Hastings Street Opera

[Doug-Morgan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afitUk5YavM

Hi there, long time no post.....

2 questions.

1) Can anyone tell me anything about this record [[I believe this is not the original pressing) and

2) Is there a good book about Hastings Street?

I don't know if this is too far back for this forum, but it's worth a shot. Thanks in advance.

[stingbeelee]

Hastings Street was part of the neighborhood in Detroit known as "Black Bottom". There are some books and articles available about the neighborhood, and I think that John Lee Hooker famously referred to Hasting Street in his 1949 hit "Boogie Chillen".
https://detroithistorical.org/learn/encyclopedia-of-detroit/black-bottom-neighborhood

[Doug-Morgan]

I guess what I'm looking for is a recommendation for a book on the history of Hastings Street, Paradise Valley and the Black Bottom district. I've read most of the small pieces like the Detroit Historical one, but would like to get a little deeper into the history of the district. Sounds like a topic Arcadia Publishing would have. Any ideas?

[stingbeelee]

Hi Doug-Morgan. I do remember good reviews on the Arcadia book regarding Black Bottom and the book on Paradise Valley. Also a local author, Marsha Battle Philpot, has done a lot of research on the area, as her father was Joe Von Battle, who owned a record store and record label located in the Black Bottom area. I would recommend trying to get in touch with her. I believe that Joe Von Battle was the first person to record Aretha.

[splanky]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book but I think someone lifted it from my library. I'd like to re-read some of it....

https://www.thebookbeat.com/bookshop/catalog/before-motown-a-history-of-jazz-in-detroit-1920-60/