For Tune Tuesday, I have to feature one of the artists that was introduced to me by my dad. He and my Godfather grew up together and loved listening to music together. They listened to blues stuff from Jimmy Reed, Motown, and plenty of R&B artists. Back in the day, local artists actually got airplay and did very well in their hometowns. If they were lucky enough, they’d nab a national hit. One of those artists was Nathaniel Mayer.
Nathaniel Mayer was born on this day in 1944. He was born in Detroit and found fame on the Fortune record label owned by Jack and Devora Brown. At Fortune, he was a label mate of another favorite of my father’s – Nolan Strong. Nathaniel stayed with the label for about 6 years. In 1962, at the young age of 18, he had his first Top 40 Record – Village of Love.
Nathan would record and release other songs for Fortune, but none of them achieved what Village of Love did. He left the music business before returning in 2002 and recording with a couple different labels. He would go out and tour in support of his music, but after a return from Europe he had numerous strokes which left him hospitalized. He passed away on November 1 (coincidentally, my dad’s birthday) in 2008.
In 2014, he was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.
Happy Birthday to a hometown hero – Nathaniel Mayer.
Various Ramblings of a Nostalgic Italian 
It was good then as you point out, when radio stations would sometimes play and promote local talent and help their careers up
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great that they helped to promote locals, who don’t often get airplay today
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