Detroit

Chauncy Glover (1985–2024), Emmy-winning news anchor

Chauncy Glover was a news anchor at KCAL in Los Angeles and KTRK in Houston, where he was known for his philanthropy and mentorship.

J.D. Souther (1945–2024), co-writer of The Eagles’ most popular hits

J.D. Souther was a singer, songwriter, and occasional actor best known for penning hits for The Eagles and Linda Ronstadt, including “New Kid in Town” and “Heartache Tonight.” 

Duke Fakir (1935–2024), last surviving founder of the Four Tops

Duke Fakir was a singer best known as the last surviving founder of legendary Motown group the Four Tops.

Dennis Thompson (1948–2024), last surviving member of MC5

Dennis Thompson was the drummer for the groundbreaking Detroit-based rock group MC5, which helped set the stage for punk, and was its last surviving member.

John Sinclair (1941–2024), poet, activist and counterculture icon 

John Sinclair was a Detroit-based poet, activist, and counterculture icon as well as the manager of the pioneering rock group MC5.

Lichelle “Boss” Laws (1969–2024), pioneering female rapper 

Lichelle Laws was better known as Boss, a pioneering rapper and the first woman signed to Def Jam Records.

Max Hardy (1983–2024), Detroit chef known for community advocacy

Max Hardy was a Detroit chef and author who was profiled in The New York Times and was best known for his community advocacy and philanthropic work.

Henry Fambrough (1938–2024), last original member of the Spinners

Henry Fambrough was an R&B singer best known as one of the original members of the Motown group the Spinners.

Earl “The Twirl” Cureton (1957–2024), NBA “big man” and college star 

Earl “The Twirl” Cureton was an NBA player and college standout who excelled at the University of Detroit Mercy and played pro ball with the Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons, and others.

Wayne Kramer (1948–2024), MC5 guitarist and co-founder 

Wayne Kramer was a guitarist and one of the co-founders of MC5, a loud, politically charged rock band out of Detroit that is credited as a major precursor to what would become punk.

Joe Madison (1949–2024), The Black Eagle radio host 

Joe Madison was a civil rights activist who hosted the SiriusXM radio talk show “Joe Madison the Black Eagle.” 

Brian Barczyk (1969–2024), TikTok reptile expert 

Brian Barczyk was a reptile expert who founded the Reptarium Reptile Zoo in Michigan and had widely followed channels on TikTok and YouTube.

Joyce Randolph (1924–2024), last surviving star of The Honeymooners

Joyce Randolph was an actress known best for playing Trixie Norton on the classic sitcom “The Honeymooners.”

Amp Fiddler (1958–2023), musician who worked with George Clinton

Joseph “Amp” Fiddler was a keyboardist, producer, singer, and songwriter known for his collaborations with George Clinton’s Parliament and Funkadelic bands, as well as the R&B and soul band Enchantment.

Guy Stern (1922–2023), Holocaust refugee and WWII intel operative

Guy Stern was a German refugee who fled the Nazis in the 1930s and became a military intelligence operative for the U.S. during World War II as part of the elite group known as the Ritchie Boys.

Florine Mark (1933–2023), former Weight Watchers president and CEO

Florine Mark was a businesswoman, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and a former president and CEO of Weight Watchers. 

Sixto Rodriguez (1942–2023), 'Searching for Sugar Man' musician

Sixto Rodriguez was an internationally recognized Detroit musician best known in the United States for being featured in the Oscar-winning documentary “Searching for Sugar Man.” 

Mike Batayeh (1970–2023), Breaking Bad actor 

Mike Batayeh was an actor and stand-up comedian who played the manager of a laundromat with a secret meth lab in “Breaking Bad.” 

Johnny Powers (1938–2023), early rock and roller

Johnny Powers was an early Detroit rock and roll musician known for songs including “Long Blond Hair.”

Bertha Barbee McNeal (2022), The Velvelettes co-founder 

Bertha Barbee McNeal was a founding member of the Motown girl group the Velvelettes.

J.J. Barnes (1943–2022), "Baby Please Come Back Home” singer 

J.J. Barnes was a soul singer best known for his 1967 hit song “Baby Please Come Back Home.”  

Michael Henderson (1951–2022), R&B singer and Miles Davis’ bassist

Michael Henderson was a bassist in band as well as an R&B singer with hits including “Wide Receiver.”

Trudy Haynes (1926–2022), first Black TV weather reporter in the U.S.

Trudy Haynes was an Emmy Award-winning journalist who became the first Black TV weather reporter in the U.S. and the first Black TV reporter in Philadelphia.

Bob Lanier (1948–2022), NBA great with Pistons and Bucks

Bob Lanier was a Basketball Hall of Famer who played center for the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks in the 1970s and ‘80s.

Joe Messina (1928–2022), guitarist with Motown’s Funk Brothers

Joe Messina was a guitarist with the Funk Brothers, the longtime studio band for Motown Records artists.

Barbara-Rose Collins (1939–2021), Michigan’s first Black U.S. Congresswoman

Barbara-Rose Collins was the first Black woman from Michigan elected to the U.S. Congress, serving as a Democrat in the House of Representatives from 1991 to 1997.

Bill Freehan (1941–2021), All-Star catcher with the Detroit Tigers

Bill Freehan was a catcher for the Detroit Tigers in the 1960s and ‘70s, who helped lead the team to a 1968 World Series win against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Kelli Hand (1964–2021), DJ and producer known as K-Hand

Kelli Hand was a DJ and producer better known as K-Hand, who was called the “first lady of Detroit techno.”

Mary Wilson (1944–2021), founding member of the Supremes

Mary Wilson was an R&B singer who was a founding member of the Supremes.

Alto Reed (1948–2020), Bob Seger saxophonist

Alto Reed was the longtime saxophonist for Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band.

David “Smokey” Gaines (1942–2020), former Harlem Globetrotter and college coach

David “Smokey” Gaines was a basketball player with the Harlem Globetrotters before going on to coach at Detroit Mercy.

Ola Mae Spinks (1914–2020), librarian who helped organize historic “Slave Narratives”

Ola Mae Spinks was a retired librarian who led the team that organized the historic “Slave Narratives” in the U.S. Library of Congress.

Mike Huckaby (2020), legendary Detroit house music DJ

Mike Huckaby was a Detroit house music DJwho was influential in the house and techno scene.

Charles “Chuckie” O’Brien, Jimmy Hoffa associate portrayed in “The Irishman”

Charles “Chuckie” O’Brien  was a close associate of Teamsters president Jimmy Hoffa, who viewed the labor leader as a father figure and was thought by some to have been involved in his mysterious disappearance. A car that O’Brien was driving earlier in the day of Hoffa’s disappearance became a key piece of evidence in the Hoffa case. O’Brien was a leading suspect whom police extensively questioned, with some believing that he had driven Hoffa to the scene of his murder. O’Brien vehemently denied the allegations, and conclusive evidence of his involvement was never found. In 2019, O’Brien was portrayed by Jesse Plemons in the Best Picture-nominated film “The Irishman.” O’Brien spoke out against the film, saying it twisted the facts of Hoffa’s life and disappearance.

John Conyers (1929–2019), longest-serving African American member of Congress in U.S. history

John Conyers was the longest-serving African American member of Congress in U.S. history. The former Democratic U.S. Representative from Michigan was a member of Congress from 1965 to 2017. During that time, he gained a reputation as a champion of civil rights and was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus. He sponsored a bill to establish as a federal holiday.

Fred McLeod (1952–2019), beloved Cleveland Cavaliers announcer

Longtime Detroit Pistons broadcaster moved to the Cavaliers in 2006.

Damon Keith (1922–2019), federal judge promoted equality

Damon Keith was a federal judge with a long and prolific career, serving on the U.S. Court of the Appeals for the Sixth Circuit for more than 40 years. Presiding over courts in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee, Keith never retired, serving until his death at 96. His most notable decision was in a 1971 case regarding the Nixon Administration. Nixon's Justice Department was wiretapping people suspected of conspiring to bomb a CIA office, and they were doing it without court orders. Keith ordered them to cease wiretapping without warrants. The Justice Department appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which upheld Keith's decision 8-0. Keith was also known for a 1971 order to desegregate schools in Pontiac, Michigan via bussing, as well as for upholding the affirmative action policy in the Detroit Police Department.

Andre Williams (1936–2019), R&B singer known as the "Godfather of Rap"

Andre Williams was an R&B singer who had hits in the 1950s with "Bacon Fat" and the too-raunchy-for-radio "Jail Bait." Known as the "Godfather of Rap" for the spoken-sung style he adopted when he wanted to be a recording star but knew he couldn't sing well enough, Williams recorded with labels including Detroit-based Fortune Records and Chicago's Chess Records. His most enduring composition is "Shake a Tail Feather," which became an R&B standard after he co-wrote it, recorded first by the Five Dutones and more famously by Ike and Tina Turner as well as by for the 1980 movie "The Blues Brothers." He wrote songs for , and produced for musicians including Ike Turner and , but he also continued recording and performing his own music all his life, including his 2017 album "Don't Ever Give Up."

Ted Lindsay (1925–2019), Detroit Red Wings legend

Hall of Famer was known for his tough play.

Wally Triplett (1926–2018), pioneering NFL running back

First black player drafted in the NFL to play a regular season game.

Aretha Franklin (1942–2018), the "Queen of Soul"

Aretha Franklin (1942–2018) was affectionately called “the Queen of Soul.” Blessed with an incredible voice, she was a giant of soul music. Franklin’s signature song was her version of Otis Redding’s “Respect,” released in 1967. Her many hit songs included “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “Freeway of Love,” and “Rock Steady.”

Legend Is Too Small a Word for Aretha Franklin

“Legend” becomes a small word when applied to someone like . Her influence on music is so profound, it is as if she has always been with us, her gospel-tinged siren call both able to kick off a house party or send someone on their loving way into the afterlife. Once she was crowned “the Queen of Soul” fifty-plus years ago, no other artist could assume the mantle, ever. Even after her death, time will likely prove that any attempt to transfer the title will be met by ridicule.

Frank Lary (1930 – 2017), Detroit Tigers pitcher dubbed the “Yankee Killer”

Frank Lary, former All-Star Detroit Tigers pitcher, died Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017, after being hospitalized with pneumonia, according to The Associated Press. He was 87.

Della Reese (1931 – 2017), played the wise angel Tess on "Touched by an Angel"

First found fame as a singer…

Jack McCloskey (1925 - 2017), Detroit Pistons general manager

Former GM helped lead Pistons to back-to-back NBA titles...

Jim Bunning (1931 - 2017), MLB Hall of Famer

MLB Hall of Famer formerly served in U.S. Congress…

Wayne Walker (1936 - 2017), Detroit Lions linebacker

Former Detroit Lions linebacker and sports broadcaster…

Mike Ilitch (1929 - 2017), founder of Little Caesars Pizza

Mike Ilitch, founder of Little Caesars Pizza and owner of Tigers and Red Wings, died Friday, Feb. 10, 2017, in Detroit, according to multiple news sources. He was 87.

Barbara Tarbuck (1942 - 2016), soap opera regular

Barbara Tarbuck, an actress who appeared regularly on the TV soap operas “Santa Barbara” and “General Hospital,” the latter as Lady Jane Jacks, died Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2016. She was 74.