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.
- 1,940 famous people
- 515 Detroit places
- 22 fields
Hungarian ties 22 Detroiters with Hungarian ties →
Field
Connection
Born in
A–Z (family name)
956 people · 15/20 page
Clear filters
Science & invention · 1891–1962Robert R. McMathsolar astronomer, engineer, businessmanDetroit engineer and businessman turned solar astronomer, co-founder of the McMath–Hulbert Observatory at Lake Angelus, whose name lives on in the McMath–Pierce solar telescope.
Theatre & dance · 1898–1993Edith Meiseractress, playwright, radio writerDetroit-born actress and writer who brought Sherlock Holmes to American radio in 1930 and appeared in more than 20 Broadway shows.
Visual art · 1888–1964Betsy Graves Reyneauportrait painterPainter raised in Detroit whose portraits of prominent African Americans, including Detroit's Joe Louis, toured the nation from 1944 to 1954.
Film & TV · born 1962Shaun Robinsontelevision host, journalist, authorDetroit-born Cass Tech graduate who began her TV career at WGPR-TV before hosting Access Hollywood (1999–2015) and the 90 Day Fiancé tell-alls.
Music · 1947–2024Paul Schoenfieldcomposer, pianistDetroit-born composer and pianist who blended classical music with folk, Jewish and popular styles, best known for the piano trio Café Music.
Music · born 1960Karen Clark Sheardsinger, songwriterYoungest of the Clark Sisters, a Detroit gospel singer whose solo debut Finally Karen (1997) made her one of the genre's leading voices; Grammy winner for "Blessed & Highly Favored".
Business & brands · 1924–2015A. Alfred Taubmanshopping-mall developer, owner of Sotheby's, philanthropistPontiac-born developer who helped define the American indoor shopping mall, owned Sotheby's and gave large sums to Detroit-area art and education.
Visual art · 1905–2000Todd WebbphotographerDetroit-born documentary photographer of New York, Paris and the American West, who learned his craft at the Detroit Camera Club while working for Chrysler.
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 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 · 1949–2016Allan Barnesjazz saxophonist, flutist, composerDetroit saxophonist and flutist of Donald Byrd's Blackbyrds, heard on "Walking in Rhythm," who spent most of his career as a Detroit bandleader and educator.
Politics · 1893–1957Albert Cobobusinessman, city treasurer, mayor of DetroitBurroughs executive and city treasurer who as mayor (1950–1957) drove freeway building and urban renewal, blocked public housing in white neighborhoods and gave his name to Cobo Hall.
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.
Civil rights & activism · 1866–1950Clara Bryant Fordphilanthropist, suffragist, wife of Henry FordHenry Ford's wife and first backer, whom he called 'the Believer', who shaped Fair Lane and championed gardening, nursing and women's suffrage.
Notorious figures · 1919–2001Anthony GiacaloneDetroit Mafia capo and street bossEast Side-born mobster known as Tony Jack, a Detroit Partnership leader whom Jimmy Hoffa expected to meet on the day he vanished in 1975.
Music · born 1953Derek St. Holmessinger, guitaristDownriver-born rock singer whose voice is on Ted Nugent's classic 1970s albums, including the original “Stranglehold.”
Music · 1927–2007Joe Hunterpianist, bandleader, arrangerFirst leader of the Funk Brothers (1959–1964), who recruited James Jamerson and played piano on "Shop Around", "Do You Love Me" and "Heat Wave".
Comedy · 1958–2022The Amazing Johnathancomedian, magicianDetroit-born 'Freddy Krueger of Comedy', a gory comedy-magic act that headlined in Las Vegas year-round from 2001 to 2014.
Law · 1922–2019Damon Keithfederal judge, civil rights lawyerDetroit-born federal judge whose rulings desegregated Pontiac schools, struck down warrantless wiretaps and declared that 'democracies die behind closed doors'; he served on the bench for over 50 years.
Sports · born 1948Ron LeFlorebaseball player, center fielderEast-side Detroiter who went from Jackson State Prison to center field at Tiger Stadium in 1974, a story told in the TV film One in a Million.
Politics · 1866–1923Oscar Marxoptical manufacturer, mayor of DetroitFarm boy from the edge of Detroit who built the Michigan Optical Company and was mayor through the 1913–1918 auto boom, appointing James Couzens police commissioner.
Architecture & design · 1856–1948George D. MasonarchitectLong-lived Detroit architect of the Masonic Temple and Mackinac's Grand Hotel, and the early employer of Albert Kahn and Wirt Rowland.
Music · born 1945Jim McCartyguitaristDetroit blues-rock guitarist of Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, Cactus and the Rockets, whom Ted Nugent calls his biggest early influence.
Sports · born 1962Milton McCroryboxer, WBC welterweight championDetroit-born Kronk fighter who won the WBC welterweight title in 1983, the first Detroit-born champion from Emanuel Steward's gym.
Law · 1955–2020Benny Napoleonpolice chief, lawyer, Wayne County sheriffDetroit-born minister's son who rose from patrolman to Detroit police chief (1998–2001), served as Wayne County sheriff (2009–2020) and ran for mayor in 2013.
Music · 1938–1997Lawrence Paytontenor, vocal arrangerDetroit-born tenor and vocal arranger of the Four Tops, credited with the group's seamless harmonies.
Music · born 1991Babyface RayrapperEast-side Detroit rapper whose laid-back, luxurious flow made him a central figure of 2020s Detroit hip-hop, peaking with the album Face in 2022.
MusicGuilty Simpsonrapper, songwriterDeep-voiced Detroit rapper, one of J Dilla's favorite MCs, who recorded for Stones Throw and formed Random Axe with Black Milk.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 ↗