Music · 1932–2021Curtis Fullerjazz trombonist, composerDetroit-born hard-bop trombonist who played on John Coltrane's Blue Train and in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, and who died in his hometown in 2021.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.
- 1,743 famous people
- 96 Detroit places
- 22 fields
Hungarian ties 21 Detroiters with Hungarian ties →
Field
Connection
Born in
A–Z (family name)
868 people · 6/19 page
Clear filtersMusic · 1932–2021Curtis Fullerjazz trombonist, composerDetroit-born hard-bop trombonist who played on John Coltrane's Blue Train and in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, and who died in his hometown in 2021.
Music · born 1960Kenny Garrettjazz alto and soprano saxophonist, flutist, composerDetroit-born alto saxophonist who went straight from Mackenzie High School into the Duke Ellington Orchestra and later played in Miles Davis's band.
Science & invention · born 1981Adam Grantorganizational psychologist, authorWharton organizational psychologist and best-selling author of Give and Take and Think Again, born in West Bloomfield and raised in the Detroit suburbs.
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.
Literature · born 1955Geoffrey A. LandisNASA scientist, science-fiction writer, poetDetroit-born NASA engineer and Hugo and Nebula–winning hard science-fiction author who works on Mars rovers and solar power.
Film & TV · born 1970Matt Letscheractor, playwright, directorGrosse Pointe-born actor (The Mask of Zorro, The Flash's Reverse-Flash) and playwright, discovered at Jeff Daniels' Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea.
Literature · born 1947John C. Maxwellleadership author, speaker, pastorBest-selling leadership author of The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, born in the western Detroit suburb of Garden City.
Film & TV · born 1974David Robert Mitchellfilm director, screenwriterClawson-born director of It Follows, who has set three of his four features in metro Detroit and shot It Follows around the city.
Sports · born 1983Brandi Rhodesprofessional wrestler, ring announcer, executiveDetroit-suburb-born wrestling personality who rose through WWE and became a founding executive and performer at All Elite Wrestling.
Film & TV · born 1977Geoff StultsactorActor of 7th Heaven, The Finder and Enlisted, born in Detroit and raised in the Colorado mountains; brother of actor George Stults.
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.
Film & TV · born 1985James WolkactorFarmington Hills native known as Bob Benson on Mad Men, who grew up in Oakland County and trained at the University of Michigan.
Film & TV · born 1985Dan AmboyeractorDetroit-born actor from the Roeper School, known for Younger, Uncoupled and as Prince William in a royal-romance TV movie.
Sports · born 1989Evan Batesice dancerOlympic champion ice dancer born and raised in Ann Arbor, who trained for years in suburban Canton and won national silver in Detroit in 2019 with Madison Chock.
Sports · born 1996Kyle Connorice hockey forwardMetro Detroit-born NHL forward for the Winnipeg Jets who learned the game in the Belle Tire youth hockey program before starring at the University of Michigan.
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 · 1941–2022Lamont Doziersongwriter, record producer, singerThe Dozier of Holland–Dozier–Holland, the Detroit songwriting team that wrote and produced dozens of Motown hits for the Supremes, Four Tops and Martha and the Vandellas.
Film & TV · born 1972James DuvalactorDetroit-born actor of Donnie Darko, Independence Day and Gregg Araki's cult 'Teen Apocalypse' films.
Film & TV · born 1957Faye GrantactressStar of the 1980s science-fiction saga V and a Theatre World Award winner on Broadway, born in St. Clair Shores and a 1975 Lake Shore High School graduate.
Sports · born 1981Willie Greenbasketball player and coachDetroit-born guard who starred at Cooley High School and the University of Detroit Mercy before a 12-year NBA career, later becoming an NBA head coach.
Film & TV · born 1988Alexander KochactorGrosse Pointe-raised actor who played the unstable Junior Rennie in the Stephen King adaptation Under the Dome.
Theatre & dance · born 1963Neil LaButeplaywright, film director, screenwriterPlaywright and director of In the Company of Men and The Shape of Things, born in Detroit to a hospital receptionist and a long-haul trucker and raised in Spokane.
Sports · born 1973Brian Maisonneuvesoccer playerMetro Detroit-born midfielder who played youth soccer around the city before representing the United States at the 1996 Olympics and the 1998 World Cup.
Politics · born 1965Thaddeus McCotterpolitician, radio hostDetroit-born Republican congressman for the northwestern suburbs (2003–2012) and 2012 presidential hopeful who later hosted talk radio in Detroit.
Fashion · born 1984Naima Morafashion modelWinner of America's Next Top Model Cycle 4, raised on Detroit's northwest side and a graduate of Cass Technical High School.
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.
Comedy · born 1984Sam Richardsonactor, comedian, writer, producerVeep and Ted Lasso actor who grew up in Boston-Edison, trained at Planet Ant and Second City Detroit and co-created Detroiters, a comedy shot on Detroit streets.
Comedy · born 1963Mary Scheeractress, comedian, writer, producerDetroit-born comedian, an original MADtv cast member and Freddie's overprotective mother Marissa Benson on Nickelodeon's iCarly.
Music · 1945–2024J. D. Southersinger, songwriter, actorDetroit-born songwriter behind Eagles hits like “Best of My Love” and “New Kid in Town”, and early duo partner of fellow Detroit native Glenn Frey.
Music · 1936–2008Levi Stubbssinger, voice actorLifelong Detroiter and lead voice of the Four Tops, formed with Pershing High School friends, who sang “Reach Out I'll Be There” and is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery.
Music · born 1973Trick-Trickrapper, record producerDetroit rapper and producer of the Goon Sqwad, best known for the civic-pride anthem “Welcome 2 Detroit” with Eminem.
Film & TV · born 1984Jordan Vogt-Robertsfilm and television directorDirector of The Kings of Summer and Kong: Skull Island, who grew up in metro Detroit and graduated from Royal Oak's Dondero High School in 2003.
Music · born 1970Brendan Bensonsinger-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producerPower-pop songwriter born in Royal Oak whose Detroit attic was where he and Jack White wrote the first song of the Raconteurs in 2005.
Politics · born 1964Dave Bratpolitician, economist, diplomatEconomics professor and Virginia congressman who unseated House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in 2014; born in Detroit and raised in Alma, Michigan.
Film & TV · 1924–1973Wally Coxactor, comedianStar of early TV's Mister Peepers and voice of Underdog, born in Detroit and a graduate of the city's Denby High School.
Literature · 1921–2019Carol Emshwillershort-story writer, novelistNebula-winning avant-garde science-fiction writer, praised by Ursula K. Le Guin, who was born, studied and married in Ann Arbor on the edge of the Detroit region.
Music · 1929–2021Barry Harrisjazz pianist, composer, educatorDetroit bebop pianist whose family home was a jam-session school for a generation of the city's jazz musicians, and who became one of jazz's great teachers.
Politics · born 1967Jon HustedpoliticianOhio Republican, U.S. senator since 2025, who was born in the Detroit suburb of Royal Oak and adopted as an infant by an Ohio family.
Military · 1908–1987Edward LansdaleU.S. Air Force general, CIA officerDetroit-born Air Force officer and CIA operative who pioneered psychological warfare in the Philippines and South Vietnam in the 1950s.
Science & invention · born 1955Jerry M. Linengerastronaut, Navy physicianNavy flight surgeon and NASA astronaut from East Detroit who spent almost five months aboard the Russian space station Mir in 1997, surviving a fire on board; a Wayne State medical graduate.
Sports · born 1976Kate Markgrafsoccer player and executiveBloomfield Hills-born defender who starred at Detroit Country Day School before a decorated international career that included three Olympic medals and a World Cup title.The lexicon keeps growing. Every entry lists its sources at the bottom. Dates were checked against Wikidata and Wikipedia. The texts are our own.