Music · born 1950Stevie 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.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.
- 664 famous people
- 66 Detroit places
- 15 fields
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51 people · 1/2 page
Clear filtersMusic · born 1950Stevie 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 1975Jack Whiteguitarist, singer, songwriter, producerSouthwest Detroit native who co-founded the White Stripes at the Gold Dollar bar in 1997 and later opened Third Man Records' Cass Corridor store and pressing plant.
Film & TV · born 1930Robert WagneractorHart to Hart and It Takes a Thief star, born in Detroit to a Ford Motor Company salesman, who lived in the city until his family moved to Bel Air in 1937.
Music · 1924–1963Dinah Washingtonsinger, pianistThe “Queen of the Blues,” one of the top-selling Black singers of the 1950s, who married Detroit Lions star Dick “Night Train” Lane and died at their Detroit home in 1963.
Notorious figures · 1956–2002Aileen Wuornosserial killerSerial killer executed in Florida in 2002, born in Rochester and raised in Troy, two Oakland County suburbs of Detroit.
Film & TV · born 1952Billy Westvoice actor, musicianDetroit-born voice of Futurama's Fry, Farnsworth and Zoidberg, Ren & Stimpy and the red M&M, who grew up in Boston and New Jersey.
Music · 1934–1984Jackie Wilsonsinger“Mr. Excitement” grew up in Highland Park, boxed and sang in Detroit clubs, and his early hits, written by Berry Gordy, helped bankroll the founding of Motown.
Music · born 1974Meg Whitedrummer, singerGrosse Pointe-born drummer of the White Stripes, whose minimalist beat helped launch Detroit's late-1990s garage-rock revival.
Film & TV · born 1968Cynthia WatrosactressDaytime Emmy-winning soap star and Lost's Libby, born in Lake Orion and a former Macomb Community College student.
Literature · 1940–2025Edmund Whitenovelist, memoirist, biographer, essayistPioneering gay novelist of A Boy's Own Story who finished high school at Cranbrook School in Bloomfield Hills, where he wrote his first two novels.
Music · 1944–2021Mary Wilsonsinger, authorFounding member of the Supremes who grew up in Detroit's Brewster-Douglass projects and stayed with the group longer than any other original member.
Film & TV · 1930–2015Grace Lee Whitneyactress, singerStar Trek's Yeoman Janice Rand, who grew up in Detroit and began her career at 14 as a girl singer on WJR radio.
Music · born 1981Jimmie Wilsonsinger, musical theatre actorDetroit-born singer and stage actor who represented San Marino at the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 in a duet with Valentina Monetta.
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 · 1924–2011Margaret WhitingsingerDetroit-born pop singer of the 1940s and 1950s, daughter of songwriter Richard A. Whiting, who began his career writing for a Detroit music publisher.
Music · born 1951Kim Wilsonblues singer, harmonica playerDetroit-born blues harmonica player and frontman of the Fabulous Thunderbirds, known for the 1986 hit “Tuff Enuff”.
Music · born 1939Kim WestonsingerDetroit-born Motown singer of "Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)" and Marvin Gaye's duet partner on "It Takes Two".
Music · born 1941Otis Williamssinger, founder of the TemptationsFounder and last original member of the Temptations, who grew up in Detroit and built the group out of the city's teenage vocal scene.
Music · 1939–1973Paul Williamssinger, choreographerFounding member and original lead singer of the Temptations, who also devised the group's early dance routines; he died in Detroit in 1973.
Music · 1931–1995Junior Walkersaxophonist, singer, bandleaderSaxophonist whose Jr. Walker & the All Stars recorded "Shotgun" and "What Does It Take" for Motown's Soul label.
Music · 1898–1986Sippie Wallaceblues singer, pianist, songwriter, church organist1920s classic-blues star who moved to Detroit in 1929, served a Detroit church as organist for some 40 years, and returned to the stage in the 1960s.
Music · born 1962BeBe Winanssinger, songwriter, producerDetroit-born gospel and R&B singer, half of the duo BeBe & CeCe Winans, and a close friend of Whitney Houston.
Music · 1951–2010Ali-Ollie Woodsonsinger, songwriter, keyboardistDetroit-born lead singer of the Temptations from 1983 to 1996, heard on "Treat Her Like a Lady".
Notorious figures · born 1969Richard Wershe Jr.former teenage FBI informant and drug traffickerEast Side Detroit teenager known as White Boy Rick who became the FBI's youngest known informant, then served decades in prison for a drug conviction at 17.
Music · 1936–2019Andre Williamssinger, songwriter, producerR&B showman who started at Detroit's Fortune Records with "Bacon Fat" (1957) and co-wrote "Shake a Tail Feather".
Music · born 1946Joyce Vincent WilsonsingerDetroit session singer on Motown, Golden World and Invictus records who became one of the two voices of Dawn with Tony Orlando.
Music · 1938–1995Ronnie Whitesinger, songwriterDetroit-born co-founder of the Miracles who co-wrote "My Girl" and brought the young Stevie Wonder to Motown's attention.
Music · 1936–2018Eddie WillisguitaristFunk Brothers guitarist, raised in Detroit from age 14, whose muted "chank" rhythm guitar colors Motown hits from "Please Mr. Postman" to "I Was Made to Love Her".
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.
Labor · 1911–2001Leonard WoodcockUAW president (1970–1977), first US ambassador to the People's Republic of ChinaDetroit machine assembler who succeeded Walter Reuther as UAW president in 1970, then became the first US ambassador to Communist China.
Music · born 1968Rodney Whitakerjazz double bassist, educatorDetroit-born bassist, a Marcus Belgrave protégé who played with Terence Blanchard, Roy Hargrove and Wynton Marsalis and now leads jazz studies at Michigan State University.
Law · 1774–1827Augustus B. Woodwardfirst chief justice of Michigan Territory, city plannerFirst chief justice of Michigan Territory who drew up Detroit's radial street plan after the fire of 1805; Woodward Avenue bears his name.
Civil rights & activism · 1912–2001Charleszetta WaddlesPentecostal minister, founder of the Mother Waddles Perpetual MissionPentecostal minister known as Mother Waddles who for more than four decades fed, clothed and trained Detroit's poor through her Perpetual Mission.The lexicon keeps growing. Every entry lists its sources at the bottom. Dates were checked against Wikidata and Wikipedia. The texts are our own.