Music · 1958–2009
Michael Jacksonsinger, songwriter, dancerThe King of Pop, whose career began when the Jackson 5 auditioned for Motown in Detroit in 1968; he later gave his famous glove and fedora to the Motown Museum.DETROIT / A living lexicon / ¼
Famous Detroiters
People who were born here, moved here or built their careers in Detroit: musicians, carmakers, athletes, writers, inventors, civil-rights leaders and a few notorious names. With their dates, their Detroit story and the places where they lived, worked and played, closed ones included.
- 1,949 famous people
- 516 Detroit places
- 20 fields
Hungarian ties 31 Detroiters with Hungarian ties →
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59 people · 1/2 page
Clear filtersMusic · 1958–2009Michael Jacksonsinger, songwriter, dancerThe King of Pop, whose career began when the Jackson 5 auditioned for Motown in Detroit in 1968; he later gave his famous glove and fedora to the Motown Museum.
Music · born 1958Madonnasinger, songwriter, producer, actressThe “Queen of Pop,” raised in the Detroit suburbs of Pontiac and Rochester Hills, a Rochester Adams High School graduate who left Michigan for New York in 1978.
Music · born 1950
Stevie Wondersinger, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producerBlind child prodigy raised in Detroit who signed with Motown at 11 and grew into one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.
Music · born 1950Suzi Quatrosinger, bass guitarist, songwriter, actressThe leather-clad bass-playing rock star grew up in Detroit and Grosse Pointe and started out at 14 in the Pleasure Seekers, an all-girl band with her sisters.
Music · born 1958Anita Bakersinger, songwriterEight-time Grammy winner of “Sweet Love,” raised in Detroit, who started out singing in the city's nightclubs and still lives in metro Detroit.
Music · born 1951Jackie Jacksonsinger, songwriterThe oldest Jackson brother and a founding member of the Jackson 5, who won their Motown contract at an audition at Hitsville U.S.A. in Detroit in 1968.
Music · born 1957Marlon Jacksonsinger, dancerJackson 5 singer and dancer who, at 11, auditioned with his brothers at Motown's Hitsville U.S.A. studio in Detroit in July 1968.
Music · born 1954Ray Parker Jr.guitarist, singer, songwriter, producerDetroit-born guitarist behind the “Ghostbusters” theme, who started as a teenager in the house band of the city's famous 20 Grand nightclub.
Music · born 1956Dianne Reevesjazz singerFive-time Grammy-winning jazz singer born in Detroit into a musical family and raised in Denver.
Film & TV · born 1951David Patrick Kellyactor, musician, lyricistDetroit-born character actor, forever Luther of The Warriors, who began writing musicals while studying at the University of Detroit.
Music · 1957–2017Geri Allenjazz pianist, composer, educatorPontiac-born, Detroit-raised jazz pianist and educator, a Cass Tech graduate and protégée of trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, who became one of the most original pianists of her generation.
Music · 1950–2022Maria Ewingopera singer (mezzo-soprano and soprano)Detroit-born opera star, celebrated as Carmen and Salome, who was discovered at Oakland University's Meadow Brook festival and made her debut with a Detroit company in 1970.
Music · born 1952Don Wasbassist, record producer, label executiveDetroit-born producer of Bonnie Raitt and the Rolling Stones, co-founder of Was (Not Was) and president of Blue Note Records, who still champions the Detroit music scene.
Music · born 1952Kim Kashkashianviolist, teacherDetroit-born Armenian-American violist, one of the world's leading players of her instrument and a Grammy winner for music by Hungarian composers.
Music · born 1952Marcella Detroitsinger, songwriter, guitaristDetroit-born singer who co-wrote Eric Clapton's “Lay Down Sally” and sang lead on Shakespears Sister's “Stay,” later taking her hometown's name as her own.
Music · born 1956Greg Phillinganeskeyboardist, singer, arrangerDetroit-born keyboard ace who went from classical lessons with a Detroit Symphony pianist to Stevie Wonder's band and musical director for Michael Jackson.
Film & TV · born 1958Ellen Sandweissactress, singerCheryl in The Evil Dead, a Detroit-born high school friend of Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell whose film premiered at Detroit's Redford Theatre in 1981.
Music · born 1951Kim Wilsonblues singer, harmonica playerDetroit-born blues harmonica player and frontman of the Fabulous Thunderbirds, known for the 1986 hit “Tuff Enuff”.Mike Kelleyartist, musicianInfluential installation artist from suburban Detroit whose Mobile Homestead, a replica of his childhood home, stands permanently at MOCAD.Stephen Braysongwriter, drummer, record producerDetroit-born songwriter and producer, Madonna's early bandmate and co-writer of "Into the Groove" and "Express Yourself," who later won a Grammy for The Color Purple.
Music · 1956–2012Bob BirchbassistDetroit-born, Wayne State–trained bassist who played in Elton John's band for two decades.
Music · 1952–2025Carl Carltonsinger, songwriterDetroit-born soul and funk singer who started as "Little" Carl Carlton and later scored "Everlasting Love" (1974) and "She's a Bad Mama Jama" (1981).
Music · 1952–2010Doug Fiegersinger, guitarist, songwriterDetroit-born, Oak Park-raised frontman of the Knack, who co-wrote and sang “My Sharona,” the biggest U.S. hit of 1979.Lonette McKeeactress, singer, songwriterStar of Sparkle, The Cotton Club and Broadway's Show Boat, a Detroit child prodigy who sang at the city's record hops and clubs from age seven and cut her first record at fourteen.
Music · born 1953Earl Klughacoustic guitarist, composerDetroit-born acoustic guitarist, discovered as a teenager by Yusef Lateef, who learned at Baker's Keyboard Lounge and won a Grammy with Bob James.
Press & broadcasting · 1950–2026Dave Marshrock critic, editor, author, radio hostPontiac-born rock critic who left Wayne State in 1969 to help build Creem, Detroit's irreverent rock magazine, before becoming a Rolling Stone editor and Springsteen biographer.
Music · born 1959Joseph Alessiclassical trombonistDetroit-born trombonist who has been principal trombone of the New York Philharmonic since 1985 and is one of the most influential orchestral trombonists of his time.
Theatre & dance · born 1951Roz Ryanactress, singer, comedianDetroit nightclub singer who jumped to Broadway in Ain't Misbehavin' (1978) and became the longest-serving Matron 'Mama' Morton in Chicago.
Music · 1951–2010Ali-Ollie Woodsonsinger, songwriter, keyboardistDetroit-born lead singer of the Temptations from 1983 to 1996, heard on "Treat Her Like a Lady".
Music · born 1957Janiva Magnessblues and soul singer, songwriter, authorDetroit-born blues and soul singer, Blues Foundation Entertainer of the Year in 2009, whose hard Detroit childhood shaped her music and her foster-care advocacy.
Music · born 1953Marshall Crenshawsinger, songwriter, guitaristDetroit-born, Berkley-raised power-pop songwriter of “Someday, Someway”, who played John Lennon in Beatlemania and Buddy Holly in La Bamba.Ida Kavafianviolinist, violistIstanbul-born Armenian American violinist who grew up in Detroit, studied there with Mischa Mischakoff and became a leading chamber musician with Tashi, the Beaux Arts Trio and Opus One.
Music · born 1955Pheeroan akLaffjazz drummer, percussionist, educatorDetroit-born drummer, born Paul Maddox, who started in Detroit and Ann Arbor funk and R&B bands and became a leading drummer of American creative jazz.
Music · born 1953Vickie Winanssinger, songwriter, producer, comedianDetroit gospel singer called "The Hardest Working Woman in Gospel Music", known for "Shake Yourself Loose" and her Live in Detroit albums.Lettie Beckon Alstoncomposer, pianist, professorDetroit-born composer and pianist, the first African American to earn a doctorate in composition at the University of Michigan, who taught at Oakland University for two decades.
Music · born 1952John Lee Hooker Jr.blues singer, songwriter, ministerDetroit-born son of John Lee Hooker who sang on local radio as a child, toured with his father, and later earned Grammy nominations with his own modern blues.Vanessa Bell Armstronggospel and R&B singerDetroit gospel singer whose debut Peace Be Still (1983), produced by Thomas Whitfield, launched a career of seven Grammy nominations.
Music · 1956–2021Deon Estusbassist, singerDetroit-born bassist, taught by Motown's James Jamerson, who played with Wham! and George Michael and had a 1989 top-five hit with “Heaven Help Me.”
Music · 1958–2023Amp Fiddlerkeyboardist, singer, songwriter, producerDetroit keyboardist of Parliament-Funkadelic and mentor of J Dilla, who lent the young producer his MPC and introduced him to Q-Tip.
Music · born 1953Derek St. Holmessinger, guitaristDownriver-born rock singer whose voice is on Ted Nugent's classic 1970s albums, including the original “Stranglehold.”David Wasmusician, songwriter, record producer, journalistDetroit-born co-founder of Was (Not Was) with his childhood friend Don Was, the art-funk band behind "Walk the Dinosaur."Dorinda Clark-Colesinger, songwriter, evangelist, television hostDetroit gospel singer of the Clark Sisters, known as the "Rose of Gospel Music", who later led her mother's Clark Conservatory of Music.
Music · born 1955Niagarasinger, painterDetroit-born singer of the art-punk band Destroy All Monsters and a painter of pop-noir women whose shows made her the “Queen of Detroit” of lowbrow art.
Deniz Tekguitarist, singer, songwriter, physicianAnn Arbor–raised guitarist who carried the sound of the MC5 and the Stooges to Australia, where he co-founded the punk pioneers Radio Birdman.Thomas Whitfieldgospel singer, songwriter, arranger, producer, choir directorDetroit gospel innovator whose Thomas Whitfield Company choir blended jazz and classical ideas into gospel, and who produced Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Yolanda Adams and Aretha Franklin.Twinkie Clarksinger, songwriter, organist, producerDetroit-born leader, chief songwriter and producer of the Clark Sisters, often called the "Mother of Contemporary Gospel Music".Jorja Fleezanisviolinist, concertmaster, teacherCass Tech-trained violinist from a Greek immigrant family in Detroit who was concertmaster of the Minnesota Orchestra for twenty years and premiered John Adams's Violin Concerto.
Music · born 1953Wally Palmarsinger, guitarist, songwriterHamtramck-born son of Ukrainian immigrants who founded and fronts the Romantics, the Detroit band behind “What I Like About You” and “Talking in Your Sleep.”The lexicon keeps growing. Every entry lists its sources at the bottom. Dates were checked against Wikidata and Wikipedia. The texts are our own. Famous people's places among the sights ↗
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