June 17, 1949 – August 27, 1998
Detroit native Alvine Eugene Bell performed as Elaine St. Jacques at such venues as Bookie’s, My Fair Lady, and the Other Side, winning the titles of Miss Iron Hinge in 1974, Miss Todd’s in 1981, and Miss Michigan in 1982, as well as the first Miss Gigi’s crown in 1975. Bell held an administrative position with the HIV/AID service organization Project Survivor. He died from AIDS-related complications at age 49.
No known obituary
July 26, 1932 – December 3, 1989
Canadian native Daniel Maine Campbell was born in Saskatchewan and trained as a pharmacist by profession. In 1975, he and his life companion Bobby Calvert took over Todd’s Sway Lounge, making it into Detroit’s premiere Eastside gay dance club. They also operated the Akron Health Club and were active in the Detroit Bar Guild.
Detroit Free Press, December 4, 1989
May 10, 1965 – March 4, 2020
A noted figure in Detroit’s electronic music scene, James Joseph Stone Jr. was born in Royal Oak and graduated from Seaholm High School in Birmingham in 1984. He attended Eastern Michigan University and came out as a young gay man on the dance floors of Todd’s and Heaven. A musician and DJ, Stone became an important distributor and promoter of house and techno throughout the metro area.
September 24, 1965 – May 23, 1992
Robert Edward Lee Penick III graduated with the class of 1983 from Cass Tech High School in Detroit. He came out in the early 1980s on the dance floors of such gay nightclubs as Todd’s, Bookie’s, and the Famous Door. At age 20, Penick moved to New York City to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology. He died from AIDS-related complications at age 28.
No known obituary
June 6, 1949 – January 9, 1990
Michael Phelan grew up in St. Clair Shores and graduated from Lakeview High School. During the 1970s, he performed female impersonation as Whitney Blake at various Detroit bars and won titles for Miss Todd’s, Miss Bookie’s, and Miss Michigan before moving to California. He died from AIDS-related complications at age 40.
January 9, 1949 – February 19, 1996
Known as the Godfather of House, legendary DJ Ken Collier spun music around Detroit for more than 30 years at such gay clubs as Bookie’s Club 870, Heaven, Todd’s, the Chessmate, and L’uomo. His skill with the turntable inspired a new generation of DJs and helped put Detroit’s dance scene on the global musical map.
MetroTimes, May 15-21, 1996
November 28, 1942 – February 15, 1986
A onetime store manager for Kmart, Bobby Calvert and his life partner Dan Campbell operated both Todd’s Sway Lounge and the Akron Health Club on Detroit’s East Side. Calvert also testified before city council in favor of including sexual orientation in the 1979 Omnibus Human Rights Ordinance. He died from AIDS-related complications at age 43.
April 15, 1948 – September 18, 2010
Longtime Utica resident Dennis Ashby worked as a waiter and bartender at various Detroit bars from 1968 until his death in 2010, including Eddy’s, Morey’s, the Adobe, Todd’s, and the Gold Coast.
Michigan LGBTQ Remember 