Music · 1979–2001Aaliyahsinger, actress, dancerBrooklyn-born R&B star raised in Detroit, who graduated from the city's performing-arts high school while already releasing hit albums.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.
- 1,912 famous people
- 135 Detroit places
- 17 fields
Hungarian ties 22 Detroiters with Hungarian ties →
Field
Connection
Born in
A–Z (family name)
28 people
Clear filtersMusic · 1979–2001Aaliyahsinger, actress, dancerBrooklyn-born R&B star raised in Detroit, who graduated from the city's performing-arts high school while already releasing hit albums.
Music · 1948–2009Ron Ashetonguitarist, bassist, songwriterGuitarist and co-founder of the Stooges, the Ann Arbor proto-punk band that served as a house band at Detroit's Grande Ballroom.
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 · born 1962Juan Atkinsrecord producer, DJDetroit-born “Godfather of Techno,” one of the Belleville Three, whose Cybotron and Model 500 records laid down the Detroit techno sound.
Film & TV · born 2005Ella Andersonactress, singer-songwriterActress and singer-songwriter born in Ypsilanti, west of Detroit, best known as Piper Hart on Nickelodeon's Henry Danger.
Music · 1930–1986Pepper Adamsjazz baritone saxophonist, composerHighland Park-born baritone saxophonist who came of age in Detroit's 1950s bebop clubs, running the bandstand at the Blue Bird Inn before a career in New York.
Music · 1917–2014Alberta Adamsblues singer“Detroit's Queen of the Blues,” who began as a tap dancer in the Hastings Street clubs of the 1930s and was still recording in her nineties.
Music · 1932–1986Dorothy Ashbyjazz harpist, pianist, singer, composerDetroit-born pioneer who made the harp a bebop instrument, a product of Paradise Valley, Cass Tech and Wayne State who also ran a Black theater company in the city.
Music · 1930–2014Robert AshleycomposerAnn Arbor-born avant-garde composer who co-founded the ONCE Festival of new music in his hometown and later invented the “television opera”.
Music · 1949–2014Scott AshetondrummerThe Stooges' drummer, raised in Ann Arbor from age 14, whose primal beat drove the band from its Grande Ballroom debut to its 21st-century reunion.
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.
Music · born 1963John AcquavivaDJ, producer, label founder, music entrepreneurCanadian DJ who started out in Detroit's clubs, co-founded Plus 8 Records with Richie Hawtin and later helped launch Beatport.
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 · 1944–2023Katherine AndersonsingerInkster-raised co-founder of the Marvelettes who sang with the group through its Motown run and later mentored young Detroit singers.
Music · born 1934Jack Ashfordpercussionist, vibraphonist, producerFunk Brothers percussionist whose tambourine is on hundreds of Motown records, from "Nowhere to Run" to "War"; the last surviving Funk Brother.
Music · born 1977DJ AssaultDJ, electronic producerDetroit DJ and producer whose raunchy, high-speed “booty” tracks of the 1990s made him the best-known name of the ghettotech sound.
Music · 1943–2026Rosalind AshfordsingerDetroit-born soprano and original member of Martha and the Vandellas, heard on "Heat Wave", "Dancing in the Street" and "Nowhere to Run".
Music · born 1947Drew AbbottguitaristDetroit-born lead guitarist of Bob Seger's Silver Bullet Band during its peak years, heard on Live Bullet, Night Moves and Against the Wind.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 ↗