Yesterday I visited the graveyard in Vorden, a small village in the countryside of Holland. Visiting a graveyard it an excellent way to gather more knowledge about the history and social stratification of the place where your are staying. Even on holidays I often visit the local graveyard. Moreover graveyards usually are beautiful and quiet places. On my site you will find a painting I made of an old graveyard in Leyden. The 19th century graveyard in Vorden is located somewhat outside Vorden almost hidden in a small wood. Immediately after the entrance you will find the family graves of 5 noble families from the neighbourhood. The graves dominate because of their size but are modest and rural in shape. They resemble sandy hills grown with moss. Most of the other older graves of common people are also family graves without names of the individuals but usually with the name of the farm they lived on. When I walked around the graveyard I stumbled upon the grave of Arthur Conley, the American soul singer who in the sixties became famous with his song Sweet Soul Music. He was a friend of Otis Redding who stimulated his career. After the sudden death of Otis Redding he left the United States and eventually found his destination in Ruurlo, a small village not far from Vorden. He officially changed his name into Lee Roberts and lived there in anonimity as a interior designer and a promotor of young musicians. In 2003 he died of cancer in Ruurlo at the age of 57 and was buried in Vorden. It is a modest grave without a stone covered with plants and flowers. If you overlook the CD case with his name and photo between the flowers you would not notice that the once famous Arthur Conly is buried here.