Duane Eddy
“TITAN OF TWANG” ∗ Born April 26, 1938 in Corning, New York; began playing guitar at age 5 ∗ Moved with his family to Tucson at age 13, then to Coolidge, and to Phoenix at age 15; played local gigs… Continue reading
Category: ZonaStars
CELEBRITIES WITH ARIZONA CONNECTIONS
Posted chronologically by birthday
(Listing not completed)
Glen Campbell
COUNTRY AND POP SUPERSTAR ∗ Born April 22, 1936 in Billstown, Arkansas, but famously claimed nearby Delight as his hometown, where his father was a sharecropper; youngest of 12 children ∗ Learned guitar by mimicking Django Reinhardt records, and later… Continue reading
Charles Mingus
“THE ANGRY MAN OF JAZZ” ∗ Born April 22, 1922 on Camp Stephen Little military base in Nogales, where his father was a “buffalo soldier”; family moved when he was 18 months old to the Watts section of Los Angeles,… Continue reading
Jenna Jameson
‘THE QUEEN OF PORN” ∗ Born Jenna Marie Massoli , April 9, 1974, in Las Vegas; her father was a police officer, her mother a showgirl who died before Jenna was 2 years old; studied ballet and entered child beauty… Continue reading
Walter Winchell
PIONEERING GOSSIP REPORTER ∗ Born April 7, 1897 in New York City; dropped out of school in sixth grade to help support his family by working odd jobs ∗ Got his start in Gus Edwards’ kiddie vaudeville troupe the Newsboy… Continue reading
Wayne Newton
“MR. LAS VEGAS” ∗ Born April 3, 1942 in Roanoke, Virginia; started performing at age 6 with older brother Jerry ∗ Moved with family to Phoenix in 1952 to cope with his severe bronchial asthma ∗ Lived on East Brill… Continue reading
Cesar Chavez
UNITED FARM WORKERS LEADER ∗ Born March 31, 1927 near Yuma ∗ Moved to California at age 12 after family was swindled out of their Arizona ranch and store during the Great Depression; family worked as migrant workers in fields… Continue reading
Frank Borman
APOLLO 8 COMMANDER ∗ Born March 14, 1928 in Gary, Indiana ∗ Moved to Tucson at age 5 to help his chronic respiratory problems; attended Sam Hughes Elementary School; began flying lessons at age 15 at Gilpin Airport ∗… Continue reading
Ernesto Miranda
NAMESAKE OF POLICE WARNING TO ARRESTED SUSPECTS ∗ Born March 9, 1941, in Mesa ∗ Was in trouble most of his life: first arrest in eighth grade; served two stints in reform school (Arizona State Industrial School for Boys); jailed… Continue reading
Kevin Johnson
“KJ” ∗ Born March 1, 1966 in Sacramento, California ∗ Graduated from Sacramento High School, where he played basketball (as well as baseball); during senior year, his 32.5 points per game scoring average was highest in the state; named Northern… Continue reading