They Made the Cultah'

I always like to remember and pay tribute to people who may not have been super-famous but who, in their own way, left a mark on the culture of NYC.

Two such New Yorkers who passed away recently who are perfect examples (they were either from here or lived here in the past).

One is Ron Galella. He was the original NYC paparazzi, snapping pictures of celebrities on the streets, out and about the town. He created a whole genre (for better or worse) of photojournalism and it got him in trouble quite a lot -- particularly with his favorite subject, Jackie O. But today's outsider is tomorrow's insider, and Ron was a perfect example of a rebel going establishment. In his later years, there were exhibits and documentaries about his work, and organizations like TMZ, etc. wouldn't exist without his influence. He big had an impact on the celebrity culture of NYC, making the glamorous look as ordinary as the rest of us. Ron has died at the age of 91. 

The other is Judy Henske, a transplant from Wisconsin who found success in the Greenwich Village coffee house folk scene of the 1960s. She knew and played with everyone, including Dave Von Ronk, the inspiration for the movie Inside Llewellyn Davis. Judy was also, apparently, the real life inspiration for Annie Hall -- another young woman from Wisconsin who came to NYC to find success as a singer. Judy was one of the talents who made the Village folk scene of that time (which produced Bob Dylan, amongst others) almost mythic, but she a long career afterwards, a tribute to her talent. Judy has died at age 85.

Ron and Judy helped make the culture of this city. While their time on Earth over, their contributions to NYC are timeless.