Jeremy Haberman Passes

Haberman, after graduating from Michigan State University, bought the 400-capacity Magic Bag from entrepreneur Steve Milgrom in 1996.

Haberman immediately upgraded the venue, which was once an adult theatre, with tiered seating sections and new décor.

The club brought in established names like Leon Russell and introduced Detroit to new acts like The White Stripes and Kid Rock. Haberman, a nonsmoker, was diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer in 2009 and was given a year to live, according to the Detroit Free Press.

He and his brother had helped lead a campaign to enact a statewide smoking ban in public places, the paper said. Haberman sold the venue last year; he kept his illness private so he could keep working and not be asked about his sickness, borther Daniel Haberman told the Free Press.