The Tombstone Tourist: Musicians

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