Johnnie Mae Matthews
| Johnnie Mae Matthews | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Johnnie Mae Matthews |
| Born |
December 31, 1922 Bessemer, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | January 6, 2002 (aged 79) Detroit, Michigan |
| Genres | R&B, soul, Blues |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, Songwriter, Producer |
| Instruments | Singing, piano |
| Years active | 1958–2000 |
| Labels | "Northern Recording Co.", "Reel", "Big Hit", Mercury Records |
| Associated acts | The Temptations, Jimmy Ruffin, Funk Brothers, Bettye LaVette, Timmy Shaw, ADC Band, The Dapps |
Johnnie Mae Matthews (December 31, 1922 – January 6, 2002) was an American blues and R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer from Bessemer, Alabama. Known as the “Godmother of Detroit Soul” and as the first African American female to own and operate her own record label (Northern Recording Company) she was an early influence on the careers of many of the now-famous recording stars who began their careers in Detroit, Michigan such as Otis Williams, David Ruffin, and Richard Street of the Temptations, Jimmy Ruffin, Joe Hunter of the Funk Brothers Band, Richard Wylie, Norman Whitfield, Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records, Timmy Shaw, Barbara Lewis, Bettye LaVette and many more.
Johnnie Mae Matthews was born December 31, 1922, in Bessemer, Alabama. She learned to sing in her church choir, and also performed with her mother at military bases throughout the Deep South. When she was twelve years old, the family relocated to New Jersey, and in 1947 Matthews left her parents home and moved to Detroit, Michigan where she married and started her own family. In 1957 she joined a local quintet called the Five Dapps, assuming lead vocals on "You're So Unfaithful," which was the B-side of their 1958 debut single, "Do Wop a Do". The Instrumental backing on the record was done by pianist Joe Hunter, who would frequently collaborate with Matthews in the years to follow, and later led Motown's famed studio band, the Funk Brothers.
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