Cranshaw was heard in many Sesame albums through the 1990s. On the concept album Big Bird Discovers the Orchestra, he played for the double bass player character, Vernado Vivaldo. Cranshaw also worked with Raposo on The Electric Company and performed on Saturday Night Live, on many albums with Sonny Rollins, and as sideman to the likes of Buddy Rich, Paul Simon, and George Benson. He passed away from cancer at his Manhattan home, at age 83.