Music
Johnny Powers
1938–2023 · rockabilly singer, guitarist, songwriter, producer
Detroit rockabilly singer of “Long Blond Hair” who got his stage name at Fortune Records and became the first white male artist signed by Motown.
- Born
- Died
Michigan
aged 84- Birth name
- John Leon Joseph Pavlik
- Detroit years
- 1950s–2023
- Field
- Music
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
John Pavlik started his professional career in 1953, at 15, in a Detroit country band, Jimmy Williams and the Drifters. Won over by Carl Perkins and the young Elvis Presley, he began adding rock and roll to his sets. After a session at Detroit's Fortune Records, co-owner Devora Brown saw him eating a PowerHouse candy bar and renamed him Johnny Powers. In 1957 he recorded “Long Blond Hair” for the small Fox label, a rockabilly classic prized by collectors. He moved to Sun Records in 1959 and in 1960 met Berry Gordy and signed with Motown, the first white male musician to do so and probably the only artist ever under contract to both Sun and Motown. During five years with Motown he focused mostly on writing and producing. He was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and kept performing in Michigan until late in life.
Highlights
- “Long Blond Hair” (Fox Records, 1957)
- Stage name given by Devora Brown of Fortune Records
- Signed with Sun Records (1959) and Motown (1960)
- First white male artist signed by Motown
- Rockabilly Hall of Fame
02 / Their Detroit places
Their Detroit places 1
Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.
Recorded here · about 1955
Fortune Records
Closed
Jack and Devora Brown's Detroit label, where a session led Devora Brown to give him his stage name.