Johnnie Mae Matthews - "The Godmother of Detroit Soul!," Vol. 1-3 (2024)

The music of Matthews holds more of an archival and documentary value than an audiophile one.

Johnnie Mae Matthews was a trailblazer in Detroit’s Black music scene and one of the first Black women to enter the city's music industry. From singing in church as a child to producing and managing major acts like The Temptations (then The Distance), Mary Wells, and Diana Ross, Matthews played a key role in shaping soul and R&B. She helped Berry Gordy gain early recognition and also found success as a performer with hits on Sue, Atlantic, and Mercury Records. Her current work includes producing Black Nasty, a band featuring her own children. Despite her achievements, Matthews remains an overlooked figure, a situation this profile hopes to correct.

Tracklist:

The Godmother of Detroit Soul!," Vol. 1
1-1 Johnnie Mae Matthews - Give Me True Love [2:52]
1-2 Johnnie Mae Matthews - Ooh Wee [2:33]
1-3 Johnnie Mae Matthews - My Little Angel [2:58]
1-4 Johnnie Mae Matthews - Oh Mother [2:25]
1-5 Johnnie Mae Matthews - Come Home [2:35]
1-6 Johnnie Mae Matthews - No One Can Love Me (The Way You Do) [2:22]
1-7 Johnnie Mae Matthews;Timmy Shaw - I Don't Want Your Lovin' (Part 1) [2:49]
1-8 Johnnie Mae Matthews - I Don't Want Your Lovin' (Part 2) [1:56]
1-9 Johnnie Mae Matthews - Lonely Road [2:26]
1-10 Johnnie Mae Matthews - I Won't Cry Anymore [2:22]

"The Godmother of Detroit Soul!," Vol. 2
1-1 Johnnie Mae Matthews - Ain't Nobody's Business [3:30]
1-2 Johnnie Mae Matthews - My Destination [2:15]
1-3 Johnnie Mae Matthews - Worried About You [2:55]
1-4 Johnnie Mae Matthews - Itty Bitty Heart [2:29]
1-5 Johnnie Mae Matthews - My Man (Sweetest Man In The World) [2:43]
1-6 Johnnie Mae Matthews - I Can't Live Without You [2:28]
1-7 Johnnie Mae Matthews - Luck Walked Through My Door [3:04]
1-8 Johnnie Mae Matthews - Love Hides All Faults [2:33]
1-9 Johnnie Mae Matthews - Baby What's Wrong [2:32]
1-10 Johnnie Mae Matthews - Here Comes My Baby [2:11]
1-11 Johnnie Mae Matthews;Joe L Carter - My Life Story [3:14]
1-12 Johnnie Mae Matthews;Joe L Carter - Don't Cry Baby [1:59]

"The Godmother of Detroit Soul!," Vol. 3
1-1 Johnnie Mae Matthews - Lonely You'll Be [2:28]
1-2 Johnnie Mae Matthews - That's What My Man (Is For) [2:59]
1-3 Johnnie Mae Matthews - Got To Be On (The Case) [2:59]
1-4 Johnnie Mae Matthews - You're The One [4:00]
1-5 Johnnie Mae Matthews - Cut Me Loose [2:56]
1-6 Johnnie Mae Matthews - Two Sided Thing [3:18]
1-7 Johnnie Mae Matthews - You Make Me Feel Good [2:22]
1-8 Johnnie Mae Matthews - I Have No Choice [2:39]
1-9 Johnnie Mae Matthews - That's When It Hurts [3:12]
1-10 Johnnie Mae Matthews - My Momma Didn't Lie [2:53]