M.L. Liebler: Heaven Was Detroit
No discussion of Detroit would be complete without an examination of the the city’s musical legacy. With a rich musical tradition to rival Nashville, Detroit serves as the inspiration, backdrop, and playground for some of the most influential music artists of the past century. M.L. Liebler is the editor of the gorgeous anthology, Heaven Was Detroit, which captures the full spectrum of Detroit popular music from the early 1900s to the twenty-first century, from rock to jazz and everything in between. This collection of essays includes Motown's connection to the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Power Movement through its side label, Black Forum Records; Lester Bangs's exemplary piece on Alice Cooper; the story behind the emergence of rap legend Eminem; and Craig Maki's enlightening history on "hillbilly rock" - just to name a few. The book captures the essence of the Detroit music scene: the grit, the spark, the desire to tell a story set to the rhythm of the city. We can’t wait to hear M.L. Liebler speak about it!
M. L. Liebler is an award-winning poet, literary arts activist, and professor. He is the author of several books of poetry, including I Want to Be Once (Wayne State University Press, 2016), and an editor of the anthology Working Words: Punching the Clock and Kicking Out the Jams (Coffee House Press, 2010). He is also co-editor of Bob Seger's House: An Anthology of Michigan Fiction (Wayne State University Press, 2016). He has taught at Wayne State University since 1980. He is the editor of Heaven Was Detroit - From Jazz to Hip-Hop and Beyond.
