The Missing Oxford Comma

I just picked up a box set by Crosby, Stills & Nash and couldn't help but notice the missing Oxford comma.  If you are wondering what that is take a few moments to think about the two following sentences:

1. While I was at the mall I ran into two hookers, Washington and Jefferson
2. While I was at the mall I ran into two hookers, Washington, and Jefferson

See the difference?

Doing a quick internet search on "crosby stills nash", just to see if they did, in fact, have the Oxford comma in their name and it was Gracenote (notorious for having the same album in their database numerous times, presumably because each person who added the album again didn't like the way the previous contributors had added it) that was wrong.

Turns out that not only do Crosby, Stills & Nash eschew use of the Oxford comma, so did Peter, Paul and Mary, and Earth, Wind & Fire, as well as a host of other groups.  The topic is covered thoroughly in this 2013 article in Slate (a magazine which I would not ordinarily direct you towards but this article is non-political and so they don't have an opportunity to spew their biased and nonsensical garbage) so I'll leave you to read further and not be redundant.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2013/09/10/oxford_comma_in_band_names_trios_from_peter_paul_and_mary_to_crosby_stills.html