Archive for Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx)

« Older Entries

Lionel Hampton

Posted in Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx) with tags , , on June 8, 2026 by Cade

April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002

Lionel Hampton was one of the biggest names in jazz for nearly all of his 75 year career. A percussionist, Hampton started out as a drummer in Chicago while he was still a teenager. He moved to California, where he wowed audiences with his energetic drumming and acrobatic drumstick moves at venues like Sebastian’s Cotton Club. At the age of 22, he was starting to expand his repertoire when a visiting Louis Armstrong overheard him practicing the vibraphone, liked what he heard and offered Hampton a job.

And when Louis Armstrong says you’re a vibraphonist, brother, you’re a vibraphonist.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment »

Celia Cruz

Posted in Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx) with tags , on June 1, 2026 by Cade

October 21, 1925 – July 16, 2003

Dubbed the “Queen of Salsa,” Celia Cruz was one of the best-selling Latin artists of all time. In her spectacular career, Cruz sold more than 30 million records and was nominated for 14 Grammys (winning 2), 7 Latin Grammys (winning 4) and dozens of other awards. In 1994, the United States Congress awarded her the National Medal of Arts. She was honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards from The Hispanic Heritage Awards, Desi Entertainment, Musa de Oro, the Recording Academy of the United States (Grammys) and the Smithsonian Institute….twice.

Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso was born and raised in Havana, Cuba. According to her mother, Celia sang from the moment she could make sounds. Growing up in 1930s Havana meant exposure to the burgeoning Cuban Band scene. Her aunt would often take Celia and her cousin to local cabarets to sing. Her father didn’t approve…but, recognizing the talent, he didn’t try too hard to stop her, either. Celia made an attempt at what her family considered a “respectable” career as a teacher…but the music called.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment »

Diahann Carroll

Posted in Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx) with tags , , on May 18, 2026 by Cade


July 17, 1935 – October 4, 2019

Golden Globe and Tony winning actress, Diahann Carroll, likely didn’t intend to spend her career kicking down barriers, but that’s exactly what she did. Her 1962 Tony win for No Strings was the first time an African American actress had won the category. Her Golden Globe win in 1968 was for the title role in the television series, Julia, which was the first starring role for a black woman that was not a domestic worker or servant.

In 1963, Carroll received her first Emmy nomination (for Naked City) – again, one of the first for a black actress. And in 1996, she played the role of traditionally-white character, Norma Desmond, in a Toronto production of Sunset Boulevard.

And those are just the groundbreaking accolades.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment »

Ace Frehley

Posted in Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx) with tags , , on May 11, 2026 by Cade

April 27, 1951 – October 16, 2025

Paul “Ace” Frehley was the lead guitarist and a founding member of the renowned rock band, KISS. Born and raised in the Bronx, New York City, Frehley came from a family of musicians and sought out rock and roll as an alternative to getting pulled into street gang life in his neighborhood. Frehley’s career in music started early as he joined his first band in high school. He played in a half dozen bands in New York City in the late 1960s and early ’70s. In 1972, he answered an ad in the Village Voice that was seeking  a guitarist for a new band. The audition went well and Frehley joined Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and Peter Criss on a new rock and roll endeavor. The foursome eventually settled on the name KISS.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment »

Joseph Pulitzer

Posted in Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx) with tags on April 1, 2014 by Cade

pulitzer1April 10, 1847 – October 29, 1911

Sporting one of the most famous surnames in American history, Hungarian-born Joseph Pulitzer is best remembered as a newspaper publisher and for the annual prizes that bear his name. He also, briefly. represented the state of New York in the U.S. House of Representatives. The publishing battles between Pulitzer and rival, William Randolph Heart, paved the way for the modern, ad-driven, multi-faceted newspaper industry. He got his start as a penniless vagabond in St. Louis after the American Civil War. By way of a job with a rail company, he began reporting for the Westliche Post. He worked his way up the ranks and eventually bought and sold shares in the paper – making a decent profit. Continue reading →

Leave a comment »

W.C. Handy

Posted in Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx) with tags , , on March 11, 2014 by Cade

handy1November 16, 1873 – March 28, 1958

William Christopher Handy was a legendary blues man who is often cited as the “Father of the Blues.” Handy was notable for drawing on folk and dixie jazz stylings and for his prolific publishing. The latter is especially important since he was one of the first African Americans to have success in music publishing. His scores such as “Memphis Blues,” “Yellow Dog Rag” and “Saint Louis Blues” would become standards of the genre’s early popularity. Continue reading →

Leave a comment »

Bat Masterson

Posted in Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx) with tags on March 4, 2014 by Cade

masterson1November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921

William Barclay “Bat” Masterson was just your typical Canadian, Old West lawman/gambler turned newspaper columnist/boxing beat writer. It’s a story as old as time, really. Masterson served as a sheriff and marshal all throughout the west hitting up hot spots like Dodge City and Tombstone, oftentimes alongside fellow lawman, Wyatt Earp. Bat ran gaming halls in these towns (and others) as well, because…well, it was the Wild West. Continue reading →

Leave a comment »

George M. Cohan

Posted in Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx) with tags , on November 20, 2013 by Cade

cohan1July 3, 1878 – November 5, 1942

George Michael Cohan was – to put it simply (and to steal mercilessly from many before me) – “the man who owned Broadway.” The son of Irish Catholic performers, Cohan grew up on stage as a member of the family vaudeville act, The Four Cohans. At an early age, he began writing his own skits…and then his own songs. Fast forward a few years and little George had over 300 songs to his credit, including classics like “The Yankee Doodle Boy,” “Give My Regards to Broadway” and “Over There.” Continue reading →

Leave a comment »

Herman Melville

Posted in Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx) with tags , on October 7, 2013 by Cade

melville1August 1, 1819 – September 28, 1891

…for there is no folly of the beast of the earth which is not infinitely outdone by the madness of men.

Herman Melville enjoyed a modest amount of success as a writer in the first half of the 19th Century.  But, it was his novel about a man obsessed with a white whale that wrote his name into the history books…even if it was not celebrated fully until after his death.  Moby Dick; or, The Whale is the epic story of a sea captain wrestling with hate and madness and the crew who are dragged along on his vengeful pursuit. It is one of the titans of classic American literature and has given us over 150 years of analogy, characters and great names and archetypes like Ahab, Ishmael and Queequeg. And, I guess rather directly, it’s also responsible for Starbucks. So…yay, books!

Continue reading →

Leave a comment »

Duke Ellington

Posted in Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx) with tags , , on October 1, 2013 by Cade
ellington1

April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974

Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington began playing piano at the age of 7 and never looked back. He wrote his first song at 15 and went on to become one of the most influential and prolific artists in American music at large, let alone within the genre with which he was most closely associated: Jazz. Nicknamed “Duke” because of his swagger and the way he dressed – even at a young age – Ellington led his orchestra for nearly a half century. He gained national exposure while playing on the radio from Harlem’s famed Cotton Club in the late 1920s. He wrote and recorded songs at a near unprecedented pace. He worked with greats in all genres from Frank Sinatra (Francis A. & Edward K.) to Louis Armstrong  and constantly stretched himself into new musical territory.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment »

« Older Entries