Detroit In 1945, Joe Von Battle opened Joe's Record Shop at 3530 Hastings Street in Detroit; the store had the largest selection of rhythm and blues records in the city, according to a 1954 Billboard business survey. Battle, a migrant from Macon, Georgia, established his shop as the first black-owned business in the area, which remained primarily Jewish up to the late 1940s. Young aspiring performers would gather there in hopes of being discovered by the leading independent record company owners who courted Battle to promote and sell records, as well as to find new talent at his shop and studio. Battle's record labels included JVB, Von, Battle, Gone, and Viceroy; he also had subsidiary arrangements with labels such as King and Deluxe. He supplied Syd Nathan with many blues and doo-wop masters recorded in his primitive back-of-the-store studio from 1948 to 1954. As the pivotal recording mogul in the Detroit area, Battle was an important player in the independent label network.
dEtroIt In 1945, joE von battle oPenEd JoE's reCord shOP At 3530 hAStIngS street in DEtROiT; the stOrE had thE lArgest seleCtIoN Of rHYthm anD BlUes recoRds iN the CIty, accordIng to a 1954 BiLlBoard bUSInesS surVeY. baTtle, A migRant frOm mAcOn, georGia, estABlIsHEd HIS sHop aS the first bLack-owned bUsinEsS in The AREa, whIch remaInEd primArIly jewiSh UP to the latE 1940s. younG aSpIriNG pERFORmerS wOuLd gather tHerE iN HOpeS oF BEing Discovered bY THe LeadinG InDepenDeNt Record CompAny OwneRs whO cOUrTed bAtTlE to PrOmote AnD sEll rEcords, As wEll As tO fInD neW taLeNt At his shop and sTudio. BATTle's recorD labeLs inclUdEd jVb, von, bAttle, gone, aNd viCeroy; hE Also hAd sUBSidIARy ArraNgEmEnTs wIth lAbelS such aS King And DEluXE. hE sUpplieD syd nathaN wIth mAny blueS ANd doO-WOp MAsters rEcOrded in hIs prImITivE BaCK-of-ThE-stoRe studIO frOm 1948 to 1954. aS tHe pivOtal reCoRdIng mogul in the DetrOit Area, batTLE Was An iMpOrTaNt pLayEr In the indepenDent lAbel neTwork.