By David Meikle (62.252.128.6) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 05:21 pm:

A legend in the community.

Coachman's store is worth preserving but is already showing dangerous signs of decay through lack of respect.

Many radio shows were broadcast from this
building on Charlevoix on the East Side.

Early travelling Northern Soul fans bought records within these premises; from someone who showed them respect...The Famous Coachman.

Rest In Peace.

By mc5rules (148.61.97.30) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 05:25 pm:

Oh, man, do I miss his show! That was one of the first things my soon-to-be-wife introduced me to when I started visiting her in Detroit. Likewise, when I'd bring friends down, it was one of the things I was most excited to turn them on to. Somewhere, I still have a few tapes of his shows.

I just remember that if you were up late enough to hear him slip into gospel, you knew you were up the devil's business and probably needed to hear it!

By Lynn Bruce (68.41.106.8) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 06:05 pm:

In the days before all these re-releases of all the older blues artists the Coachman was the man to see. When ever I wanted a record that was hard to find (i.e. Stoop Down Baby by Chick Willis)or old Elmore James recordings I would go down and talk to the Coachman and doggone if he wouldn't either have it or find me a copy of it. Then we'd talk about the blues between his customers.The man had a P.H.D. in blues knowlege

He was an honorable man and I had much respect for him.

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 06:05 pm:

Mc5Rules - You are right about that. That is how I know him. Plus, we would go there to purchase our tickets for gospel programs. Or from Frank's Diner on Mack.

Sometimes, the sundeay morning broadcast would be at Frank's. The gospel groups would go to the broadcast to let everyone know they were in town, and to tell everyone to "come on down to 14th and Marquette" to enjoy the program. One by one the lead singer, of each group would say something. Then they would play the recordings.
Frank's is one of the places the gospel groups went to eat. So, everyone else would go down and eat soul food with the big time groups.

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 06:06 pm:

Actually, the groups would go from one station to the other early Sunday morning. From Detroit to Inkster, etc.

By David Meikle (62.252.128.6) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 06:17 pm:

Sis

I wonder if Frank's building is still there?

It's very close to Hitsville.

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 06:27 pm:

Someone told me Frank's is still there. Frank's is on the eastside pass Van Dyke. I think it's near Montclair up in that area. Since I've just about forgotten the streets on the eastside(since I stopped running them):o) I think it's before you get to St.Jean. I will check to make sure.

By Sue (63.85.105.20) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 06:33 pm:

St. Jean and Van Dyke is WAY far away from Hitsville.

East side vs. west side.

By David Meikle (62.252.128.6) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 06:34 pm:

Sis

Confusingly and perhaps uniquely there are two Marquette's in Detroit.

One on the west side near Hitsville and one where Roostertail is situated.

Sounds like it's the latter? which ain't near 14th? :-))

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 06:36 pm:

(Sue - I had to laugh at ES vs. WS. When I was in Jr. high school, that was the way it was. The ES gangs would come to our school and pick fights with the WS gangs. The ES gangs were rough and tough.)

By David Meikle (62.252.128.6) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 06:38 pm:

Sis, remember the Shakers?

Perhaps before your time.

By Sue (63.85.105.20) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 06:41 pm:

Sis,
It's a Detroit thing, yeah. What side of Woodward do you live on? But St. Jean -- I had a b.f. who went to Southeastern, and I know that area. Waaaaay far away from W. Grand.

By Sue (63.85.105.20) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 06:42 pm:

p.s. Yeah east side usually wins.

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 06:46 pm:

I remember the name, but I don't remember when the Shakers existed. I'm trying to think of the name of the famous young gangs in Detroit. I'm also trying to think of a notorious Chicago young gang which was well known here in Detroit.

In the 60's & 70's, I used to know Detroit well, as far as clubs, groups, and streets are concerned because that was my time. I was all over Detroit. I visited numerous record shops also. In the 60's family friend, Cornelius, had a record shop named "Soul Train." The eastside had better record shops for oldies, blues, and gospel. (I wonder what Cornelius did with those records when he closed down.)

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 06:49 pm:

Jim G - If you read this thread, I talked to Mr. Horn about the record shop they had on Clairmount and Woodward. He has some stories about the recording artist, and the reccordings you would love to hear. His uncle's name, who owned the shop, was Monroe.

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 06:55 pm:

I do remember seeing Marquette near the Roostertail. Are they spelled the same way?

By Jim G (152.163.252.68) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 06:55 pm:

Hey Sis, wow that's pretty amazing.
I can remember a lot of things about his store, looking through his many many musty jazz records...that place was a gold mine.

By David Meikle (62.252.128.6) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 07:00 pm:

Sis

If I remember correctly the Shakers hung out between Woodward and Oakland. Jackie Wilson was a member.

Although I don't know exactly where, it was probably near Highland Park.

It's funny that your original post talks of 14th and Marquette. There is such a place, just south of Hitsville.

I've photographed a building on St Jean, it is way east of the other Marquette.

I met a lady in the News building who told me that her brother was the last person killed in the 67 riots, and on St Jean.

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 07:05 pm:

I made the circuit in my day. The clubs, the shops, the churches. I sang in a community choir, and I followed my father to programs. I quit the choir because I was missing too many good programs of the gospel quartets. Vanessa Bell-Armstrong was in the same choir. She went on to be a great gospel singer. I went to the clubs on Fridays and Saturdays, from the ES to the WS, to see Little Sonny, to the O'Jays, from the ES Emerald's Lounge to see Abe Tilmon, to the WS at Maudes to see Dennis Edwards. From Phelps to see Al Green, to Mozambique (sp) to see the Parliaments. Then, as Bobby Bland would say: "Sunday I went to church." (LOL)

By David Meikle (62.252.128.6) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 07:06 pm:

Sis, the address of the Roostertail is 100 Marquette.

There is a Marquette running parallel to West Grand Boulevard. It also junctions with 14th as you stated earlier.

Although not quite the same, there is also an East Grand and a West Grand, near Woodward, and nothing to do with the boulevards.

That threw me on my second visit.

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 07:07 pm:

DMeikle - The 14th & Marquette I'm speaking of is just around the corner from Hitsville. Just around the corner from White's Records. Marquette is a block south of Ferry Park.

By David Meikle (62.252.128.6) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 07:08 pm:

Sis

If only WE could have been there too!

You were so lucky.

David

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 07:10 pm:

West of Woodward is the Westside, and the street is called West. Hitsville is on West Grand Blvd. However, on the other side (east side) of Woodward, that street is called East Grand Blvd.

By David Meikle (62.252.128.6) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 07:15 pm:

Yes but further North there is an East Grand and a West Grand. I'm talking Highland Park.... and the penny has just dropped. HP is nothing to do with Detroit.

Is it folks?

Nothing to do with the Boulevard regardless.

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 07:17 pm:

Yeah, I guess I was kind of lucky. I know I had a great time. One time at Phelps, Al Green was there, the line was a couple blocks long. It was raining. But the people waited patiently because they wanted to see Al Green that bad. After one show, the people had to leave so the next set of people could come in. That is the way it was in most of the clubs. Sometimes you would feel like hearing jazz. The Hobby Bar was one for jazz. Baker's always had the real big time jazz masters of music and song.

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 07:18 pm:

When the Coachman passed, the whole City was in moarning. We knew him, and loved him.

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 07:19 pm:

Oh, there were two Playboy Clubs in Detroit. :o)

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 07:26 pm:

East Grand was probably in Highland Park. West Grand, the same street on the other side of Woodward, is probably Detroit. Highland Park sits inside of Detroit.

By Fury13 (209.69.165.10) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 07:45 pm:

DMeikle, if the Shakers hung out in the Oakland Ave. neighborhood, that is the North End. Technically eastside, but really considered a separate, distinct area.

Eastside vs. westside is still a big thing. I live just west of Woodward now... and hate to admit it, 'cause I'm from an eastside family and will always consider myself an eastsider.

By Sue (205.188.209.109) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 07:47 pm:

I can't believe I live east of Woodward currently, Fury. I've always lived on the west side of Woodward ... or "Woo'ward" as it's properly pronounced.

By Fury13 (209.69.165.10) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 07:51 pm:

Yep, if you have to migrate to the other side of where you're used to being (in relation to Woodward), it's like being out of one's element!

For me, traveling the westside might as well be driving through Wisconsin...

We might have the fish flies on the eastside, but we also have better pizza and frozen custard! Ha!

By Fury13 (209.69.165.10) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 07:52 pm:

Oops... sorry to hijack the thread... now back to the Coachman...

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 08:23 pm:

Sue - Ok, so now you are an Eastside Kid. The eastside had better record shops, and the meanest kids. (LOL) You are my soul sister, and don't forget it.

By Sue (152.163.252.68) on Friday, July 11, 2003 - 09:31 pm:

Hey but the west side has ... it has... well we used to have Edgewater Park on Seven Mile. What amusement park was on the east side, huh?

Northland, the first shopping center in the U.S. -- west side.

But yeah Sis I'm your east side sister, but wait a minute, aren't you west of W'ward now? Uh huh ...

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Saturday, July 12, 2003 - 12:49 am:

I didn't know Northland was the first in the US. You learn something everyday.
I am a westside kid, but soul is on both sides of Woodward. I've been on the westside most of my life. If I move, it will be out of Michigan. :o)

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Saturday, July 12, 2003 - 12:58 am:

Fury13 - Thinking about the Coachman brought back lots of good memories for me. He was a well known Detroiter. If you were not listening to him, someone would call and say "turn to Coachman, hurry, hurry."

He was around a long time before he left us. We miss him.

By Julian (152.163.252.68) on Saturday, July 12, 2003 - 04:09 am:

Wow, I didn't know the Coachman was gone. When did he pass? He used to drop some hip advice on me. I bought all of my first records from Coachman's. I used to leave Berry Elementary School on Concord and go to Coachman's, then go home with some 45's every week. Used to go to that record store on Mack and Townsend, too.

There is a street other than Grand Blvd. called West Grand. I had a homie who stayed on it. Somewheres near Davison, right?

The two Marquettes is a new revelation for me! That ought to be fixed.

By Lynn Bruce (68.41.106.8) on Saturday, July 12, 2003 - 01:21 pm:

Sis, when I worked with Mr.Bo and the Blues Boys our bass player was Chicago Pete who later went on his own as a blues singer. He used to play bass on the gospel circuit,plus our organ player played for local Detroit church gospel group. Chicago Pete would keep us laughing with his stories about when they would be on the road on the gospel circuit.It seems when they started playing in a new town that a lot of the "church ladies" would be down front making eyes at them and discusing who was going to spend the evening with which member of the band. The organ player confirmed a lot of what Chcago Pete was saying and added a few stories of his own.
It seems like there was a lot more going on then just preaching LOL

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Saturday, July 12, 2003 - 01:38 pm:

Julian - The Coachman as been gone for two or three years. DMeikle, do you know the exact date?

Lynn Bruce - The groups sang just as great, and looked just as great as the R&B singers. After all, they were just humans, singing songs of love just like the R&B singers.

There are also groupies within that gendre who follow the groups from town to town, trying to get into their hotel rooms. But the groups called those followeres "quartet heads." (LOL)

I doubt that the church ladies would discuss among themselves who they wanted to be with, because most church folk try to appear holy (I guess that's the word to use,) and they didn't want anybody to know they were trying to get into the hotel rooms. You should have heard the groups tell about their episodes with the women, my father included. They do the same with the preacher. You know those sisters flirt with the preachers. (LOL) Don't think the preacher is not going to get weak once in awhile. There are all kinds of people.

In the end, however, those quartets could sing as well or better, with more soul, than the R&B. They could express themselves deeper at the programs, no form or fashion, just good old soul singing.

By Eli (205.188.209.109) on Saturday, July 12, 2003 - 01:54 pm:

Hey Sis,
I believe the Chicago gang that you speak of might just be The Blackstone Rangers.

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Saturday, July 12, 2003 - 02:24 pm:

Yes, Yes, that is the name of the gang. Thanks Eli!!!

By Lynn Bruce (68.41.106.8) on Saturday, July 12, 2003 - 03:54 pm:

Sis,what I meant was Chicago Pete said some would be whispering and pointing with out the congregation knowing,but the guys up there would know. I think that most gospel groups would blow away most popular groups then and now.They know how to really sing with feeling.I feel like I'm preaching to the choir saying it to you though as your knowlege blows me away.

Speaking of church,I have to get down to St.Anns near the bridge now as my grandkids are here and I have to make a good impression and show them this is what your supposed to do.
over and out,Lynn

By Jim G (205.188.209.109) on Saturday, July 12, 2003 - 04:19 pm:

SisDetroit,

Famous died December 24, 2000.

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Saturday, July 12, 2003 - 05:52 pm:

Thanks Jim G. I was on the mark. You see DMeikle, I'm not too far behind on things. :o)

Lynn Bruce - You are right. The sisters would whisper to each other and point, and the guys love it. I don't know as much as I should. My brother talks to me, and I can't remember the names of those he talks about. There are just too many. He says to me, you remember he used to come over all the time. But hey, I can't remember everything. :o)

By Greg C. (207.103.134.185) on Sunday, July 13, 2003 - 11:23 am:

Charlevoix & Mt. Elliot. Coachman's Records was the place to go on the east side! What memories!