The Motor City Music Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization. Our purpose is to honor Detroit area musicians working on a national, regional and local level, to nurture music that is being made in the Detroit metropolitan area, and to create a sense of music industry community that cuts across genres and styles.

MCMF was started in 1988 as the Motor City Music Award Foundation. The fledgling group held its first award show in 1992 at Detroit's Music Hall. In 1996, the organization merged with the Metro Times-sponsored Detroit Music Awards. Now, the Motor City Music Foundation is a single entity presenting the Detroit Music Awards each spring.

MCMF awards are similar to the Grammy Awards presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Award winners are determined by local musicians and music industry professionals in the Detroit area in a wide variety of music genres.

Previous award shows have featured outstanding performances by some of Detroit's top music legends: Was (Not Was), Kid Rock, The Clark Sisters, Thornetta Davis, Alexander Zonjic, Martha Reeves, The Miracles, Grand Funk Railroad, George Clinton and Parliament, and Ted Nugent, among many others. The award show also spotlights outstanding up and coming local musicians.

Special achievement awards are presented by the board of directors each year. Previous recipients include: Smokey Robinson, George Clinton, Bob Seger, Rosalie Trombley, Louie Bluie Armstrong, The Romantics, The Funk Brothers, Carl Thom, and Glenn Frey.

Proceeds from fund-raisers and the award show are used to present seminars and showcases, and donations are also made to music related charitable organizations. Past donations have been made to the Music Hall renovation and Wayne State University Art Start program, among others.

MCMF was proud to receive the Spirit of Detroit Award from the City of Detroit in 1993.

Motor City Music Foundation
Detroit Music Awards
P. O. Box 56
South Lyon, Michigan 48178

Howard Hertz, president
Al Wilson, VP
Walt Barnowski, treasurer
Terri Koggenhop, secretary
David Jost, Howard Abrams, Jim Edelman, Karen Koski
Gary Graff, Jim Cohen Nancy Schoenheide, and Peter Schorn.

Join the Motor City Music Foundation call the hotline: (248) 486-3424
Suggestions, questions, feedback? Want to volunteer? Need sponsorship info? Meeting info?
Call the hotline or e-mail Nancy Schoenheide at .