"Fortune was started in 1946 by the husband and wife team of Devora
and Jack Brown in Detroit Michigan. The most successful act for
Fortune was Nolan Strong and the Diablos. Devora wrote many of the
songs that appeared on the label and Jack Brown recorded the songs."
https://www.liquisearch.com/fortune_records
"Fortune specialized in R&B, blues, soul and doo-wop music, although
the label also released pop, big band, hillbilly, gospel, rock 'n'
roll, and even polka records."
"...original releases tapered off after 1972 aside from a few LPs in
the mid 1980s."
"Record collectors often find Fortune's numbering system confusing
because there were several series issued at once, and also because
some particular record numbers were used more than once.
"45 rpm pressings starting around catalog #165 in 1952"
(if you have a special interest in the Fortune artists 'The Five
Dollars/{Andre & the} Don Juans' then there are several additional
substantial paragraphs at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortune_Records )
https://www.detroitrocknrollmagazine.com/search/label/Fortune%20Records
A few snippets:
"The first songs cut in the new (11629 Linwood) Fortune Studio were
recorded on a Magnacord tape machine. In 1953, they purchased an Ampex
model 350 which was used to record all of the Fortune masters, until
the early sixties"
"Devora came to Detroit from Cleveland, Ohio and was introduced to
Jack Brown through a blind date set up by a friend. Devora {pianist}
was already writing poems and songs. Even though Jack was working as
an accountant at the time, he liked her songs and encouraged her to
send them to a few music publishers..."
"Unlike most record companies of the 50s, Fortune Records had a sound
all of its own. You knew it was a Fortune Record without looking at
the label. Just like Motown in the 60s."
http://www.westwoodmusicgroup.com/Fortune_Records/Fortune_Records.html
** this page has many playable (left-click) 90-second song snippets **
"In the beginning, they operated out of their home, then they rented a
place on Linwood Avenue in Detroit. Their first record was "Jane" by
Russ Titus. It was a hit in Detroit. The elusive national hit record
was "Jealous Love" by The Davis Sisters in 1952. Two years later
"Adios My Desert Love" and "The Wind" by Nolan Strong & The Diablos
was a triump in Black vocal group harmony."
"Fortune's biggest national Hit was "Village Of Love" by Nathaniel
Mayer. Released in May, 1962, the record reached #22 on the Billboard
Pop Chart."
*** "The Fortune Records catalog consists of 800 recordings from {c.}
1947 to 1972 on the Fortune, Hi-Q, Strate-8 and Blue Star labels ***.
Fortune Records - Discography - Singles - 100-series (1946-1957)
https://www.liquisearch.com/fortune_records/discography/singles/100-series
Fortune Records - Discography - Singles - 200-series (1957-1967+)
https://www.liquisearch.com/fortune_records/discography/singles/200-series
Fortune Records - Discography - Singles - 500-series (1954-1964)
https://www.liquisearch.com/fortune_records/discography/singles/500-series
Fortune Records - Discography - Singles - 800-series (1954-1965)
https://www.liquisearch.com/fortune_records/discography/singles/800-series
Alternatively, a Fortune singles discography on just one,
Wangdangdula, web page: https://wdd.mbnet.fi/fortune.htm
Fortune Records - Discography - Albums
https://www.bsnpubs.com/detroit/fortune.html
(Fortune Records) Hi-Q label - Singles (c.1957-1967)
https://www.liquisearch.com/fortune_records/discography/other_labels/hi-q_records_-_singles
(Fortune Records) Strate-8 label - Singles (1959-1970)
http://www.45cat.com/label/strate-8
https://www.amazon.com/Dirty-Boogie-Fortune-Records-Various/dp/B00HYGTW2U
"Fortune Records is the great secret record company in the history of
Detroit rock n roll. Their signature sound of raw vocals and simple
instrumental arrangements contrasted with the polished sound of their
Motown neighbours."
Read the first customer review by a 'charles a.'
The tracks for the above discontinued 2014 3-cd compilation (that
presumably include Fortune's 'best' tracks) are nicely listed here:
https://www.discogs.com/Various-Dirty-Boogie-The-Fortune-Records-Story/release/8285190
========================================
during my research on the Fortune label, I came across a bio for Andre
Williams, which concluded with a 2019 link to a compilation of 27 of
his recordings - a 'slow' link, but it still works! If interested,
this is the web page:
https://fromthevaults-boppinbob.blogspot.com/2019/11/andre-williams-born-1-november-1936.html
You might like to peruse the Archive at the bottom of the page
(expanding each month) to see if there are any other artists that take
your fancy :-)