Go ad-free with Premium

Jody Rosen

Jody Rosen is a Manhattan writer. He is currently working on a
cultural history of the song "White Christmas."

FILE-- Curtis Mayfield is shown in this undated handout photo. The composer and songwriter, whose string of hits "Superfly," "People Get Ready,'' "Talking About My Baby,'' and "Keep On Pushing,'' has died Sunday, Dec. 26, 1999. Mayfield was 57.(AP Photo/Curtom Records, ho) (Associated Press)

Curtis Mayfield

Jody Rosen

Quentin Crisp

Jody Rosen

Charles Aznavour

Jody Rosen

Mel Torme

Jody Rosen