As Michiganders in metro Detroit brace themselves for a massive heat wave early next week, many communities are opening cooling centers to help provide relief from the extreme temperatures.

An Extreme Heat Watch will be in effect for all of southeast Michigan, beginning Saturday morning through Tuesday evening, as temperatures are expected to soar into the high 90s — with a heat index of 104 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

View the list of cooling centers opening in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties below. Be sure to check your county website for the most up-to-date information on cooling center hours and closures.

Oakland County

Berkley

• Berkley City Hall – 3338 Coolidge Hwy, Berkley
• Berkley Community Center – 2400 Robina Ave, Berkley

Birmingham 

• Baldwin Public Library – 300 West Merrill St Birmingham

Clawson

• Clawson City Hall – 425 N Main St, Clawson
• Hunter Community Center – 509 Fisher Ct, Clawson

Ferndale

• Affirmations LGBTQ Community Center – 290 W 9 Mile Rd, Ferndale
• Ferndale Area District Library – 222 E 9 Mile Rd, Ferndale

Farmington Hills

• Costick Center – 28600 W 11 Mile Rd. Farmington Hills
• Farmington Hills Fire Station 5 – 31455 W 11 Mile Rd, Farmington Hills

Leonard

• Rowland Hall – 23 E Elmwood, Leonard

Novi

• Novi Civic Center – 45175 10 Mile Rd., Novi
• Novi Public Library – 45255 West 10 Mile Rd., Novi

Oak Park

• Oak Park Community Center – 14300 Oak Park Blvd., Oak Park,

Orion Township

• Orion Center – 1335 Joslyn Rd, Orion Twp.

Pontiac

• First Presbyterian Church – 99 WAYNE ST Pontiac
• Lighthouse – 46156 WOODWARD AVE Pontiac
• New Birth Church – 124 W Columbia Ave, Pontiac
• Pontiac Public Library – 60 E. Pike Street, Pontiac
• Robert Bowens Senior Center – 52 Bagley St, Pontiac
• Ruth Peterson Senior Center – 990 Joslyn Ave,, Pontiac
• Silver Lake Church – 520 W Walton Blvd., Pontiac
• Welcome Missionary Baptist Church – 143 Oneida St., Pontiac
• Woodside Bible Church – Pontiac – 830 Auburn Ave., Pontiac

Royal Oak

• Royal Oak Library – 222 E Eleven Mile Rd, Royal Oak
• Royal Oak Senior Community Center – 3500 Marais Ave., Royal Oak
• Salter Community Center – 1545 E Lincoln Ave., Royal Oak
• Welcome Inn Day Center – 1717 W 13 Mile Rd., Royal Oak

Southfield

• Southfield Pavilion – 26000 Evergreen Rd, Southfield

South Lyon

• Salem-South Lyon Library – 9800 Pontiac Trail, South Lyon

Troy

• Troy Community Center – 3179 Livernois, Troy

Wixom

• Wixom City Hall – 49045 Pontiac Trail, Wixom

Macomb County

Armada

• Armada Senior Center – 75400 North Ave., Armada; open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; 586-784-5200

Bruce Township

• Bruce Municipal Office – 223 E Gates St., Bruce Township; open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursdays; 586-752-4585

Center Line

• Center Line City Hall – 7070 Ten Mile, Center Line; open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; (586) 757-6800
• Center Line Parks and Recreation – 25355 Lawrence Ave., Center Line; open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; (586) 757-1610

Chesterfield Township

• Chesterfield Township Library – 50560 Patricia Ave., Chesterfield Twp.; open 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; (586) 598-4900

Clinton Township

• Clinton-Macomb North Library – 54100 Broughton Rd., Clinton Twp.; open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; (586) 226-5082
• Clinton-Macomb South Library – 35679 South Gratiot Ave., Clinton Twp.; open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; (586) 226-5072

Fraser

• Fraser Parks and Recreation Department – 34935 Hidden Pine Dr., Fraser; open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday for residents age 55 and older; (586) 296-8483

Harrison Township

• Harrison Township Public Library – 38255 L’Anse Creuse St., Suite A, Harrison Twp.; open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; (586) 329-1261

Macomb Township

• Clinton-Macomb North Library – 54100 Broughton Rd., Macomb Twp.; open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; (586) 226-5083

Memphis

• Memphis Fire Department – 35095 Potter, Memphis; (810) 392-2385
• Memphis Public Library – 34830 Potter, Memphis; open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; (810) 392-2980

Mount Clemens

• Macomb County Health Department – (586) 469-5235
• Central Health Service Center – 43525 Elizabeth Rd., Mount Clemens; open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; (810) 392-2980
• Macomb County Sheriff’s Office – 43565 Elizabeth Rd., Mount Clemens; open 24/7 Monday through Sunday; (586) 469-5151
• Martha T. Berry Medical Care Facility – 43533 Elizabeth Rd., Mount Clemens; open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Sunday; (586) 469-5265
• Salvation Army – 55 Church St., Mount Clemens; open 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday; (586) 469-6712

Lenox Township

• Lenox Township Public Library – 58976 Main St., Lenox Twp.; open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday; 586) 749-3430

Ray Township

• Ray Township Senior Center – 64255 Wolcott, Ray Township; open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday; (586) 749-5171

Richmond

• Lois Wagner Memorial Library – 35200 Division Rd., Richmond; open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 9 a.m to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday; (586) 727-2665

Roseville

• Recreation Authority Center – 18185 Sycamore, Roseville; open 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; Saturday and Sunday times vary — call for availability; (586) 445-5480

St. Clair Shores

• Macomb County Health Department – (586) 466-6800
• Southeast Family Resource Center – 25401 Harper Ave., St. Clair Shores; open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; (586) 445-5480

Shelby Township

• Shelby Township Senior Center – 51670 Van Dyke, Shelby Twp.; open 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; (586) 739-7540

Sterling Heights

• Sterling Heights Public Library – 40255 Dodge Park Rd., Sterling Heights; open 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 1 to 5 p.m. Friday and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; 586-446-2665
• Sterling Heights Senior Center – 40200 Utica Rd., Sterling Heights; open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; (586) 446-2750
• Sterling Heights Community Center – 40250 Dodge Park Rd., Sterling Heights; open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday; (586) 446-2700

Warren

• Macomb County Health Department – (586) 465-8090
• Southwest Health Center – 27690 Van Dyke, Warren; open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday

Washington Township

• Washington Township Government Office – 57900 Van Dyke (1/2 Mile north of 26 Mile Road); open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; (586) 786-0010

Wayne County

Allen Park

• Allen Park Community Center – 15800 White Street, Allen Park

Belleville

• Sumpter Township Community Center – 23501 Sumpter Road, Belleville

Canton Township

• Canton Public Library – 1200 S. Canton Center Road, Canton Township
• Summit on the Parkway – 46000 Summit Parkway, Canton Township

Dearborn Heights

• Caroline Kennedy Library – 24590 George Street, Dearborn Heights
• Eton Senior Center – 4900 Pardee, Dearborn Heights
• Richard A. Young Recreation Center – 5400 McKinley Street, Dearborn Heights
• Berwyn Senior Center – 26155 Richardson, Dearborn Heights
• John F. Kennedy Library – 24602 Van Born Road, Dearborn Heights

Detroit

Recreation Centers with extended hours from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday:

• Patton Recreation Center – 2301 Woodmere St., Detroit
• Heilmann Recreation Center – 19601 Brock Ave., Detroit
• Northwest Activities Center – 18100 Meyers Rd., Detroit

Recreation Centers open with normal hours of operation:

• Adams Butzel Complex  – 10500 Lyndon, Detroit; open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
• Butzel Family Center  – 7737 Kercheval, Detroit; open 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
• Clemente  – 2631 Bagley, Detroit; open 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday
• Coleman A. Young  – 2751 Robert Bradby, Detroit; open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
• Community Center at A.B Ford – 100 Lenox St., Detroit; open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
• Crowell  – 16630 Lahser, Detroit; open noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday
• Farwell  – 2781 E. Outer Drive, Detroit; open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
• Kemeny  – 2260 Fort St., Detroit; open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
• Lasky  – 13200 Fenelon, Detroit; open noon to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday
• Williams – 8431 Rosa Parks, Detroit; open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday

Detroit Public Library locations will also serve as cooling centers during normal business hours for residents seeking relief. Find details at detroitpubliclibrary.org/locations.

Ecorse

• Ethel Stevenson Senior Center – 4072 W. Jefferson, Ecorse

Flat Rock

• Flat Rock Community Center – 1 McGuire Street, Flat Rock

Garden City

• Garden City Police Department – 6000 Middlebelt Road, Garden City
• Garden City Public Library – 31735 Maplewood Street, Garden City
• Radcliff Center – 1751 Radcliff Street, Garden City

Grosse Ile Township

• Grosse Ile Public Safety Building – 24525 Meridian Street, Grosse Ile Twp.

Grosse Pointe Farms

• The Helm – 158 Ridge Road, Grosse Pointe Farms

Hamtramck

• Senior Plaza – 2620 Holbrook Street, Hamtramck

Inkster

• Booker Dozier Recreation Center – 2025 Middlebelt Road, Inkster

Lincoln Park

• Lincoln Park Community Center – 3525 Dix, Lincoln Park
• Kennedy Memorial Building – 3240 Ferris, Lincoln Park

Livonia

• Kirksey Recreation Center – 15100 Hubbard, Livonia
• Robert and Janet Bennett Civic Center Library – 32777 Five Mile Rd., Livonia
• Carl Sandburg Library – 30100 Seven Mile Rd., Livonia

River Rouge

• River Rouge Police Department – 10600 W. Jefferson Avenue, River Rouge

Romulus

• Romulus Public Library – 11121 Wayne Rd., Romulus

Southgate

• Southgate Senior Center – 14700 Reaume Parkway, Southgate
• Southgate Veterans Library – 14680 Dix Toledo Highway, Southgate

Taylor

• William Ford Senior Activities Center – 6750 Troy Street, Taylor
• Taylor Recreation Center – 22805 Goddard Road, Taylor
• Taylor Sportsplex – 13333 Telegraph, Taylor

Trenton

• Westfield Activities Center – 2700 Westfield St., Trenton

Westland

• Jefferson Barns Community Vitality Center – 32150 Dorsey Road, Westland
• Westland Fire Station 3 – 28801 Annapolis Road, Westland
• Westland Fire Station 1 – 35701 Central City Parkway, Westland
• Westland City Hall – 36300 Warren Road, Westland
• Westland Police Department – 36701 Ford Road, Westland

Wyandotte

• Copeland Center – 2306 4th Street, Wyandotte

The National Weather Service briefly issued a Tornado Warning just after 1 p.m. on Wednesday for parts of Macomb and Oakland counties.

The warning was canceled shortly after it was issued, but a Flash Flood Warning was issued shortly after for central Macomb County that will remain in effect until 4:45 p.m.

A severe thunderstorms capable of producing a tornado was spotted over Royal Oak near Troy around 1:12 p.m., according to NWS. The storm moved northeast toward Macomb County, impacting the cities of Warren, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, Fraser and Roseville. A line of thunderstorms is expected to move through portions of southeast Michigan throughout the evening resulting is possible flooding and power outages in the region.

The NWS urges residents to avoid driving on flooded roads and taking necessary precautions to avoid dangerous conditions.

Check back for more updates to this story.

Detroit mayoral candidates debated housing, public safety, education and more during a forum Thursday, May 29, at the 2025 Mackinac Policy Conference.

Five candidates participated in the debate, hosted by The Detroit Regional Chamber, including Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield, former Detroit City Council President Saunteel Jenkins, Detroit Councilman Fred Durhal III, Detroit pastor Solomon Kinloch Jr., and former Detroit Police Chief James Craig. Detroit News Editorial Page Editor Nolan Finley and BridgeDetroit founder and journalist Stephen Henderson will serve as moderators.

It’s no secret that the city of Detroit has a rich music history. But when most people think of the city’s most famous labels, Motown is usually the first — or only— one that comes to mind. 

But there are many other lesser known labels that contributed to the city’s thriving music scene and deserve more recognition. 

Fortune Records is definitely among them, and yet somehow the influential mom and pop label has largely faded into obscurity.

Detroit author and music historian Michael Hurtt aims to change that with his book “Mind Over Matter,” which he co-wrote with his longtime friend Billy Miller.

The book offers a comprehensive history of Fortune and the many “myths and mysteries” associated with the label.

Hurtt spoke with WDET’s Jenny Sherman and Natalie Albrecht about the label for the latest episode of CuriosiD, and he joined The Metro on Thursday to share more.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

More stories from The Metro

Several tornado warnings and watches were issued across southeast Michigan overnight on Friday, as a line of severe storms made its way across the state.

A tornado warning was in effect for Lapeer County, Genesee County, Livingston County and parts of Oakland County, according to the National Weather Service. A tornado watch was in effect for all of southeast Michigan through 5 a.m. Friday. Tornado warnings were issues for several West Michigan counties as well.

The storm left thousands without power in West Michigan, Mid-Michigan and metro Detroit, according to Consumers Energy, Great Lakes Energy, and DTE outage maps.

Friday will be mostly sunny with a high of 84 degrees. Rain is forecasted for Friday evening, with scattered thunderstorms expected to continue through the weekend.

WDET took home 25 awards at the Society of Professional Journalists – Detroit Chapter awards banquet Wednesday night, including four First Place honors.

Radio

Breaking/Spot News Reporting

First Place: Russ McNamara, ‘Uncommitted’ delegates hold DNC sit-in after refusal to allow Palestinian speaker at convention

Second Place: Alex McLenon, Trump talks auto industry, ruffles feathers with Detroit diss during Michigan campaign stop

Community/Local News Reporting

Second Place: Pat Batcheller, Grosse Ile voters could authorize a plan to buy one of the island’s two bridges

Third Place: Nargis Rahman, Muslims in metro Detroit celebrate Ramadan differently as war in Gaza rages

Fourth Place: Quinn Klinefelter, Michigan’s 10th Congressional race is a rematch of nation’s third-closest election

Education Reporting

First Place: Sascha Raiyn, Detroit Students Follow the Path of the Buffalo Soldiers in Yosemite

Second Place: Sascha Raiyn, A look at the university board races on the ballot in Michigan

Third Place: Nargis Rahman, Pro-Palestinian students, faculty share concerns at virtual WSU BOG meeting

Feature Reporting

Second Place: Tristan McFolley, Tickets to drive-through holiday lightshow at Eloise Asylum

Third Place: Rob Reinhart, CuriosiD: What happened to Detroit jazz venue Strata Concert Gallery?

Fourth Place: Amanda LeClaire, CuriosiD: Is the medicinal magic of Vernors a myth or reality?

General News Reporting

Second Place: Russ McNamara, Quinn Klinefelter, Nargis Rahman, Jenny Sherman – Democratic National Convention

Third Place: Nargis Rahman, Uncommitted delegates at DNC aim to put pressure on Harris’ Gaza policy

Fourth Place: Quinn Klinefelter, Detroit deploys new election security after 2020 chaos

News/Public Affairs Reporting

Second Place: Robyn Vincent, Tia Graham, Sam Corey, Cary Junior, David Leins – The Metro, Dec. 10, 2024

Third Place: Robyn Vincent, Tia Graham, Sam Corey, Cary Junior, Jack Filbrandt – The Metro, Nov. 18, 2024

Fourth Place: Cary Junior, Sam Corey, David Leins, Robyn Vincent, Tia Graham – The Metro, Dec. 9, 2024

Newscast

First Place: Pat Batcheller, WDET News 7:04 a.m. May 31, 2024

Second Place: Pat Batcheller, WDET News 5:04 a.m. Feb. 6, 2024

Third Place: Pat Batcheller, WDET News 5:04 a.m. June 6, 2024

Fourth Place: Pat Batcheller, WDET News 5:04 am July, 22, 2024

Sports Reporting

First Place: Alex McLenon, Downtown Detroit Grand Prix attracts new and old fans in second year

Second Place: Quinn Klinefelter, Detroit Lions first home playoff in 30 years vs. Stafford

Third Place: WDET News, NFL Draft

Digital

Digital Media Presentation

Third Place: Jenny Sherman, 2024 WDET Voter Guide

For the full list of SPJ Detroit’s Excellence in Journalism award winners, visit spjdetroit.org.

WDET’s CuriosiD series answers your questions about everything Detroit. Subscribe to CuriosiD on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode of CuriosiD, we answer the question:

“Fortune Records recorded Detroit artists for 25 years — just a mile from WDET. Can you tell us the story and play us some music?”

WDET listener David Perry was perusing the stacks at Ann Arbor’s Encore Records when he stumbled upon a three-disc compilation album with 60 tracks — ranging from R&B and doo-wop to hillbilly, rockabilly, blues and gospel — all recorded at the now defunct Fortune Records in Detroit.

“It was $9.43 and it turned out to be a real bargain,” Perry said.

It was his first introduction to the pioneering mom and pop label, which — as a music lover — led him to wonder why he hadn’t ever heard of it before. So, he turned to WDET to find out more.

The short answer

Fortune Records was founded by husband and wife Jack and Devora Brown in 1946. It operated in Detroit for more than 30 years under the Fortune name and other subsidiary labels, recording a diverse range of artists and genres.

The label produced many local stars throughout the ’50s and ’60s out of their small studio on Linwood Avenue — and later on Third Avenue in the Cass Corridor — but the couple’s hesitancy toward licensing and distribution deals and a devastating accident would eventually hamper their success.

The ‘Myths and Mysteries’ of Fortune 

To help us learn more about this otherworldly Detroit gem and why it faded into obscurity, we headed to Hamtramck to speak with a man who, for all intents and purposes, wrote a textbook on the subject.

Michael Hurtt is a Detroit area writer, musician, and music historian. He co-wrote the book “Mind Over Matter: The Myths and Mysteries of Detroit’s Fortune Records” with his long-time friend Billy Miller, who sadly died four years before the book went to print.

“That was brutal,” Hurtt said of Miller’s death. “And to have to finish it without him would have been more difficult, had we not had an absolute cosmic connection over this stuff.”

At 576 pages, the book has been referred to as “the brick” or “the bible” for its heftiness. It took more than a decade to complete.

Still, Hurtt admits there were many mysteries associated with the label that they never did get to the bottom of.

“When Billy and me were marveling at this incredible story and asking ourselves, ‘Why did they do this? And why did they do that?’ It doesn’t make any sense…” Hurtt said. “A lot of times, we didn’t know the answers, and we never found them.”

The couple behind the label

Fortune’s story begins in the early 1940s with Jack and Devora Brown, a young, middle class Jewish couple in Detroit who had hopes of breaking into the music business.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio to immigrant parents, Devora was a talented songwriter and composer who dreamed of selling her music in Tin Pan Alley — New York’s historic music publishing district.

Jack studied accounting at Wayne University and spent most of his life in Detroit.

After striking out with publishers in New York City, the couple launched their own publishing company in 1943.

“Trianon Publications was the name of their company,” Hurtt said. “Jack founded it just sort of like, because he wanted her dream to come true, ya know? And then they just started the label in 1946.” 

And just like that, Fortune Records was born.

Without a studio space of their own, they recorded the label’s first hit at United Sound Studios on Second Avenue.

“A song called ‘Jane (Sweet as Summer Rain),’ that was the first Fortune record,” Hurtt said.

Devora wrote the music for the track, which was performed by Canadian singer Russ Titus with American bandleader Artie Fields and his Orchestra.

“[The track] doesn’t sound like any of the crazy rock and roll or rhythm and blues or soul or hillbilly music that we associate with the label,” Hurtt said. “But that’s interesting, because it’s sort of where they came from.”

Devora and Jack continued to make records at United Sound until 1951, when they opened their own studio on Linwood Avenue on the city’s west side, where much of the city’s Jewish community resided.

Sounds of the city

“The minute they opened the studio on Linwood, they started recording everyone that came through the door basically,” Hurtt said.

That included artists like the Davis Sisters, John Lee Hooker, Earl and Joyce Songer, Paul Lewis and The Swans, The Royal Jokers, The Five Dollars, and many other artists who — had it not been for Jack and Devora — may have never been recorded.

Contrary to Motown’s highly-polished, almost formulaic sound, Fortune stood out for its rawness and diversity of artists. Hurtt says Devora’s fondness for exotic or foreign styles of music and the melding of cultures in the city at the time was reflected in the types of records they produced.

“They had everybody on this label, every culture that was in the city at the time,” he said. “They recorded some of the first gypsy music that was ever recorded in the United States; Tony Valla and the Alamos, which was, you know, Latino rock and roll; and then later Tejano from Southwest Detroit.”

Fortune’s ‘Big Three’

The first real hitmakers for the label were Nolan Strong & the Diablos — a young doo-wop vocal group attending Detroit’s Central High School, which was across the street from the Brown’s studio.

“They just walked in there and wanted to know what they would sound like on a record, and they basically pestered Jack and Devora into recording them,” he said. “Of course, that became… it was ‘Adios My Desert Love,’ that really started the label off in rhythm and blues.”

“If I could really sing, I’d be Nolan Strong”

– Lou Reed

Andre Williams was the label’s next major star. Though he himself would say he was a lousy singer, he was a brilliant entertainer who masked his lack of singing skills by talking over his records.

Willams’ biggest hit, “Bacon Fat,” was recorded by the Browns in 1956. The record’s success led Devora and Jack to license it to Epic Records for wider distribution, but later felt that they weren’t compensated fairly.

As a prolific performer, Williams felt the Browns’ reluctance toward distribution deals with larger labels restricted him. He eventually left Fortune to record for various other labels over the years.

“[Andre] ended up helping Berry Gordy get Motown started, actually, which is something that I don’t think he really gets credit for,” said Detroit musician Matt Smith, who has performed with and produced records for both Williams and Nathaniel Mayer — Fortune’s third major hitmaker.

Smith says both Williams and Mayer played pivotal roles in the development of rock and roll, soul music and funk.

“Andre was really kind of ahead of his time with a lot of ideas, and his stuff had an enormous influence on the generation of rock and rollers that came after him,” he said.

Mayer’s 1961 record  “Village of Love” became Fortune’s biggest national hit. However, the Browns’ distrust of others would ultimately go on to stifle his success as well.

An ethereal echo: Fortune’s signature sound

Devora wrote many of the label’s biggest hits and was considered the creative force behind the label.

“There’s a certain mystique to Fortune Records, like an otherworldly sound,” Hurtt said. “And part of it has to do with Devora Brown and her Ampex 350 tape recorder, which she just loves the echo effects of.”

That ethereal echo effect is especially prevalent in The Diablos’ 1954 hit, “The Wind.”

“[‘The Wind’] is, you know, one of the greatest doo-wop records ever — if not thee greatest doo-wop record,” Smith said. “It’s just one of the most mysterious, supernatural sounding records ever made…I mean it is just weird.”

Hurtt says The Diablos wrote “The Wind” while cruising on Belle Isle.

“They’re like harmonizing sort of to the breeze…to the wind,” he said. “It’s almost like he is the wind, you know? Is this guy a spirit, or is he real?”

The label’s decline

In 1956, the Browns moved the label to a standalone cinderblock building on Third Avenue, in what was then considered Skid Row. 

“Supposedly the floor was partially dirt. Whether that’s true or not is another myth and mystery that we were never able to truly solve.”

– Michael Hurtt, co-author of “Mind Over Matter”

The label persisted at that location for decades, but after the mass exodus following the 1967 riots, the neighborhood wasn’t the same.

“The Detroit of the ’70s, was so much different than the Detroit of the ’60s,” Hurtt said. “And after the rebellion, you know, the riot…so much changed in the city that I think it was sort of a convenient time for Fortune to sort of, you know, go into decline.”

The label began to truly fall apart in 1973, when Jack and Devora were hit by a car while crossing the street.

“There are all these weird stories about that, you know, and one of them was that he was run over by a disgruntled hillbilly artist,” Hurtt said. “Well, that wasn’t true at all.”

Jack sustained internal injuries from the accident that eventually led to his death in 1980. 

Devora tried to keep the label alive but without Jack handling the business operations it proved to be too difficult to maintain. The building was sold in 1996, shortly before Devora died. Despite efforts to save it, the building was demolished in 2001. 

“It was criminal that that happened,” Hurtt reflected. “I mean you can imagine what it could be now, it could be a museum, that could be any number of things. There was enough left, even though the roof was gone, you know, it basically was a shell and it looked the same.”

Fortune Records may not have lasted long in our collective memory, but it certainly had an impact on the music industry and especially in Detroit.

“If you look for the records, they’re hard to find,” Smith said. “But there’s hundreds and hundreds of these Fortune records, and they’re all out there.”

About the listener

David Perry has lived in metro Detroit for over 30 years. As a music lover, Perry says he was drawn to the wide variety of genres recorded by the label during its golden era.

He currently resides in South Lyon with his wife and grandson.

We want to hear from you! 

Have a question about Detroit or southeast Michigan?
Send it our way at wdet.org/curiosid, or fill out the form below. You ask, we answer.

More from CuriosiD:

• What happens to old fire trucks in Detroit?
• How did Ann Arbor get its name?
• Does Gen Z know who Bob Seger is?

Want more stories like this? Sign up for WDET’s weekly newsletter and never miss a curiosity uncovered.

Communities across Michigan — including several in metro Detroit — will be holding special elections on Tuesday, May 6, for a range of local ballot measures and races.

Check if you’re registered, find your polling place, or view a sample ballot here.

Macomb County

Mount Clemens

Voters in the Mount Clemens Community School District will have a $91.8 million bond proposal and millage reduction on their ballots.

The district says the funding would be used to renovate and revitalize its historic buildings, make critical infrastructure improvements, create modern learning spaces, and address safety and security needs.

Find more information about the bond proposal at mtcps.org.

Oakland County

Ferndale

In Oakland County, voters in Ferndale will see another Headlee override operating millage proposal on their ballot.

Ferndale voters rejected a previous iteration of the Headlee override in November, with roughly 54% of residents voting against it. City council members voted in January to include an adapted proposal on the May 6 ballot that aims to address some of the concerns cited by residents during town halls and listening sessions. If passed, the millage would take effect on residents’ Summer 2026 tax bills.

More information about the proposal, including the changes that were made and its potential cost impact on residents, can be viewed at ferndalemi.gov.

Additionally, voters in the Ferndale School District — which includes portions of Pleasant Ridge, Oak Park and Royal Oak Township — will have a school improvement bond on their ballot.

The $114.8 million bond proposal would not increase voters’ tax rates, according to the district, and would enable “transformational improvements” at its middle and high school buildings. Among the updates would be a new academic wing, modernized classrooms, updated fine arts spaces, safer school entry points, and improved student services.

For more information about the school bond proposal, visit ferndaleschools.org.

Clawson

Voters in Clawson will have two charter amendment proposals on the ballot.

The first is asking voters to determine the size of city council. A “yes” vote would maintain the city’s four-member council — excluding the mayor — rather than expand the council by two additional members, as adopted by council in 2023.

The second charter amendment relates to the council members’ term limits, and can only be passed in conjunction with the first amendment.

The full proposals can be viewed at cityofclawson.com.

Madison Heights

Residents in the Lamphere School District will see an $85 million, 30-year school improvement bond proposal on the ballot.

The district says the funding is needed to enhance school safety and security, expand learning opportunities, and update school infrastructure. If passed, the cost to homeowners would be 4.15 mills ($4.15 per $1,000 of taxable property value).

For more specifics on what the bond funding would be used for, visit lamphereschools.com/bond2025.

Proposals 2 and 3 — a non-homestead operating millage renewal and 2-mill hedge — would maintain the current millage rate if passed, allowing the district to retain $5 million for staffing, instructional and extracurricular programming, maintenance and operations.

Residential tax rates on primary residences would not increase if any of these initiatives pass, according to the district. However, the millage rate would decline over the next few years if the bond proposal is rejected.

Know your rights

Michigan’s primary election will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. Check back for updates to WDET’s Voter Guide as the election gets closer.