Local musician wins Detroit Music Award

Manchester resident Sandy Mulligan (left) and her daughter Chrissy Morgan have been singing together for a lifetime–but earlier this month were awarded the prestigious honor of a Detroit Music Award for “Outstanding Children’s/Family Music.” ‘Red carpet’ photo courtesy of Sandy Mulligan.

The Detroit Music Awards are a prestigious Detroit tradition that honors some of the best musicians around the state.

Like the Grammys, the DMA is voted on by the musicians’ peers–the 4,000 members of the Motor City Music Foundation. Over the years, since its inception in the early 1990s, it has evolved to include artists and bands across Michigan.

This year, a Manchester resident was not only nominated for one of the DMAs, but was the winner in the Outstanding Children’s/Family Music category.

After several years of being nominated separately and in various categories, Sandy Mulligan, who lives in Manchester Township, along with her daughter, Chrissy Morgan of Oak Park, were thrilled to be photographed on the red carpet on May 4 at the Fillmore.

“My band, Sandy Mulligan and the Gypsies, have been nominated five years in a row,” Mulligan says. “Chrissy has also been nominated the past five years.”

And although either Sandy or Chrissy, or both, would have been thrilled to have received an award at any time along the way, this year is even sweeter because they received it together.

“Chrissy and I have been singing together pretty much forever,” Sandy explains, “but she has become an amazing in her own right as well. She is a greatblues singer; she has recorded rock music with Scott Morgan, and also is part of a jazz group that was also nominated this year. We always try and find ways to do music together–we both have our own musical lifestyle, but singing together is really special. We do harmonies that just come naturally to us.

“It’s just beautiful when we sing together.”

Sandy says that they are extremely proud to be upholding the Detroit tradition of families making music, and honored to be recognized among that group by the Detroit Music Awards. Her good friend, David Winans, of the famous Detroit Winans family, says that Sandy and Chrissy can hold their heads high for receiving the Outstanding Children’s/Family Music award.

Sandy actually moved to Manchester Township about a year ago.

“From the moment we pulled into this town, we just loved it here,” she says. “I bring so many people out here to visit and everyone says you just don’t see towns like this anymore. But here it is!”

Next up on Sandy and Chrissy’s bucket lists are being able to bring their music to Manchester. “I think my band, the Gypsies, would love to show the residents of Manchester what ‘wild and untamed’ music is all about,” Sandy says. “Basically, we take traditional songs and make them our own. The end result is a fun and unique show.” The Gypsies brought that “wild and untamed” show to last summer’s Ferndale Front Porch series, opening for Jill Jack’s band. She would love to see a similar type series take off locally.

See more of the band on their Facebook page, Facebook.com/MulliganGypsies

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.