Famous people's places / Detroit – Cass Corridor
Fortune Records
Closed – archive entry · 1995
Jack and Devora Brown's independent Detroit record label, founded in 1946, where Kenny Burrell and Donald Byrd made early recordings; the building was demolished in 2001.
01 / The story of this place
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Jack and Devora Brown founded Fortune Records in Detroit in 1946, one of the city's earliest independent record labels, recording blues, doo-wop, gospel, rockabilly and early rock and roll out of a series of small offices before settling in 1956 into a plain cinderblock building at 3942 Third Avenue in the Cass Corridor. Guitarist Kenny Burrell cut his first single as a bandleader here in the early 1950s, and trumpeter Donald Byrd made his first professional recording at Fortune in 1949 with the Robert Barnes Sextette. The Browns ran the label as a true family operation for decades, also releasing music through subsidiary imprints Hi-Q, Strate-8 and Renown. A car accident that struck Jack and Devora in 1973 began the label's decline, and Fortune wound down through the 1990s. The Third Avenue building stood vacant for years afterward and was finally demolished in 2001.
- Founded by Jack and Devora Brown in 1946
- Moved to 3942 Third Avenue in the Cass Corridor in 1956
- Kenny Burrell recorded his first single as a leader here
- Donald Byrd made his first professional recording here in 1949
- The building stood empty for years and was demolished in 2001
Famous Detroiters
Famous people tied to this place 13
Lexicon entries for the people who lived, worked, performed or liked to spend time here.
- Donald Byrd 1932–2013 · jazz trumpeter, bandleader, educator
Recorded here
Independent Detroit label where he made his first professional recording, with the Robert Barnes Sextette.
- Kenny Burrell born 1931 · jazz guitarist, composer, educator
Recorded here
Detroit independent label where he recorded his first single as a leader, “Rose of Tangier”/“Ground Round”.
- Doctor Ross 1925–1993 · blues one-man band: singer, guitarist, harmonica player, drummer
Recorded here
The Detroit label that released four of his singles, including "Cat Squirrel".
- Johnnie Bassett 1935–2012 · blues guitarist, singer, songwriter
Recorded here
Bassett played guitar on Fortune sessions for Nolan Strong and the Diablos and Andre Williams.
- Nathaniel Mayer 1944–2008 · singer
Recorded here
He recorded "Village of Love" and his other early sides for Fortune; the Third Avenue building was demolished in 2001.
- Andre Williams 1936–2019 · singer, songwriter, producer
Recorded here
He recorded "Bacon Fat" and his other 1950s sides for Fortune; the Third Avenue studio-and-shop was demolished in 2001.
- Eddie Kirkland 1923–2011 · blues guitarist, harmonica player, singer
Recorded here
Detroit's rough-and-ready independent label, one of several that issued Kirkland's solo records.
- Skeets McDonald 1915–1968 · country and rockabilly singer, songwriter
Recorded here
Jack and Devora Brown's independent Detroit label, known for country, doo-wop and R&B; he made his first records here.
- Joe Weaver 1934–2006 · blues and R&B pianist, singer, bandleader
Recorded here
Weaver was a regular session pianist for Fortune's R&B and blues records.
- Bobo Jenkins 1916–1984 · blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, label owner
Recorded here
Jack and Devora Brown's Detroit label issued his "Ten Below Zero" in 1957; the Third Avenue building was demolished in 2001.
- Johnny Powers 1938–2023 · rockabilly singer, guitarist, songwriter, producer
Recorded here
Jack and Devora Brown's Detroit label, where a session led Devora Brown to give him his stage name.
- Nolan Strong 1934–1977 · singer
Recorded here
The Diablos recorded for Fortune for about a decade; the Third Avenue studio used from 1956 was demolished in 2001.
- Sylvester Potts 1938–2017 · singer, songwriter
Recorded here
The Hi-Fidelities released "Last Night I Cried" on Fortune in 1958; the label's Third Avenue studio was demolished in 2001.
Sources & fact check · Checked: 2026-09-25
An independently written bilingual guide. This collection is not an attendance-based ranking.
03 / Events
Events at this place
Published events automatically linked from our event guide. Times are local to the venue.
We have no published upcoming events linked to this place yet. That does not mean the venue has no events; check its official calendar too.
Source and former website ↗