54 | OCTOBER 27 • 2022
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has included authors, musicians and
record labels such as Elmore Leonard,
Marilyn Manson, George Clinton,
Insane Clown Posse, The Bass Brothers,
Thornetta Davis, Marcus Belgrave,
Atlantic Records, The Romantics and
Eminem (aka Marshall Mathers).
Hertz has been a board member of The
Marshall Mathers Foundation for the
past 20 years. The signed 8 Mile movie
poster from Eminem in Hertz’s office
reads “Thanks for keeping me out of
jail.”
In the arts world, Hertz is a staple
for advocating artists’ rights and has
been recognized accordingly. In 2018,
he received the Arts Advocacy Award
presented by Wayne State University’s
College of Fine, Performing and
Communication Arts. On Oct. 6, Hertz
met with a member of the United States
Congress to advocate for new music
legislation.
“This is my fifth year of leading the
dialogue as the Team Captain for District
Advocate Day,” says Hertz, who is an
advocacy committee member of the
National Association of Recording Arts
and Sciences. “It is very rewarding to
help people in the music community,
whether it is nationally or being a
liaison between Detroit artists in need
and connecting them to MusiCares for
help. And for the past 10 years, I’ve been
on the Grammy Advocacy committee
where we advocate to Washington new
legislation that is beneficial to artists and
songwriters.”
A Grammy Awards attendee more
than 20 times, Hertz is a Grammy
Award winner himself for being a music
publisher on three songs from Hamilton
for “Best Musical Theater Album.”
As president of the Detroit Music
Awards Foundation — which produces
the Detroit Music Awards — for more
than 20 years, there is probably no local
musician that Hertz hasn’t worked with,
mentored or even jammed with onstage.
“Howard has a genuine and
unconditional dedication to the arts
in the metro area, and to those who
make it. There’s no question that our
arts community is all the better for
ARTS&LIFE
AWARD
PHOTO BY RYAN HERTZ
Howard Hertz, Ethan Davidson
and Billy Brandt perform for
the Jewish Historical Society of
Michigan on 2/19/19.
Howard Hertz and Thornetta
Davis in 2019.
PHOTO BY RICHARD BLONDY