“There was a struggle in place, but there was also a strong community … sometimes communication went through song and doors were opened because of the music.”

Detroiter LaRae Starr shares how music has been a part of her family’s story. Some of her family were sharecroppers in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana, and the songs they sang are still part of the family history.

Starr’s family includes gospel and jazz musicians, some of whom found opportunities in the city’s music scene. Her paternal grandmother was a singer in the Black Bottom neighborhood, and her maternal grandfather learned to play the drums after he migrated to Detroit and played with jazz combos. Starr’s father sang jazz at many Detroit venues including Baker’s Keyboard Lounge and The 20 Grand.

Continuing her family’s musical legacy, she is a vocalist and member of the Detroit funk trio Dames Brown. Her story is featured in Detroit PBS’ “Destination Detroit,” a series exploring the history of the people who have shaped Southeast Michigan.

For more stories that explore Detroit’s rich history, visit onedetroitpbs.org/destinationdetroit.