Archive for June, 2024

Molière

Posted in Père Lachaise Cemetery with tags , on June 24, 2024 by Cade

January 15, 16221 – February 17, 1673

Arguably the greatest and most prolific playwright in the history of the French language, Molière (née Jean-Baptiste Poquelin) wrote more than 30 comedies, farces and tragicomedies. At the height of his popularity, he was the toast of Paris and had major fans in the Duke of Orléans and the Duke’s older brother…a guy named Louis XIV.

Molière satirized everything (except the monarchy) and drew ire from those he poked fun at. But, he rarely got in trouble for his works (thanks to the monarchy) and enjoyed a fair amount of success later in his life. His plays have been thoroughly translated into every major language and his master works like The Misanthrope, Tartuffe, The School for Wives and The Miser are still being produced today

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Marc Bolan

Posted in Golders Green Crematorium with tags , , on June 17, 2024 by Cade

September 30, 1947 – September 16, 1977

Little Mark Feld grew up in the boroughs of London idolizing rock and roll pioneers like Chuck Berry and Eddie Cochran. At the age of 9, he was given his first guitar and by the time he was 17 was already on his way to “Rock Star Legend” status.

By 1965, he had changed his name to “Marc Bolan” and was recording with the likes of Jimmy Page and the Ladybirds. Failing to make any sort of breakthrough success, Bolan leaned heavily on the ideas in his imagination. Fantasy and mythology filled his mind. If he could somehow find a way to translate that into music, he would probably be on to something.

In 1967, he founded the band Tyrannosaurus Rex.

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Lynn Anderson

Posted in Woodlawn Memorial Park (TN) with tags , , on June 10, 2024 by Cade

September 26, 1947 – July 30, 2015

Lynn Anderson never promised you a rose garden, but – in the end – you got one anyway.

As a young girl, Anderson’s family relocated from California to Nashville when her mother, Liz Anderson, began getting noticed for her songwriting. When she wasn’t singing and performing, Lynn spent her free time with horses. In addition to her career in music, she raised quarter horses and raced them professionally.

Living in Nashville in the ’60s with a mom who was a prolific songwriter had its benefits. Lynn was discovered while singing with her mom at a party and was signed to a record deal. Her first Top 10 hit was 1967’s “If I Kiss You (Will You Go Away)”…which was written by Liz.

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Gertrude Stein

Posted in Père Lachaise Cemetery with tags , on June 3, 2024 by Cade

February 3, 1874 – July 27, 1946

Novelist, poet and playwright, Gertrude Stein, was born in Pennsylvania to a affluent, upper-middle class family. As a young child, Stein’s family moved to Europe (Vienna and Paris, to be precise) and her parents wanted to instill a strong sense of European life and sensibility in them.

It worked.
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