Joe Von Battle

Von Fight was an archive store owner within the Detroit ghetto, saving local black skill in 1948 and issuing materials intermittently on the confusing selection of brands. Performers included himself (supported by two out-of-tune harmonicas, piano and bass), Iverson ‘Louisiana Crimson’ Minter, L.C. Green and something String Sam. Nevertheless, Von Fight’s most significant recordings had been early blues songs by John Lee Hooker, gospel by Rev. C.L. Franklin as well as the 1st recordings of Franklin’s 14-year-old child, Aretha Franklin. Like very much other materials, the Franklin recordings had been leased to Chess Information to generate some money, as Von Fight operated on the shoestring, which designed poor distribution and frequently poor audio quality for his personal produces which, although occasionally superb, are often very rare. Contemporary Records, King Information and Gotham also benefited from Von Fight material. From the 70s he previously retired from documenting, but was still working a shop.