Don Cunningham, Jazz musician and Las Vegas resident was born in 1931 in St. Louis, Missouri. As a child he was heavily influenced by blues and jazz musicians such as BB King, Count Basie, and Ella Fitzgerald. Growing up in St. Louis Cunningham worked shining shoes and cleaning steps going to white neighborhoods working inside taverns. He received saxophone lessons from a family friend and joined the band attending a segregated high school.

Elmer “Al” Bramlet (1917-1977) was a prominent union leader in Las Vegas, Nevada during the middle of the 20th century. As the union leader of the Culinary Workers Union Local 226, Bramlet made significant contributions to the union and its members. However, Bramlet also amassed various enemies during his time as union leader, which led to his early death in 1977 at the hands of Thomas Hanley.