Cemeteries are, sadly, an oft-overlooked tourist destination, especially by fans of music. History buffs will go on battlefield pilgrimages, celebrity hounds will flock to where their favorite stars were interred, and art lovers go for Elizabethan monument rubbings, but few have known where to go to pay their respects to the likes of Alton "Rockin' Dopsie" Rubin, Roy Kelton Orbison, and Eddie "Guitar Slim" Jones. At least till now. Scott Stanton did the world of music enthusiasts a major favor by researching the final resting places of over 200 of the 20th century's late musical greats, from Howlin' Wolf to Benny Goodman to Janis Joplin. From France's Gothic Pere Lachaise Cemetery (where the remains of Chopin and Jim Morrison lie) to Hollywood's Forest Lawn (home to the bones of Karen Carpenter, Andy Gibb, and Liberace), Stanton covers 6 countries, 44 states, and over a million miles for his gravesite review.

Profiled alphabetically, the life, music, death, shrines, archives, and burial site of each musician is interesting and insightful, and the black-and-white photographs are a nice touch. And for the fan who wants more than to merely view the grave of the deceased, Stanton includes tips for album and memorabilia collectors. There's also a chapter on musicians who've passed on but whose remains cannot be visited (most being scattered to the high seas or some such thing) and also a cemetery index for those devotees who want to plan their vacation around some sacred ground. --Stephanie Gold


From Library Journal
In these two guides, Stanton and Kerrigan present the graves of famous people. Stanton focuses on musicians, while Kerrigan eyes the famous and infamous in Britain and Ireland. Irreverent and fun, Stanton's work has the feel of a high school yearbook. Divided into three alphabetized sections?Legends, Gone but Not Forgotten, and The Best of the Rest?entries include biographical information about the artist; the location of the grave, with directions; and suggestions for collectors. Although Stanton's love of music and musicians shows in his writing, the book has many problems. It is weighed heavily in favor of rock, blues, jazz, and country musicians (in that order), with few entries for classical or Broadway composers. The vast majority of musicians included are American. The index is by place, not by name, so if you are looking for a particular musician you must look in all three sections. Finally, the criteria for inclusion in the Legends section goes unexplained. Who Lies Where takes a different approach and succeeds as a reference tool. Arranged by place (England, London, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland), it attempts to include anyone who was at all well known in the long histories of these areas. Surprisingly, Kerrigan didn't include the three British entries Stanton listed in his book, indicating that he paid less attention to contemporary popular culture figures. Information given includes the location of each grave and a brief description of the individual buried there. Occasional side notes describe particular customs or historical facts relevant to the person's death. Both books are recommended for public libraries.?Julia Stump, Voorheesville P.L., NYCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Independent Publisher
If queried about the final resting place of Elvis Presley or Jim Morrison of the Doors, most of us could probably conjure up the correct answers of Graceland and the Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, respectively. But what about the grave sites of over 200 other blues, rock, pop and country stars, from Roy Acuff to Frank Zappa, that are scattered across America and the United Kingdom? Enter The Tombstone Tourist-Musicians by Scott Stanton, a highly entertaining and informative read for anyone wanting to know where their favorite musicians, singers, conductors and composers have been laid to rest. Based on Stanton's award-winning website of the same name, the guide is broken into three alphabetized categories -"The Legends," "The Best of the Rest" and "Gone but Not Forgotten"-and includes artists' biographies, "places of exit" and causes of death, information on relevant museums, archives and shrines, and tips for collectors of memorabilia and music. Over 250 black and white photographs (some of questionable quality, and I don't think the author would argue with that) of the subjects and their memorials accompany the concise text. Author Stanton and a small team of contributors traveled over a million miles, through six countries and 44 states, to compile the guide, and it reads with the perspective of someone who has done the research and can now give thorough directions to and descriptions of the grave sites. Even if one never plans to visit these locations, it's still a great read for music fans because in many cases, the end of the lives of these performers and where they were buried are important factors in understanding who they were. Kudos also to Stanton for including some lesser known names, like Bill Black, Jimmie Lunceford and "Little Walter" Jacobs, in the "Legend" section. There are many, many performers whose contributions to the music industry were very significant, and the family and friends who have continued their lives without them will certainly appreciate Stanton's including them in his thorough research.


Book Description
The ultimate guide to the gravesites and memorabilia of great musicians who've shuffled off this mortal coil. Joey and Dee Dee Ramone • Frank Sinatra • Jim Morrison Rick Nelson • Roy Orbison • Howlin' Wolf • Elvis Presley Randy Rhoads • Billie Holiday • Jim Croce • Buddy Holly Liberace • Bob Marley • Stevie Ray Vaughan • George Gershwin • Judy Garland • Patsy Cline • John Belushi • Miles Davis • Ronnie Van Zant • Jimi Hendrix •Bon Scott Hank Williams • Muddy Waters • Sarah Vaughan • Sammy Davis, Jr. • More! The Tombstone Tourist has traveled over one million miles to create this astounding compendium packed with more than three hundred photos -- an absolute must-have for any road trip! Inside, you'll discover the final resting places of all your favorite musicians -- many of whose exact locations are disclosed to fans here for the first time -- as well as career snapshots and details of their passing. Musical myths and trivia are also revealed: Did "Mama" Cass Elliott choke on a ham sandwich? • How many graves does famed blues legend Robert Johnson have? • What did Kurt Cobain write in his suicide note? In addition to the final resting places of the dearly departed, The Tombstone Tourist also offers the collections, possessions, guitars, homes, and memorial statues left behind by everyone from the Allman Brothers Band to Muddy Waters.


About the Author
Scott Stanton, a.k.a. the Tombstone Tourist, is a graduate of the University of Southern California. A travel writer and photographer for numerous publications, he lives in Oregon.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The Tombstone Tourist has traveled over one million miles to create this astounding compendium packed with more than three hundred photos -- an absolute must-have for any road trip! Inside, you'll discover the final resting places of all your favorite musicians -- many of whose exact locations are disclosed to fans here for the first time -- as well as career snapshots and details of their passing. Musical myths and trivia are also revealed: Did "Mama" Cass Elliott choke on a ham sandwich? • How many graves does famed blues legend Robert Johnson have? • What did Kurt Cobain write in his suicide note?

In addition to the final resting places of the dearly departed, The Tombstone Tourist also offers the collections, possessions, guitars, homes, and memorial statues left behind by everyone from the Allman Brothers Band to Muddy Waters.

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal