Jazz, blues & soul / John R / Brush Park edge of Paradise Valley (John R at E. Canfield)
Flame Show Bar
Closed – archive entry · 1963
A former R&B and jazz nightclub at John R and East Canfield (1949–1963), on the John R / Brush Park edge of Paradise Valley.
01 / The story of this place
Make time for these
The Flame Show Bar opened on June 24, 1949 at the southeast corner of John R and East Canfield, run by Morris Wasserman, on a street the Black press called the “Street of Music.” With a strong house band and a parade of featured singers it hosted Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Sam Cooke, Nina Simone, Ray Charles, Etta James, B.B. King, Dizzy Gillespie and a young Aretha Franklin, helped launch the careers of Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Jackie Wilson and LaVern Baker, and was linked to the early years of Berry Gordy's Motown. Bandleader Beans Bowles recalled that the lit-up corner was called “Little Las Vegas”; the last shows were held on July 28, 1963.
- John R, the “Street of Music”
- Billie Holiday, a young Aretha
- Launched Jackie Wilson, LaVern Baker
Famous Detroiters
Famous people tied to this place 10
Lexicon entries for the people who lived, worked, performed or liked to spend time here.
- Jackie Wilson 1934–1984 · singer
Performed here
Paradise Valley's biggest nightclub, owned by his manager Al Green; he played here after going solo in 1957. A Detroit Medical Center parking garage stands on the site.
- Berry Gordy born 1929 · record executive, producer, songwriter, film producer
Favorite haunt
Paradise Valley nightclub where his sisters ran the photo concession; a networking base where he met Jackie Wilson. The site is now in the Detroit Medical Center area.
- Della Reese 1931–2017 · singer, actress, television host, minister
Performed here
A contest prize of one week here stretched into eight weeks. A Detroit Medical Center parking garage now covers the site.
- Abdul "Duke" Fakir 1935–2024 · singer
Performed here
The Four Tops were among the headliners of this John R Street supper club.
- Mable John 1930–2022 · blues singer
Performed here
She sang on the bill of Billie Holiday's last Detroit show here. Demolished in 1965.
- Earl Van Dyke 1930–1992 · keyboardist, bandleader
Worked here
He played organ at the club after Maurice King. Demolished in 1965 for Detroit Medical Center urban renewal.
- Gwen Gordy Fuqua 1927–1999 · songwriter, record executive
Worked here
She and sister Anna ran the club's photo concession; here she met the people who launched Jackie Wilson. Demolished in 1965.
- Anna Gordy Gaye 1922–2014 · record executive, songwriter
Worked here
She and Gwen ran the club's photo concession. Demolished in 1965.
- Robert Gordy 1931–2022 · music publisher, songwriter, singer
Performed here
He sang here and ran the darkroom for Gwen Gordy's photo concession. Demolished in 1965.
- Maurice King · bandleader, arranger, vocal coach
Worked here
He led the club's house band. The building was demolished in 1965.
Sources & fact check · Checked: 2026-09-25
An independently written bilingual guide. This collection is not an attendance-based ranking.
03 / Events
Events at this place
Published events automatically linked from our event guide. Times are local to the venue.
We have no published upcoming events linked to this place yet. That does not mean the venue has no events; check its official calendar too.
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