Detroit will help provide a kickoff for the music portion of the South By Southwest Music + Media Conference in Austin, Texas.
Detroit Drives Culture will showcase six performers -- Thornetta Davis, B Free, lucylujah, Ann Arbor's Mynah, Willy J Peso and Raye Williams -- on March 17 in the Townsend in Austin's downtown area. Problematicblackhottie will provide DJ breaks between their sets.
Organizers call the event "a springboard for an annual showcase that will grow larger each year and included legacy artists." The showcase is sponsored by the We Are Culture Creators, the North American International Auto Show, Motown Music Accelerator and others.