associated_acts death_place death_date birth_name birth_place years_active label background birth_date instrument genre article_title name occupation
the bettye lavette , timmy shaw , adc band , the temptations dapps , jimmy ruffin , funk brothers , detroit , michigan 6 january 2002 johnnie mae matthews bessemer , alabama , u.s. 1958 -- 2000 `` , `` big hit '' , mercury records northern recording co. '' , `` reel '' solo_singer 31 december 1922 singing , piano r & b , soul , blues johnnie mae matthews
 johnnie mae matthews singer , songwriter , producer
johnnie mae matthews

johnnie mae matthews -lrb- december 31 , 1922 -- january 6 , 2002 -rrb- 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 -lrb- northern recording company -rrb- 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 .
