The Johnnie Mae Matthews Story
Northern Records


Lee's Club Sensation opened in 1941 and relocated from 1300 Owen to Grand River Avenue in 1967. This Michigan Chronicle clipping is from November. 1960. 

Johnnie Mae was one of the first black women to actively own a recording company and by '59 had made a few recordings that were released on her fledgling Northern label. They incorporate her - to quote from the above Michigan Chronicle article - "rock-house blues style delivery" and the reporter enthusiastically informed the newspaper's readers, "This sensational blues stylist is a real show stopper, who had last Friday night's capacity crowd at Lee's Club Sensation dancing in the aisles." Adding that she ".broke up the crowd with her recorded hits of 'Ooh Wee Baby' and her new release titled - So Lonely."

LISTEN TO
Johnnie Mae Matthews
sing
"Ooh Wee"

Popcorn Wylie put it more succinctly, telling me she was, "Very exciting, kinda like Tina Turner."

Despite the label's name being taken from a well advertised brand of toilet tissue her recording company soon became a magnet for Detroit's talented hopefuls. The Northern discography incorporates many local luminaries, such as future music-biz playmaker Don Davis who recorded with a band appropriately named The Groovers. The members were session maestros Joe Hunter, James Jamerson, Eli Fontaine, Uriel Jones and Eddie Willis, and Johnnie Mae nonchalantly recalled how the recording came about.

"Don used to live across the street from me. He was round about 17 years old. He would come over with his guitar and we decided to go into the studio and record."

Other talented young songwriters and producers at Northern included, Richard Street and Richard Morris - who recorded Pink Cadillac using the alias of Richard Kateo. And Popcorn Wylie's Mohawks had a tambourine-shaking Norman Whitfield, as well as great musicians such as James Jamerson. The Mohawks cut their debut 45 You're the One for Northern in 1960, before joining Motown.

Notes thanks to Graham Finch

 image must not be reproduced, used or copied photograph credits at end of webisode
 

DESIGN AND GRAPHICS BY
LOWELL BOILEAU

 


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