Detroit's Musical Mount Rushmore | 4 Legends You Know

What qualifies me to make such bold claims, you may ask. I am a journalist with more than 20 years of history writing about Detroit music, art, and culture. I also studied Vocational Music at Cass Tech High School and Detroit Studies at Marygrove College. But, I am sure there are still more qualified voices than I---but you're stuck with little ole me. So let's get into it.

There are few cities on the planet that have as storied a musical history as Detroit. Even before we were known for "The Motown Sound," the Great Migration had brought tens of thousands of Black Americans from the Deep South who settled in Black Bottom and brought with them their musical talents and tastes.

In the 1920s-1950s, Black Bottom was a cultural and musical hub in the midwest. Known for its jazz and blues clubs, bars, and theaters, The Paradise Valley district within Black Bottom was a focal point of Detroit's Black entertainment scene, with many clubs and theaters owned by Black Detroiters. It was in this fertile ground that our musical history was planted and grew.

However, it is clear that there was a time in Detroit when music was not just of entertainment value, it was a entrepreneurial force.

Therefore, my Mt. Rushmore of Detroit Musical Artists begins with Diana Ross and The Supremes.

Signed to Motown as The Primettes in 1959, The Supremes (later known as Diana Ross and The Supremes) was the label's most successful act. The group scored 12 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. The group went on to be named as the 16th greatest group of all time by the same publication.

The Supremes were known for their glamorous appearance in comparison to other female groups of the time. Under the direction of Maxine Powell, who ran Motown's in-house finishing school and Artist Development department, the group embraced their femininity and appeared on stage and on television in detailed make-up and high-fashion gowns and wigs, and performed graceful choreography. The softened look and sound was thought by Berry Gordy to be appealing to both Black and white audiences.

After Ross left the group, she went on to have a successful solo musical career including being nominated for numerous Grammy Awards for songs like, "Endless Love" featuring Lionel Richie and her own, "Upside Down." She also had a remarkable film career starring in her first film, "Lady Sings the Blues," loosely based on the life of Billie Holiday--which earned her a Best Actress nomination at the 1973 Academy Awards. Ross went on to star in four more films and is the subject of numerous documentaries.

Remarkably, at 80 years old, Ross is still actively touring and performing. She has also supported the careers of her children including celebrated actress Tracee Ellis Ross.

This will no doubt be a controversial pick. But, I hope that once I lay out my argument--you will see why Marshall Mathers belongs on my Mt. Rushmore.

Marshall Bruce Mathers II was born in St. Joseph, Missouri. He and his mother shuffled between homes in a number of midwestern cities before settling in Detroit during Marshall's early adolescence. A white kid in a predominately Black city in the 1980s, Marshall has often talked about how he was bullied. However, he also came to embrace the city, it's musical legacy, and the hip-hop culture that was all around him and burning up the charts nationwide.

After dropping out of high school, Marshall became known as Eminem a play on his first and last name and began rapping at open mics around the city. He attracted some attention as he began to make a name for himself. He released his first album, Infinite in 1996. The album was a flop--by all accounts. However, he did get attention from a local promoter turned entertainment lawyer, Paul Rosenberg and local label Web Entertainment. Spurred by his challenged upbringing and hardscrabble life developed a deviant character named Slim Shady. His second album, The Slim Shady EP caught the attention of Dr. Dre and the rest is history.

One of the most significant factors that earns Eminem a place on my mountain is the sheer number of records he sold. Eminem is among the best-selling music artists of all time, with estimated worldwide sales of over 220 million records. He was the best-selling music artist in the United States for the 2000s, placing third for the 2010s. He was the first artist to have ten albums consecutively debut at number one on the Billboard 200 chart.

Additionally, Detroit and many Detroit artists owe Eminem a debt of gratitude he signed both D12 and Obie Trice who also signed artists of their own. He cosigned a number of other artists and with his 2002 film, 8 Mile gave permanent credence to our city's batte rap legacy and earned an Academy Award for Best Original Song in the process.

Eminem recently retired his Slim Shady character and announced that he will soon become a grandfather when his daughter, Hallie Jade gives birth. He still lives in the Metro Detroit area.

Her voice is a singular force. She is rightfully known as "The Queen of Soul" and there will never be another. Aretha Louise Franklin was born in Memphis, Tennessee but moved to Detroit as a child where her father, the Rev. C.L. Franklin was the pastor at New Bethel Baptist Church. Aretha sang in the choir and was signed to her first recording contract at the age of 18. She did not experience mainstream success until she went over to Atlantic Records where under the direction of CEO Jerry Wexler she was teamed with amazing producers and songwriters and belted out some of her most successful songs. Her hit singles include "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)", "Respect", "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", "Chain of Fools", "Think", "I Say a Little Prayer", "Ain't No Way", "Call Me" and many more.

Aretha Franklin has been twice named as the Greatest Singer of All Time by Rolling Stone and her sales success is remarkable with more than 75 million records sold worldwide. Aretha recorded 112 charted singles on the US Billboard charts, including 73 Hot 100 entries, 17 top-ten pop singles, 96 R&B entries[6] and 20 number-one R&B singles.

Aretha won 18 Grammy Awards (out of 44 nominations) and was also awarded the National Medal of Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Additionally, she was the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. Her voice has been declared a "natural resource" by the State of Michigan and the Chene Park Amphitheater was renamed in her honor after she passed away in 2018. Her star-studded funeral lasted nearly eight hours and was broadcast live on television across the globe.

While Stevie Wonder is my favorite artist of all time, he was not initially on my list. Born in Saginaw, Stevie moved to Detroit at the age of four and spent much of his incomparable six-decade career signed to Motown.

Little Stevie Wonder was signed to Motown at the age of 11. He had his first hit the next year with the release of the album, Recorded Live: The 12 Year Old Genius which featured the single, "Fingertips." A gifted musician who skillfully played the piano, harmonica, and drums. Stevie was also a prolific songwriter and producer who created hit songs for Minnie Riperton, the Spinners, and Marvin Gaye.

Stevie is considered one of the best selling artists of all time with over 100 million records sold worldwide. He has won 25 Grammy Awards (the most by a male solo artist) and won an Academy Award for Best Original Song, for the 1984 film The Woman in Red. He has been inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame. Further, Stevie is also known for his deep passion for justice. In 1984, he penned a song dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr., to urge then-President Ronald Reagan to sign the civil rights leader's birthday into law as a national holiday. That version of "Happy Birthday," remains iconic.

In 2009, the beloved artist was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace, and in 2014, he was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The 74-year-old singer recently toured in support of Democratic candidates during the 2024 election cycle selling out arenas across the country.

There you have it, folks. Love it or hate it--I believe that these are the four seminal artists who should be forever memorialized for their contributions to music in Detroit.

Honorable Mentions: James "J. Dilla" Yancey, The Clark Sisters, and Juan Atkins.