About Kim



My friend Kim Maki is keeping Detroit music history alive almost single handedly with her 'Retrokimmer' blog site. She has preserved and recorded so much information about Detroit's Rock and Soul formative days, and continues with current interviews and activities with The Motor City's music innovators and incubators. Here, she interviews Scott Richardson, whose 60s-70s rock band, "Scot Richard Case", later shortened to SRC, helped establish heavy and intelligent rock in Detroit.

The Quackenbush Brothers were part of that operation, as well as my childhood friend Richard Haddad, who changed his name to something like Rick Michaels, and was a bass player for SRC. That got Richard the attention to get together in LA and get signed with a singer songwriter in a project called "Alien". That singer was Steve Perry. They were signed to Columbia and Rick was killed in a car crash in LA. I was one of his pallbearers. Steve was then introduced to a Bay Area guitarist by the name of Neal Schon. What a Journey. Kim has also been a chronicler of the MC5, all friends of mine. Course, now it's the MC2... Check and bookmark her site, and keep up on all things Deee-Troit!

Retrokimmer is a successful writer, show promoter and new media agent. Kimmer’s blog, Retrokimmer.com, is about pop culture and it’s retro evolution into today’s hottest trends. She loves blogging about music, art, scandals, crime, stars, books, history and more...

An amazing website I wanted to share. The woman that does this site (her name is Kim Retrokimmer) lives in Ann Arbor and has been involved in the music business in Detroit for 40 years, so she posts stuff about former and current musicians and lots of historical stuff about Detroit, but she does her ADD thing and puts up amazing things, such as this post about giant Christmas trees and this thing about fingernail art. I love Retrokimmer. Jim Redding

Kim is a talented and widely-respected writer, show promoter and story teller. She has been in the center of the Motor City Rock scene for decades (having been born in Ypsilanti, MI and raised on alt-rock, blues, Motown and country music) and works with some of the region’s top talents, including Deniz Tek, Machine Gun Thompson (of MC5), Niagara Detroit, Scott Richardson, Steve Hunter, Dick Wagner and many more stellar artists. (Chris Cordani Revenge of the 80s Radio)

The Retro Kimmer Blog is not just about music. She writes about many topics, taking us back through the 1960s and 70s with posts about art, scandals, crime, stars, books and people with intriguing stories. Kim’s blog is informative, interesting, and (as George IV, the Prince Regent from Blackadder III would say) “a cracking good read.”

"Kim, my friend...Amazing, the best way to describe you.... Amazing....I am so happy we've connected,at last... The Motor City needs a center of internet focus, and here you are...positive friendship and daily support for so many Detroit music makers, past, present and future. Bless you for your dedication to all things musical in Detroit and for informing the world on the beautiful sounds and stories about the immense talent that made up the city of Detroit music scene, that still does thrive from within the city limits, to the outer reaches of the beautiful state of Michigan, and far beyond. May the love you give be returned one hundred fold. DICK WAGNER"

Refuting the contention of Barrett Strong (Motown's first hit artist,) some of the best things in life ARE free, foremost among them the blog of Retrokimmer.com. Having begun with a Detroit/Ann Arbor regional take on Pop culture,  Retrokimmer's topics now vary wildly in scope, from true crime sagas, provincial lore from anywhere globally, fashion high and low, interviews with assorted newsmakers, music and film asides from vintage to brand spankin' new to yes, nostalgia that remains timely to all ages' readers. The modern world should be grateful it has the media empire of Retrokimmer.com in it! Photographer Heather Harris, Los Angeles, CA

"Retro Kimmer has a fresh and engaging take on all things Detroit, rock 'n' roll, pop culture, and anything else (conspiracy theories?!?!?) that strikes her fancy. That's the beauty of the blogosphere -- you can write about anything you want. She puts it together well, and puts it out there in a format that's both intriguing and inviting." Ken Shimamoto


Music/Show Promoter/Blogger/ Retrokimmer keeps her eye on Art/Entertainment/Rock/and much more.... Being a Show Promoter that grew up as an Army kid, born in Ypsilanti, MI and raised on blues, motown, garage bands, hillbilly, and the British bands too.

This blog is about all the retro things like Crime, Movies, Books, Stars, Scandals and promoting my musician friends! I try to cover the unusual stories of history, present time and the future too. Stories that I personally have a strong connection to are my favorites.

I just wanna' TESTIFY, Brothers and Sisters, to a Young Lady from Ypsilanti Michigan! Kimmer is her name and spreadin' RIGHTEOUS INFORMATION is her game! I call her the QUEEN! You all know her as RETRO: KIMMER for her '60's blog... all music and fashion and history, from then right up to NOW! Big Rich Dorris

Kimmer here is her own spearhead. She's kicking ass on all levels to promote herself and her business while trying to help a few friends in the process. She leads by example... Jim Randolph

8 comments:

Mc Pete said...

What can one say? Just open up this site and be prepared. You will not be exiting for a long time, maybe you will be captivated forever.

I know I am.

John Steele said...

thank you Kimmer! you never cease to amaze me...and so I hope our paths cross someday....at times I've wondered if somehow you are a "mirror" nonsense my friend...you are one who enlightens through the bits and pieces that we have stored in our memory, yet have lost the key to. you bring to fore amazing memories...and in some mysterious way....you hand us that "key" which enlivens and awakens what has been suppresed.

Retro Kimmer said...

THANK YOU BOYS!

Unknown said...

Hey! I am searching for the photographer of the image you posted of The Chosen Few. Do you know who the photographer was? Thank you!

June Nagy said...

Enter with plenty of time on your hands. You will find yourself taking a journey through time and when you finally look up, two hours will have passed.......and you won't care.

Sue said...

Hi there. I have a question, which may not have much of an answer. I've been researching Harry Henry Bennett, the man who worked as a thug for Henry Ford and who almost inherited the Ford Motor Company. His daughter, Gertrude, eloped in 1938 and had a baby boy in 1939. She divorced her husband, Leroy Russell Arthur Hughes, in 1940. There is no mention of children and no record of the child's death. I suppose she might have given him away. There is little out there about his family members. Old Harry was a distant relative....lucky us.

Sue said...

Hi there. I have a question, which may not have much of an answer. I've been researching Harry Henry Bennett, the man who worked as a thug for Henry Ford and who almost inherited the Ford Motor Company. His daughter, Gertrude, eloped in 1938 and had a baby boy in 1939. She divorced her husband, Leroy Russell Arthur Hughes, in 1940. There is no mention of children and no record of the child's death. I suppose she might have given him away. There is little out there about his family members. Old Harry was a distant relative, through his first wife, Eileen....lucky us. Does anyone know about his family members? When did Eileen die? Where are Eileen and Gertrude buried? Whatever happened to Gertrude's baby boy?

rahul said...

Great work mama

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