Ken Collier

DJ from Detroit, MI. Born January 9, 1949, he passed away at the age of 47 from diabetic complications on February 19, 1996. Ken Collier was a mentor figure for DJ´s like Alton Miller, Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson and many other known and unknown Detroit porducers and DJ´s of today. He was a DJ from the disco and funks 70´s up the the cultural bridge gap of 90´s house where he was the resident at the legendary Club Heaven in Detroit spinning fast paced house to a mostly gay audience. If New York had The Garage, Chicago had the Music Box then Detroit had Ken Collier and Heaven. In the words of Aaron-Carl: Ken Collier is the man who turned me onto House music. He is the man who taught me (both directly and indirectly) what it is to feel the music. He brought us together in a way that nobody else could. Black, white, straight, gay, whatever... We were all his "children," and when he worked those decks, he ruled us all. Detroit will never be the same without him. All of us who are in the Detroit scene today; we are who we are because of Ken. I am grateful to have known him. I am grateful to have been influenced by him. I will continue to honor him, because if it were not for him and Heaven, I would not be who I am today. Thank you Ken. Rest in peace. I love you...