Kelli Hand

Kelley Hand (September 15, 1964 – August 3, 2021), known professionally as Kelli Hand and K-HAND, was a musician and DJ from Detroit, Michigan, United States. Hand was widely credited with opening the door for Black women's participation in the previously male-dominated techno and electronic music communities during the 1990s and was known as the "First Lady of Detroit techno".

Life and career Born on September 15, 1964, and raised in Detroit, She purchased her own equipment and began teaching herself to produce and DJ in her bedroom, before eventually beginning to play clubs and landing a residency at Detroit's Zipper's Nightclub. By the year 2000, seven further albums were released on the labels!K7 Records, Distance, Tresor, and Ausfahrt.

Hand's imprint Acacia Label continues to release new vinyl records as well as re-releases of Hand's back catalogue.

Musical style Despite her Detroit background, Hand identified her musical influences as being from mostly Chicago and New York electronic music scenes, including Larry Levan, Marshall Jefferson, and Larry Heard.

Hand was also a vinyl enthusiast, stating that "if it's not on vinyl, it's not final" because she valued its "warm" and "analogue" sound. In July 2017, Hand was named a First Lady of Detroit and honored by the city with a Testimonial Resolution certificate acknowledging her substantial contributions to techno and dance music.

Death Hand died at her home in Detroit on August 3, 2021, from arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease at the age of 56. On A Journey (1995) (Studio !K7) The Art Of Music (1997) (Studio !K7) Ready For The Darkness (1997) (Substance/Distance) Soul (1997) (Ausfahrt) Fantasy (1998) (Ausfahrt) Salsafied (2000) (Ausfahrt) Detroit History Part 1 (2001) (Tresor)

Extended plays

K-HAND/Etat Solide – Think About It (1990) (UK House Records/Acacia Records) K-HAND/Etat Solide feat. Zoey – No Heartbreaks (1992) (Acacia Records) Ba Da Bing (1993) (Acacia Records) K-HAND featuring Rhythm Formation – Rhythm Is Back (1993) (Acacia Records) K-HAND / Claude Young – Everybody / You Give Me (1993) (Acacia Records) Not Giving Up (1993) (Acacia Records) From The "I Fucked All Week" Guy (1993) (Acacia Records) Rodeo / The Tunnel (1993) (Global Cuts) K-HAND feat. Zoey – I Do (1993) (Acacia Records) The Saints Go Marching On (1994) (Global Cuts) Global Warning (1994) (Warp Records) Everybody (1994) (EC Records) K-HAND/Etat Solide – Living For Another (1995) (UK House Records) Project #1 (1995) (Acacia Records) Project #2 (1995) (Acacia Records) Project #3 (1995) (Acacia Records) Project #4 (1995) (Acacia Records) Acid Nation (1995) (Loriz Sounds) Groove E.P. (1995) (Radikal Fear) On A Mission (1996) (Studio !K7) The Project EP (1996) (D:Tour) The Next Project EP (1996) (D:Tour) Unreleased Project (1996) (Acacia Records) K-HAND/KMH – Right Now EP (1997) (M.C. Projects) Mayday EP (1997) (Acacia Records) K-HAND / Graffiti – Roots / Graffiti's Theme (1997) (Sublime Records) Project 5 EP Untitled (1997) (Acacia Records) Horizon (1997) (Substance) All Over The World (1997) (Acacia Records) Spice EP (1997) (Acacia Records) Flashback EP (1997) (Acacia Records) Sounds (1997) (Hyperspace) Project 69 EP (1997) (Acacia Records) Sweet Love (1998) (Fourone1 Records) K-HAND/By Kely – The Bomb (1998) (Re-load Records) Do It (1999) (Distance) Pimps & Freaks (1999) (Remote Recordings) Good Love (1999) (Maffia Music) Baby All I Want (1999) (School Records) Supernatural (1999) (Pandamonium) K-HAND/Kely – Active X EP (2000) (Future Frontier) Traxx For Daze Vol.1 (2000) (Push & Pull) Clap Yo Hands (2000) (Loveslap! Recordings) Better Believe (2000) (Maffia Music) Sex On The Dancefloor EP (2001) (Loveslap! Recordings) Tools Vol.1 (2002) (Acacia Records) K-HAND/Kelli Hand – Afterhour (2003) (Sino) Get Down (2003) (Loveslap! Recordings) K-HAND/Kelli Hand – Moody Life EP (2004) (Third Ear Recordings) Messenger aka K-HAND – Wanderer (2007) (Underground Liberation) These Sounds Lead The Way EP (2008) (Gorsch) Feel (2008) (Acacia Records) K-HAND & Kero – Dat Roit EP (2009) (Kerohand) Red Dog EP (2009) (Gorsch) K-HAND/Kelli Hand – Silent Answer EP (2009) (Acacia Records) K-HAND & Kero – Content EP (2010) (Kerohand) Funky Tonight (2013) (Third Ear Recordings) Do it Again (2015) (DocKside Records) Intuition EP (2015) (Acacia Records) Project 6 EP (2017) (Acacia Records)

Compilations 1996: Various - "Detroit: Beyond the Third Wave" - Come On Now Baby (Astralwerks Records) 2012: fabric 66 – Starz (Fabric Records) 2013: fabric 67 – Project 5 Untitled B1 (Fabric Records) 2015: Various - "Ivan, Come On! Unlock The Box!" – The Box трип (Trip Records) 2016: Various - "I Have A Question" – Sound 6 трип (Trip Records) 2017: Special Edition - 07 трип (Trip Records) 2020: Hot Steel - Aquatics (Trip Records)