Respect: The Poetry of Detroit Music

A book launch party for Respect: The Poetry of Detroit Music, including readings by the poets and a performance by M.L. Liebler & the Coyote Monk Poetry Band, will take place from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1 at Third Man Records, 441 W. Canfield St., Detroit; 313-209-5205; Book Beat will have books for sale at the event. 

More than two years in the compiling, the book showcases over 140 versifiers, from John Sinclair to Fred “Sonic” Smith, Fats Domino to the Electrifying Mojo, all with one connecting thread: a fascination with and admiration for the city of Detroit and our diverse, wondrous musical heritage. ––Metro Times review of Respect

“While there have been countless books written about Detroit, none have captured its incredible musical history like this one. This collection of poems and lyrics covers numerous genres including jazz, blues, doo-wop, Motown, classic rock, punk, hip-hop, and techno. Detroit artists have forged the paths in many of these genres, producing waves of creative energy that continue to reverberate across the country and around the world. While documenting and celebrating this part of Detroit’s history, this book captures the emotions that the music inspired in its creators and in its listeners. The range of contributors speaks to the global impact of Detroit’s music scene—Grammy winners, Pulitzer Prize winners, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, and poet laureates all come together in this rich and varied anthology, including such icons as Eminem, June Jordan, Fred “Sonic” Smith, Rita Dove, Jack White, Robbie Robertson, Paul Simon, Nikki Giovanni, Philip Levine, Sasha Frere-Jones, Patricia Smith, Billy Bragg, Andrei Codrescu, Toi Derricotte, and Cornelius Eady.” –Publisher’s website