Detroit Sound Conservancy has been collecting material documenting Detroit’s rich sonic legacy for over a decade. Our collections tell the story of Detroit and Southeast Michigan’s vibrant music scene through decades, venues, and genres. The material in these collections has been gifted by musicians and family members, salvaged from abandoned buildings, and sought out or stumbled upon by our founder and volunteers.
Below is a list of collections held by DSC that are open for research. Most of these collections consist of physical holdings that must be accessed by making an appointment with DSC. Others contain digital material that is available on our website, Flickr, Soundcloud, and YouTube. Click on a collection’s name to find out more information such as the time period represented, whether the material is physical or digital, and any links to available digital material. This page is currently under construction, and not all collections will be linked at this time.
We are always looking to expand our collections! If you would like to donate material for preservation in Detroit Sound Conservancy’s archive, please review our donation information here or contact info@detroitsound.org.
Please direct any reference questions about collection contents or materials, as well as requests for in-person appointments, to info@detroitsound.org.
Collections open for research:
Bart Bealmear Rock-n-Roll Collection
Bill Cairo’s Drum House Artifacts
Blue Bird Inn Oral Histories
Blues Scrapbooks
Carl & Sylvia Hill Jazz Art Prints
Chris Cushman Club Heaven Photographs
Christopher Handyside Hentchman Collection
Club Heaven Manuscript Collection
DPA Pioneer Radio Night 1979
Ed Wolfrum Collection
George Migirian Drum Co. Papers
Graystone International Jazz Museum Collection
Harold McKinney Music and Manuscripts
Jacqueline Mahome Church Music Papers
James and Randall Lester Big Band Sheet Music
Jan Dijkers Rave Flyers, 1994-2004
Jim Ruffner Live Jazz Audio Collection
Jordan’s Jukebox Audio and Artifacts
Lullabies From Detroit COVID-19 Broadcasts
Malaika Nsoroma Lett Radio Archive
Michelle Jahra McKinney Papers & Library
Naima Shamborguer Jazz Papers
Passage Rock Band Collection
Randy Mavis Radio Cassettes
#recorddet Interviews
Rob St. Mary Punk Magazine Collection
Rod Rodgers Dance Company Papers
Sarah Wilder House Music Flyers
Steven Reaume Event Flyer Cards 1997-1998
United Sound Systems Recording Studio Collection
Washboard Willie’s Washboard
WDET Vistas: Latin World Magazine Archive
Women In Jazz Oral History Project