By Fury13 (64.79.87.91 - 64.79.87.91) on Sunday, October 28, 2001 - 01:49 am:

Well, the Fortune building on Third Avenue has been demolished. It happened either Friday or today. End of an era.

What's particularly frustrating is that our group had been negotiating with the owner and we were probably one day away from making an acceptable offer - I had found another investor for our group on Friday.

So, 3942 Third is a vacant lot now and there's nothing left but dirt. The only visible evidence of Detroit's most important pre-Motown label has been obliterated.

By david, glasgow, scotland (62.252.128.4 - 62.252.128.4) on Sunday, October 28, 2001 - 12:28 pm:

this action defies logic.

a city needs history. detroits is gradually disappearing.

so much was lost with the demolition of paradise valley too.

this photograph, taken from the rear of no.3942, shows the area which was the studio.



united sound will be next.

FORTUNE R.I.P.

By John Lester (213.1.179.157 - 213.1.179.157) on Sunday, October 28, 2001 - 02:43 pm:

Don't say that about United, David....Don't tempt fate....

By david, glasgow, scotland (62.252.128.4 - 62.252.128.4) on Sunday, October 28, 2001 - 03:16 pm:

john, united sound has been scheduled for demolition since 1998 as part of the I94 development project.

it's just a matter of time.

By Fury13 (64.79.86.233 - 64.79.86.233) on Sunday, October 28, 2001 - 04:08 pm:

I wonder if United Sound could be moved...

By david, glasgow, scotland (62.252.128.4 - 62.252.128.4) on Sunday, October 28, 2001 - 04:45 pm:

d-day told me that a building down the road from it has been moved.

somewhere along antoinette.

By Lowell (66.32.33.194 - 66.32.33.194) on Monday, October 29, 2001 - 01:37 am:

And of course they move the Gem Theater 3000 feet. Click to see a picture of Gem being moved

Fury, if you want music history and a great building this is the project.

By maredda (130.49.149.41 - 130.49.149.41) on Monday, October 29, 2001 - 02:58 pm:

Well, the great edifice that gave us such vocal harmony gems as "The Wind" to rockers like "Bacon Fat" is no longer gone. That's the sad thing... history does not matter to many people, but the Fortune Building and all the other great landmarks are cultural relics that need(ed) to be preserved and celebrated. At least we have the music.

By maredda (130.49.149.41 - 130.49.149.41) on Monday, October 29, 2001 - 02:59 pm:

I put "no longer gone" of course I meant "no longer here."

By Fury13 (12.2.196.17 - 12.2.196.17) on Monday, October 29, 2001 - 11:37 pm:

Actually, "The Wind" was recorded at an earlier Fortune site at 11629 Linwood (long gone, also now a vacant lot). Anything that Fortune had out after October 1956, however, was probably recorded there on Third Avenue. I'm not sure about "Bacon Fat"... that would seem to have been in the Linwood era as well. "Mind Over Matter" by Nolan Strong & the Diablos and "Village of Love" by Nathaniel Mayer and the Fabulous Twilights were probably the biggest tunes recorded at 3942 Third. Andre Williams' "Jail Bait" and "The Greasy Chicken" were recorded there as well, I believe.

On another note, I got to meet Joe Weaver yesterday at a blues benefit. A super nice guy with a lot of great stories. He described Nolan as a "wonderful guy."

By Nikki (24.184.52.7 - 24.184.52.7) on Thursday, November 08, 2001 - 04:23 am:

Hi - I just found this site and message board. Good to see familiar name for the Doowop Corner boards, Maredda, here. As I posted on some of the other threads, I was fortunate enough to become good friends with Jay Johnson, base of the Diablos, also Jim Ellis, Chico Leverett, and Vern Williams of the Satintones on Motown/Tamla. Our web site, Harmony Haven features the Diablos, Satintones, Royal Holidays and some others. We spent time visiting with Jay at his house and he took us for a tour of the Fortune studio back then (Oct. '98). For a look at some of our personal photos, please go here;

http://members.aol.com/NikkisNook/index.html

And visit our web site at: www.Harmonytrain.com - click on Detroit pages, and enjoy!

I may be from New York all my life, but when it comes to music and the Fortune and early Motown artists, that's where my heart is at!!

I'm so sad to have heard and read about the demolition of the legendary Fortune building.

)) Thank you.

By david, glasgow, scotland (62.252.128.4 - 62.252.128.4) on Thursday, November 08, 2001 - 10:16 pm:

hi nikki

tell us a bit more about your web site and travels to the motor city please.

By Nikki (24.184.52.7 - 24.184.52.7) on Saturday, November 10, 2001 - 05:13 am:

Our web site, Harmony Haven, features doowop, R&B, and gospel groups, mostly of the 50s and 60s. The site is divided into categories which you can find on our main page. Our Detroit pages fills much of our site. When you get to the opening page, click on the main page which will give you all the category breakdowns.

http://members.aol.com/wawawaooh/index.htm

We took a trip to Detroit in October of 1998. Spent much of our time with Jay Johnson (bass of the Diablos, Velvet Angels, Andre Williams & New Group, 4 Sonics, and others) - also 4 members of the Satintones on Motown. To see some personal photos taken with these wonderful folks, please go here:

http://members.aol.com/NikkisNook/index.html

You'll also see a picture of Jay Johnson & Jim Dunn (my "better" half) standing under Fortune Studios with their for-sale sign.

Thank you.

By Jim Dunn (151.202.189.154 - 151.202.189.154) on Saturday, November 10, 2001 - 07:10 pm:

I enjoyed taking the virtual Detroit tour. It's a shame that I had to find this site a a result of the news of Fortune's demise. But congratulations on your efforts to preserve this piece of musical history. Nikki has already shared some info regarding our trip to Detroit and involvement with some of the Detroit artists. As a singer/musician one of my lifetime highlights was having the opportunity to perform with Jay Johnson when he received a Hall of Fame award from the United In Group Harmony Association in 2000. Jay sang bass with Nolan Strong & Diablos from late 1956 on, Andre Williams & New Group on "Bacon Fat", Nathaniel Mayer on "Village Of Love" and later formed the Four Sonics who recorded on Sport. With a range going from low bass to tenor, Jay is one of the finest bass singers of the Doo-Wop/Soul era.

By david, glasgow, scotland (62.252.128.4 - 62.252.128.4) on Sunday, November 11, 2001 - 07:40 pm:

graham introduced me to an early gwen owens record 'mystery of love' which was relased on the REM label.

i wonder if you know anything about this record.

i would also love to hear of any compiliation cd's that may be on release celebrating 50's detroit music.

are there any legit releases on the fortune label?

nice to hear from you jim.

By acooolcat (211.72.121.66 - 211.72.121.66) on Monday, November 12, 2001 - 10:34 am:

The REM label might have been owned by a guy named Henry Smith. I think he had the Velgo label too.
David - I called Gwen's mum at the weekend to see if she'd heard anything from him, but she hasn't. Henry was also involved with a group called The Sharpetts; they had a song called Lost In The World Of A Dream (Sound City Records). Funnily enough the publishing to this song is owned by Major Reynolds - I asked him too - but he's not seen him for years and had no idea where he was now.
Has anyone in Detroit seen Henry recently?
Graham

By Fury13 (64.79.83.8 - 64.79.83.8) on Monday, November 12, 2001 - 02:32 pm:

No legit Fortune releases on CD, David. There was a Nolan Strong and the Diablos compilation on vinyl in the 1980s ("Daddy Rock"). The Regency label CD (Canadian bootleg) that I have is of poor sound quality on many tracks. I just saw a new CD which combines the two LPs, "Fortune of Hits" and "Fortune of Hits Vol. 2," on the Diablo label. No word as to its sound quality.

By Fury13 (64.79.83.8 - 64.79.83.8) on Monday, November 12, 2001 - 02:36 pm:

For those of you who live in the Detroit area, the "Old and Gold" radio program on WDTR-FM 90.9 will feature an ALL-FORTUNE LABEL SHOW next week. That's Sunday, Nov. 18, from 5 to 7 p.m. Eastern time.

Tune in to hear the best from the studios at 11629 Linwood and 3942 Third!

By david, glasgow, scotland (62.252.128.4 - 62.252.128.4) on Monday, November 12, 2001 - 08:33 pm:

please let us know how it goes, fury.

thanks

By Nikki Gustafson (24.184.52.7 - 24.184.52.7) on Thursday, November 15, 2001 - 03:44 am:

Because of our special memories about Fortune records, and our relationship with some of the Fortune artists, Jim and I have just put up a tribute to Fortune Records on our web site, Harmony Haven.

Please go here: www.harmonytrain.com

All tracks featured on our most recent Harmony Train show are by Fortune (and Hi-Q) recording artists.

We'd love to have your feedback. I also sent an email out to my email list (200+ names) about our tribute show, and listed info and the URL to this wonderful web site here, Soulful Detroit!

In harmony,

By david, glasgow, scotland (62.252.128.4 - 62.252.128.4) on Thursday, November 15, 2001 - 10:10 pm:

nikki

i had a look today.

you've put in a lot of great work.

next week i should have time to listen to some of these fortune tracks. i don't think i've even heard one before.

thanks for linking us up per your last paragraph, too.