(inquisitive music) My family, the Jordans, the Cunninghams, the peoples, they were all people who sang through whatever they worked through at that time.

And we're talking about sharecropping in the fields in the South, Mississippi, Arkansas, Monroe, Louisiana, Bastrop, Louisiana.

And those songs stuck, and they're in the family.

They did a lot of quartet gospel, a lot of acapella gospel, yes, and jazz, and jazz.

My granddad also learned to play the drums once he (laughing) moved up to Detroit.

So he played with a few jazz combos.

And my father went on to sing with the Rod Lumpkin Trio.

His name is Leslie Cunningham.

And so he had a extensive jazz background right here in Detroit, singing at like the legendary Baker's Keyboard Lounge, some of the other venues, the 20 Grand, the West Grand.

When you talk about the opportunities that came from Black Bottom and from Baker's Keyboard Lounge, you gotta understand, that was maverick time.

They were paving the way.

This was a time when African Americans, there was a struggle in place, but there was also a strong community.

And so sometimes communication went through song and doors were opened because of the music.

And because music is universal for all, everybody hears you, and sometimes you can get your message across while you're on stage performing.

(inquisitive music)