As Detroit music books macro-focus on Motown Records and the roster of famous stars, Johnnie Mae understandably felt that her own significant contribution had been ignored. No books give her credit for her involvement in the city's incredible history and to cap it off The Temptations movie portrayed her as an opportunistic money-grabber. She once lamented to me, "I just didn't get my props. Everybody in Detroit knows that. Everybody"

Most of her Detroit 45s were pressed in relatively small quantities, sometimes as few as 100 copies, and consequently are not easily available. I only know of her bluesy Blue Rock recordings having been released on CD, which seems felonious, but hopefully we'll soon have a chance to listen to some of her great work. Both Ace-Kent Records in England and Tuff City Records in New York have been negotiating a license her catalogue, so let's all keep our fingers crossed that we don't have to wait too long before something is on the market.