth searching out, but don’t expect to hear the bombastic tenor of “Village of Love”; his voice had turned into a unique rasp over the years and the overall sound on the records runs the gamut of the Blues and R & B spectrum.

Mayer suffered several strokes on April 13th and has struggled since in a nursing home in Detroit.  He passed away at age 64 on Saturday, but his music lives on here in the Village of Love.

Village of Love

Dancing Mood

by Cousin Justin:

The Dream Girls first released this 45 on the Twirl record label that was owned by Harry Balk and Irving Micahnik. Harry Balk was a Detroit movie theater owner that ran talent shows during down times. Harry used the pseudonym Tom King for his writing credits. Harry and Irving started the label to release Johnny & The Hurricanes hit “Crossfire”. Twirl was a conduit for Detroit talent to sign with the New York Big Top label as Embee Productions. The biggest act to come out of this partnership was Del Shannon. While the other credited songwriter on both sides is Edwin Harrell, BMI has the other credited Songwriter of “Don’t Break My Heart” as Johnny “Paris” Pocisk of the Hurricanes. Cameo-Parkway has had a long history of breaking Detroit acts nationally Including Bob Seger, The Rationals, and ? & The Mysterians. When Johnny & The Hurricanes “Crossfire” And “Red River Rock” hit the national charts they appeared on Dick Clark’s T.V. show out of Philadelphia. Bernie Lowe was the owner of Cameo-Parkway and used the local Dick Clark show to break his own talent and get new talent. The Hurricanes already had a distrubution deal with Warwick.  Cameo undoubtadly wanted a chance to get another teen driven act in the roster. The catalogue # on the Twirl press is 1002, which indicates it was the follow up 45 to “Crossfire”. Was the 45 merely a vehicle for the Hurricanes to get another deal?  It could explain the Edwin Harrell songwritng credit. This relationship must not have lasted long as Don’t Break My Heart was released in 1960 with “I Could Write A Book” as the flip. This may have been the first Embee produced song to land on Big Top.  The Detroit-Cameo Garage Rock connection could be traced more to Terry Knight & The Pack and the Lucky Eleven label, also started in 1959……..

If Johnny Paris was the other Songwriter on these songs, the sax solo makes sense. Whether the Hurricanes are the backing group I have no idea. On the Johnny and the Hurricanes site it does state they played behind them a lot.

This down tempo track did not make it to the Big Top release

BID ON THE 45 HERE!

by Cousin Justin: 

Up this week we end our run of early rock and roll and Rockabilly 45’s and LP’s with a solid group of Doo-Wop 45’s.  Most of these are well cared for and in good condition for their age.  I wanted to highlight one of the most interesting 45s for our loyal readers.  As the long ass title clearly shows, this 45 is on Jake “Vernon” Porter’s Combo Label.  Allmusic has a great Bio of Jake, and they start it by saying “Hipsters seeking a good example of “a swinging cat who made the scene” don’t need to look any further than this artist”, pretty glowing praise.  His major songwriting credit is ”Ko Ko Mo (I Love You So)”, recorded by a lot of people.  Jake is also credited with releasing Johnny “Guitar” Watson’s first 45.  Both sides of this 45 were written by Porter and Gene Ford, lead singer of The Chanters.  Gene was no longer a member of the group during the Deluxe Records period of their recording carrer.  No No No on Deluxe hit #9 on the R&B Charts in 1961, three years after it was originally released.  The lead during the Deluxe years was Bud Johnon Jr., father of Albert Johnson aka Prodigy, and half of the Rap Duo Mobb Deep.  This 45 is a follow-up to one of Combo’s biggest hits “Why/Watts” from ‘54. 

I Love You is the A side and a down tempo ballad.  With such repetative lyrics I am sure a few of you will have it caught in your head for a few days.  If you do go around singing it, you will probably get lucky.

The double AA side of the 45 features Ethel Brown on lead and Brother Woodman’s combo shows why they get the largest billing with this track.  So if you got yourself a Hot Mamma play the flip and maybe she will cool down a bit.

BUY THE 45 HERE!

Our friend Al Reid, former lead singer of the Capreez, emailed me back yesterday and said he has been busy recording again.  He’s good friends with Jack Scott, and will be Jack’s guest backstage this weekend at the Valentine’s Rock and Roll Spectacular at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn.

This show has quite an impressive lineup: Jack Scott, The Reflections, The Vogues, The Diamonds, and former lead singer of The Platters Sonny Turner.

This 45, I’ll Beg/Let Me Take You Out Tonight was recorded on the SRC label in Ferndale, just outside of Detroit.  We don’t actually have this copy, and the audio below is taken from a bootleg Detroit doo-wop comp that I have.  This has sold for over $500 before, and other 45s by The Five Emeralds are highly sought after.

I believe this was recorded around 1954, during the time where soul hadn’t quite emerged in Detroit - and instead there was a mix of doo-wop, blues, and rock n roll.  I am trying to find out more about this group and label, and I’ll revise this post once I do.

Speaking of doo-wop, reader Rockin’ Richard has a doo-wop show every Tuesday night from 6-8 US Eastern time - go check it out.

listen to Let Me Take You Out Tonight:

Detroit’s legendary Fortune Record’s biggest selling act was this group of Detroit teenagers led by unique tenor Nolan Strong.  This LP, along with the follow-up, Vol. II (which Justin has), is definitly worth picking up if you can find it.  Detroit had some great music going on pre-Motown/northern soul era, and this album is a prime example.

All members of Nolan Strong and the Diablos were in their early teens when they were discovered by Fortune in the early 50s.  They might be best known for the haunting song, “The Wind”; my personal favorite is the more uptemp, “If I”. 

listen to a clip: