Grant Falkenstein, Musical Composer, Dies In Santa Cruz
By Skip Littlefield

“Long after the so-called popular composers of weekly musical hits and jazz and jitterbug ditties have been forgotten and lost to public memory the name of a Santa Cruz musician will live on throughout the ages as the architect of one of the great immortal ballads of all time.

His best known composition has found a permanent niche in the archives of genuine American classics. It is comparable to some of the best works of Stephen Foster and Carrie Jacobs Bond.
        The man is Grant Falkenstein.
        The ballad– “Lay My Head Beneath a Rose.”

Away back when a saxophone was regarded in the same light as a “bazooka,” Grant Falkenstein gave to America this mighty creation of the musical pen. It was a smash hit in the year that Victoria celebrated her golden jubilee.

“A person just can't quit loving music,” Falkenstein often observed throughout the span of six decades devoted to musical effort. He came to California from Maryland in 1888, moving to San Francisco.

He was one of the original members of the San Francisco municipal band that played to crowds that cheered the name of James J. Corbett in old Central Park on 8th street.

Grant used to say people came early in those days to concerts and brought their lunches. A musical rendition only lasted eight hours. The light opera classics of Gilbert and Sullivan were the rage.

Strange to relate, Falkenstein organized the first saxophone quartet in America. Grant was the assistant director of the great 125-piece Shrine band that traveled over the United States in 1914 to promote the Panama Pacific exposition in San Francisco.

Falkenstein personally escorted Teddy Roosevelt to Yosemite in 1903. The band, including Roosevelt, rode into the famous valley on horseback.

Grant organized the famous Military band in Fresno in 1903. Three years later he organized a second outfit, the Fresno Municipal band. He was director of the Fresno band until his retirement some years ago when he moved to Santa Cruz.

Falkenstein was the leader of the noted Fresno Sciots band in the 1920's. Numbered among his musicians was a clarinet player, Dr. A.R. Steinwand, present director of the Santa Cruz Municipal band. Grant was the judge of state legion band contests for 10 years.

Grant Falkenstein started Ginny Simms on her road to popular musical fame. Her foundation of musical knowledge was given by the noted composed. She stepped from Falkenstein's studio to Kay Kyser's band.

The vibrant radiating voice of Grant Falkenstein has been stilled but generations yet to live will owe a debt to the genius of a “gentleman of music” that Santa Cruzans knew and loved.

Falkenstein is survived by his widow, Harriet Falkenstein, and one son, Ray Falkenstein of Los Angeles.

Funeral services will be held in Fresno Friday with local arrangements in charge of Wessendorf. Interment will be in the I.O.O.F. cemetery in Fresno.”

[Santa Cruz Sentinel-News, 19 July 1945, p.1]