Johnnie Mae Matthews

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.

BRAX (The Five Dapps) – Do Whop A Do / You're So Unfaithful – 1958

NORTHERN 3727 – Dreamer / Indian Joe – 1959

NORTHERN 3729 – Mr Fine / Someday – 1959

NORTHERN 3736 – Ooh Wee / Give Me True Love – 1960

NORTHERN 3742 – So Lonely / Help Me – 1960

REEL 3743 – Oh, Baby / You Worry Me – 1960

GLODIS 1004 – Oh, Baby / You Worry Me – 1960

REEL 3745 – No One Can Love Me / No More Tears – 1961

During the late 1960s Matthews also cut a series of singles for her Big Hit label, including "I Have No Choice", "My Momma Didn't Lie", and "Don't Be Discouraged".

REEL 112 – The Headshrinker / My Little Angel – 1961

SUE 755 – The Headshrinker / My Little Angel – 1962

REEL 119 – Oh Mother / Come Home – 1962

In 1963, Matthews hired manager Ollie McLaughlin, who had previously launched the career of Barbara Lewis.

McLaughlin brought Matthews to the attention of Mercury Records’ new Blue Rock subsidiary, where he eventually produced both of her singles for that label, "Baby, What's Wrong", and "My Man (The Sweetest Man in the World)".

He also produced her lone Spokane label effort, "Worried About You".

REEL 120 – (With Timmy Shaw) I Don't Want Your Loving (Parts 1 & 2) – 1963

REEL 122 – Lonely Road / I Won't Cry Any More – 1963

NORTHERN 4736 – No Body Business (What I Do) / My Destination (It True Love) – 1963

SPOKANE 4008 – Worried About You / Itty Bitty Heart – 1964

BLUE ROCK 4001 – Baby What's Wrong / Here Comes My Baby – 1964

BLUE ROCK 4011 – My Man / Can't Live Without You – 1965

BIG D 855 – Don't Talk About My Man / He Really Loves Me – 1965

AUDREY 100 – Luck Walked Through My Door / Love Hides All Faults – 1966

AUDREY 112 – (With Joe L. Carter) My Life Story / Don't Cry Baby – 1966

JAM 103 – Lonely You'll Be / That's What My Man is For – 1967

ART 002 – (& The Wonderetts) Cut Me Loose / Lonely You'll Be – 1967

ATCO 6528 – (& The Wonderetts) Cut Me Loose / Lonely You'll Be – 1967

ART 003 – Got to be on (Your Case) / You're the One – 1967

BIG HIT 104 – Two-sided Thing / You Make Me Feel Good – 1968

BIG HIT 105 – I Have No Choice / That's When It Hurts – 1969

BIG HIT 108 – My Momma Didn't Lie / You're The One – 1970

BIG HIT 111 – Don't be Discouraged / Don't be Discouraged – 1971

Black Nasty was later renamed the ADC Band, and the group resurfaced in 1978 with the R&B smash "Long Stroke" written by Michael Moneystone Judkins who greatly influenced the success of the ADC Band with help in writing from Audrey Matthews.

Encouraged by their success, Matthews revived Northern Recording Company around this time, with the ADC Band supplying the musical backing on the disco-inspired tune "It's Good", which was later re-issued on the Cotillion label for national distribution.

After one final Northern effort, 1980's "I Can Feel It," she closed the label for good, effectively ending her recording career.

Johnnie Mae Matthews was portrayed by Vanessa Bell Calloway in the 1998 television miniseries The Temptations.

Matthews died after a long battle with cancer on January 6, 2002.

She was 79 years old.