Glenn Frey
Musician And Photographer – Harry Diltz
For album lovers everywhere, one of the biggest draws to the vinyl record is the palette format that creates for distinctive cover art. And no matter what genre you prefer, album art has become more than just an industry term, but a full-fledged medium. While software like Photoshop has permitted today’s designer to produce vinyl album covers that challenge convention, they owe a debt of gratitude to those that established the form.
One of these men, Henry Diltz, nearly redefined the process in the 1960s. Diltz started his foray into the music industry as a founding member of the Modern Folk Quartet, hurling rock vinyl beyond just a mere auditory medium. However, he soon gravitated toward photography. After meeting the Monkees and sitting on some recording sessions, he soon began photographing the burgeoning act. As his portfolio expanded, so did his reputation. He was known as the official photographer of the Woodstock Festival in 1969. Still, it was rock vinyl where Diltz really left his mark.
Shooting some of the biggest names in rock in the late 1960s, Diltz captured images of musical icons that still speak to viewers across generational lines. For his career, Diltz has photographed over 80 covers of rock vinyl albums. Of those, a lot have been truly career defining. His credits include the Doors’ “Morrison Hotel,” Crosby, Stills and Nash’s eponymous debut effort and Stephen Still’s self-titled solo debut. Due to his work on these eternal rock vinyl masterpieces, Diltz was placed in rarified air in the world of rock journalism.
Even beyond mere covers of vinyl albums, Diltz resume is also jittered with images of both cultural and musical legends. His documentation of Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix living subtly caught their live magnetism. His soft remembrances of Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and James Taylor captured their muted essence on film. His sullen images of a young Michael Jackson still serves as a testament to his tortured childhood, a young boy both in the spotlight and running from it. Still, it’s Diltz contribution to the world of rock vinyl that will leave the longest-lasting impression.
At the moment, Diltz is still up to his old tricks. His photographs of existing acts like Pearl Jam, Henry Rollins and Korn have captured the rage of a new group of rockers. As Glenn Frey of the Eagles once described Diltz’s work, “This is not history. This is evidence!”
Glenn Frey – You Belong To The City – HD
