LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — As the nation marks African American Music Appreciation Month in June, two Lansing musicians say the genres born of Black American history — from gospel to the blues to hip-hop — did more than entertain. They say the music changed their lives, and in one case, saved one.
Freddie Cunningham, a Lansing blues musician who founded the band Root Doctor, said those traditions are inseparable from the broader story of African Americans in the United States.
“We were brought here, but we still made it our home. We still made it our heritage,” Cunningham said. “And the music that we play now, it’s a reflection of where we’ve been and where we come from.”
Cunningham came to performing later than most. He began his craeer at 45 and formed Root Doctor, a group that built a following in the Lansing area before disbanding. He said the band still occasionally hosts events for the community…