A sculpture celebrating Detroit’s music heritage will be installed near one of the city’s historic recording studios — and you have a say in the songs that will be highlighted.
The public is being encouraged to vote on its favorite Detroit music as part of the project, spearheaded by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). You can cast ballots through Dec. 10 at bit.ly/SoundsofDetroit.
The sculpture, titled “Sounds of Detroit,” will be installed along Cass Avenue at the southwest corner of the I-94 interchange, where MDOT is now rebuilding the overpass. The site is around the corner from United Sound Systems, the iconic recording facility purchased by the state agency in 2018.
Songs selected by the public will be featured on the sculpture, which is described as a “community-inspired design” with “serpentine lines representing sound waves.”
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Set for completion later in 2024, the sculpture is being designed by Cliff Garten Studio, a California firm that creates public art works.
MDOT and the art studio were part of two recent neighborhood forums, where “there was a consensus that the narrative of the art should pay homage to the history of music in Detroit,” MDOT said in a Tuesday statement.
As for picking the songs? There are two ballots, and voters can select five titles from each:
The first ballot features tracks recorded at United Sound by various artists, from Aretha Franklin to George Clinton to the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
The second is a general list of Detroit classics, including Motown, rock, hip-hop, techno and more.
There’s also a write-in option.
Click here to vote: Cass Avenue Bridge Sounds of Detroit- Song Selection
Contact Detroit Free Press music writer Brian McCollum: 313-223-4450 or [email protected].
