Notable burials · Arts and entertainment
Musicians and singers buried in Michigan
Wikidata records 71 musicians as buried in 30 of the cemeteries we list in Michigan. Woodlawn Cemetery in Ferndale holds the most, with 29. Michigan has the 8th highest count of any state, out of 2,837 nationally.
People recorded as musicians, singers, songwriters or composers.
71
musicians
30
cemeteries
5%
of notable burials in Michigan
2000s
the decade with the most deaths (24)
Map of cemeteries
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Each point is a cemetery; open it for everyone recorded there.
In order of death
Musicians and singers buried in Michigan
- Richard Storrs Willis1819-1900American composer of hymn musicElmwood Cemetery, Detroit, MI
- Wallace S. White1842-1921American photographer and musicianMountain Home Cemetery, Otsego, MI
- Emma Azalia Hackley1867-1922Singer and political activistElmwood Cemetery, Detroit, MI
- Clara Smith1894-1935American classic blues singerLincoln Memorial Park, Saint Clair Shores, MI
- Judson Wheeler van De Venter1855-1939American writerMaple Grove Cemetery, Dundee, MI
- Guy Gregory Callow1877-1948American musicianOak Hill Cemetery, Pontiac, MI
- Eric DeLamarter1880-1953American classical composerMount Hope Cemetery, Lansing, MI
- Lewis James1892-1959American vocalistForest Lawn Cemetery, Dexter, MI
- Frank R. Adams1883-1963Author, screenwriter, composer and reporterOakhurst Cemetery, Whitehall, MI
- Marcelline Hemingway Sanford1898-1963American musician and painterClinton Grove Cemetery, Clinton Township, MI
- Louise Cooper Spindle1885-1968American composerWhitneyville Cemetery, Forest Hills, MI
- Arthur Billings Hunt1890-1971American baritone singer, musical director, and broadcasterHighland Cemetery, Ypsilanti, MI
- Paul Williams1939-1973American singerLincoln Memorial Park, Saint Clair Shores, MI
- James Jamerson1936-1983American bassistWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Jackie Wilson1934-1984American singerWestlawn Cemetery, Wayne, MI
- Son House1902-1988American blues singer and guitaristMount Hazel Cemetery, Detroit, MI
- Carolyn Franklin1944-1988American singer-songwriterWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Connie Allen1926-1991American singerSacred Heart of Saint Mary Cemetery, Hamtramck, MI
- David Ruffin1941-1991American singerWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Eva Jessye1895-1992American conductorForest Hill Cemetery, Ann Arbor, MI
- Earl Van Dyke1930-1992African American soul musicianWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Wade Flemons1940-1993American musicianFort Custer National Cemetery, Level Park-Oak Park, MI
- Art Mooney1911-1993American singerMount Olivet Cemetery, Hamtramck, MI
- Marv Johnson1938-1993American R&B and soul singerWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Fred Smith1949-1994American guitaristElmwood Cemetery, Detroit, MI
- Junior Walker1931-1995American saxophonistOak Hill Cemetery, Battle Creek, MI
- Nancy LaMott1951-1995American singerHomer Township Cemetery, Midland, MI
- Bobby DeBarge1956-1995American singerGarfield Park Cemetery, East Grand Rapids, MI
- Thomas Tyra1933-1995Composer, Arranger, Bandmaster, Music EducatorForest Hill Cemetery, Ann Arbor, MI
- Ronald White1939-1995American singerWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Arthur Ross1949-1996American singer-songwriterWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Lawrence Payton1938-1997American singer-songwriterWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Joe Stubbs1942-1998Musical artistWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- David Hackney1952-2000American musicianMount Elliott Cemetery, Detroit, MI
- Cub Koda1948-2000American rock and roll singer, guitarist, songwriter, disc jockey, music critic, and record compilerMount Hope Cemetery, Chelsea, MI
- James Moore1956-2000American gospel artistLincoln Memorial Park, Saint Clair Shores, MI
- Johnny Griffith1936-2002American musicianDetroit Memorial Park West Cemetery, Redford, MI
- Henry Cosby1928-2002American Motown songwriter and record producerForest Lawn Cemetery, Hamtramck, MI
- Erma Franklin1938-2002American musician, gospel and soul singerWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Susie Garrett1929-2002American actressWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Barbara Randolph1942-2002American singerWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Johnnie Mae Matthews1922-2002American musicianWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Josephine Harreld Love1914-2003American pianist, arts administrator, musicologistElmwood Cemetery, Detroit, MI
- Billy Davis1932-2004American songwriter, record producerWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- June MacCloy1909-2005American actressRiverside Cemetery, Three Rivers, MI
- Renaldo Benson1936-2005American musicianWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Edward Patten1939-2005American soul singerWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Ronald Winans1956-2005American singerWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Freddie Gorman1939-2006American recording artist, songwriter and record producerElmwood Cemetery, Detroit, MI
- Proof1973-2006American rapperWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Dee Edwards1945-2006American singerWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Billy Henderson1939-2007American musicianWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Levi Stubbs1936-2008American singer, actorWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Pervis Jackson1938-2008American singerWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Richard "Popcorn" Wylie1939-2008American musicianWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Homer Talboys1930-2009American entertainerHawley Cemetery, Mason, MI
- Uriel Jones1934-2009American drummerWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Wade Mainer1907-201120th century American Bluegrass musicianCrestwood Memorial Cemetery, Grand Blanc, MI
- Eddie "Guitar" Burns1928-2012American Detroit blues guitarist, harmonica player, singer and songwriterWestlawn Cemetery, Wayne, MI
- Donald Byrd1932-2013American recording artist; jazz and rhythm & blues trumpeter and vocalistWestlawn Cemetery, Wayne, MI
- Bobby Rogers1940-2013American singerWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Bobby Smith1936-2013American singerWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Frances Nero1943-2014American musicianAcacia Park Cemetery, Beverly Hills, MI
- Don Davis1938-2014American record producerElmwood Cemetery, Detroit, MI
- Scott Asheton1949-2014American drummerForest Hill Cemetery, Ann Arbor, MI
- Mack Rice1933-2016American singer, songwriter and producerGreat Lakes National Cemetery, Holly, MI
- Allan C. Barnes1949-2016American musicianGreat Lakes National Cemetery, Holly, MI
- Sylvia Moy1938-2017American songwriter and record producerElmwood Cemetery, Detroit, MI
- Aretha Franklin1942-2018American singer, songwriter, and pianistWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Barrett Strong1941-2023American singer and songwriterWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
- Henry Fambrough1938-2024American singerWoodlawn Cemetery, Ferndale, MI
Everyone on this list, by year of death. People without a recorded death year come last.
Over time
Deaths by decade
- 1900s1
- 1920s2
- 1930s2
- 1940s1
- 1950s2
- 1960s3
- 1970s2
- 1980s4
- 1990s16
- 2000s24
- 2010s12
- 2020s2
By recorded year of death, for the 71 people with one.
Cemeteries
Where they are buried
- Woodlawn Cemetery · Ferndale, MI29
- Elmwood Cemetery · Detroit, MI7
- Forest Hill Cemetery · Ann Arbor, MI3
- Lincoln Memorial Park · Saint Clair Shores, MI3
- Westlawn Cemetery · Wayne, MI3
- Great Lakes National Cemetery · Holly, MI2
- Crestwood Memorial Cemetery · Grand Blanc, MI1
- Fort Custer National Cemetery · Level Park-Oak Park, MI1
- Mount Hazel Cemetery · Detroit, MI1
- Clinton Grove Cemetery · Clinton Township, MI1
- Oak Hill Cemetery · Pontiac, MI1
- Highland Cemetery · Ypsilanti, MI1
- Mount Olivet Cemetery · Hamtramck, MI1
- Sacred Heart of Saint Mary Cemetery · Hamtramck, MI1
- Mount Hope Cemetery · Chelsea, MI1
- Forest Lawn Cemetery · Dexter, MI1
- Mountain Home Cemetery · Otsego, MI1
- Forest Lawn Cemetery · Hamtramck, MI1
- Garfield Park Cemetery · East Grand Rapids, MI1
- Hawley Cemetery · Mason, MI1
- Maple Grove Cemetery · Dundee, MI1
- Mount Elliott Cemetery · Detroit, MI1
- Mount Hope Cemetery · Lansing, MI1
- Acacia Park Cemetery · Beverly Hills, MI1
- Detroit Memorial Park West Cemetery · Redford, MI1
Top 25 of 30 cemeteries. The map shows all of them.
More lists
Other notable burials in Michigan
United States representatives153Business leaders84Writers and poets83Baseball players64American football players54Scientists42Painters, sculptors and photographers39Inventors and engineers39Actors35American Civil War veterans34Journalists34Medal of Honor recipients34Governors32World War II veterans29United States senators28Physicians21Architects20
Method
How this list is made
A person is on this list when their Wikidata entry gives a cemetery we list as their place of burial and also carries the statement this list is built on. We do not add anyone by judgment, so the list reflects how complete Wikidata is: some people are missing, and burial places can be disputed.
Names, years and descriptions are shown as Wikidata records them. Names link to Wikipedia where an English article exists.