An ad for the start of Billie Holiday's 14-night run at the Flame Show Bar, starting July 8, 1949 - just two weeks after the club had opened.

An ad for the Idlewild Revue at the Flame Show Bar starring Big Maybelle and The Four Tops from September 1959.

An ad for Ray Charles' run June 20-26, 1958, at the Flame Show Bar

An ad for Etta James' first of three appearances at the Flame Show Bar, this run from June 24-30, 1955

1955-06-24flame_2

An ad for an appearance by boxing legend Joe Louis at the Flame Show

An ad for Aretha Franklin at the Flame Show Bar from May 1963, a few months before the legendary venue closed

From the May 10, 1963, edition of the Detroit Free Press

An ad for Jackie Wilson's run at the Flame Show Bar in October 1960

From the Oct. 7, 1960, edition of the Detroit Free Press

An ad for Big Maybelle at the Flame Show in January 1953

From the Jan. 16, 1953, edition of the Detroit Free Press

An ad for Ray Charles' Sept. 12-25, 1952, run at the Flame Show. He would return six years later.

From the Sept. 19, 1952, edition of the Detroit Free Press

An ad for one of several runs that Dinah Washington did at the Flame Show Bar in January and February 1959

From the Jan. 30, 1959, edition of the Detroit Free Press

An ad for one of several runs by Blues great T-Bone Walker at the Flame Show Bar, this one from July 1957

From the July 12, 1957, edition of the Detroit Free Press

An ad for R&B great Ruth Brown and a "coming soon" for Sam Cooke, from August 1958

From the Aug. 22, 1958, edition of the Detroit Free Press

An ad for the Idlewild Revue on New Year's Eve 1958 featuring jazz legend Betty Carter and The Four Tops

From the Dec. 26, 1958, edition of the Detroit Free Press

The incomparable Nina Simone had a run at the Flame Show Bar in August 1960

From the Aug. 18, 1960, edition of the Detroit Free Press

B.B. King performed more than 30 shows at the Flame Show Bar over the years

From the Nov. 30, 1956, edition of the Detroit Free Press

An ad for the grand opening of the Flame Show Bar on June 24, 1949, and previewing Billie Holliday's arrival

From the June 25, 1949, edition of The Detroit Tribune

An ad for one of Sam Cooke's three runs at the Flame Show Bar, this one from June 16-25, 1961. It was his last appearance at the venue; he would be shot and killed three years later.

From the June 16, 1961 edition of the Detroit Free Press

An ad for Bille Holliday's first stint at the Flame Show Bar, 14 nights starting July 8, 1949 - just two weeks after the club had opened

From the July 16, 1949, edition of The Detroit Tribune

An ad for the Flame Show featuring Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer LaVern Baker when she was still going by the name Miss Sharecropper

From the June 23, 1951, edition of The Detroit Tribune

A napkin from the Flame Show Bar

From the collection of Adam Stanfel

A drink menu from the Flame Show Bar

From the collection of Adam Stanfel

One of the covers of a souvenir photo book, possibly produced by the company run by Berry Gordy Jr.'s sisters

From the collection of Adam Stanfel

A souvenir photo from the Flame Show Bar. Guests could pay to get a keepsake from their visit to the bar. Berry Gordy Jr.'s sisters ran a company providing such photos.

From the collection of Adam Stanfel

A matchbook from the Flame Show Bar

From the collection of Adam Stanfel

The cover of the drink menu for the Flame Show Bar

From the collection of Adam Stanfel

A souvenir photo folder from the Flame Show Bar

From the Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library