Dick Waterman's Blues Photos
October 21, 2005 10:35 AM Subscribe
Dick Waterman takes photographs of musicians. Choose a genre from the menu at the top of the page. The photos are good, but going through the Javascript interface allows you to read about each picture. In this photo of Dylan and Baez, Waterman captured Baez crying because Dylan was ignoring her. In this photo of Rev. Gary Davis, Waterman shows Davis sleeping with his guitar held vertically on his lap. And check out young John Fahey with Son House.This gallery of Seven Guitars was connected to Angus Wilson's play of the same name. My favorite is Elizabeth Cotten. Here's an NPR interview with Waterman.
Cuz there's nothing to be snarky about. Great pictures, thanks.
posted by iamck at 12:49 PM on October 21, 2005
posted by iamck at 12:49 PM on October 21, 2005
It's quiet in here, because anybody who's in the know, knows that it is not Dick Waterman, but David Gahr who is the real authentic deal when it comes to photographing this particular subset of artists, and especially when it comes to shooting the young Dylan and Baez. Too bad the man is so undersung. His book of photographs, with its horrible generic title something like "The Face of Folk Music," is a priceless record of the whole 1960 to 65 folk scene in all its heartbreaking innocence. Too bad he has such a skimpy web presence. I mean, can you look at this old Fugs album cover without choking up?
posted by Faze at 12:52 PM on October 21, 2005
posted by Faze at 12:52 PM on October 21, 2005
Nice additions Faze. Thanks for the added links, although the suggestion that the post is no good because it isn't about Gahr seems strangely out of place.
posted by OmieWise at 1:40 PM on October 21, 2005
posted by OmieWise at 1:40 PM on October 21, 2005
Great stuff as always, Omie. (Don't mind Faze, it's just his "in your face" persona. I'm sure he appreciated the Waterman pix as much as the rest of us.)
posted by languagehat at 1:50 PM on October 21, 2005
posted by languagehat at 1:50 PM on October 21, 2005
Good post, OmieWise, thank you!
I had the good fortune to chat with Dick Waterman several times when I used to frequent some blues chatrooms 7 or 8 years ago, and besides being a superlative blues photographer, he is national blues treasure.
Dick rediscovered an obscure Son House years ago, and brought him out of hiding and into the national prominence he deserved. Harvard student Bonnie Raitt happened to meet Son House over at Waterman's house one day, an afternoon that she says changed her life. Waterman managed her career for 15 years. He also managed Skip James, Booker White, Mance Lispcomb, Howlin Wolf, John Hurt, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Otis Rush, Luther Allison. As a promoter, he brought greats like Big Mamma Thorton and and John Lee Hooker to small clubs in Boston. Read this story in his weblog about the concert he staged at Harvard's Sanders Theatre for a young and unknown James Taylor.
Thanks for the post because it reminded me that the B.B. King's biography that Dick coauthored with the man himself is just recently available. His last book, Between Midnight and Day, is not only filled with the richest, most incredible photos of blues legends taken over four decades, but also with personal memories and vignettes about these incredible people.
In a preface to his book, Bonnie Raitt says of Dick:
"He knew how to help rural, unsophisticated geniuses fare in the alien world of the folk/blues festival and concert circuit. By gathering so many greats under one roof, Dick was able to collectively bargain to insure each artist got to play the best gigs and be paid what they deserved. He steadfastedly guarded every aspect of his artists' professional life and was often their families solid rock during personal crises as well. By helping to raise the quality of life for so many artists with whom he worked, by reminding the white progeny of these mighty scions wherein their debt lies, by refusing to compromise probably to the detriment of his own advancement, and by taking the high road and loving the people as well as the music, Dick has helped shepherd the Blues to a place in history truly befitting it worth."
If you love blues, Dick Waterman is someone well worth paying attention to.
posted by madamjujujive at 5:46 AM on October 22, 2005 [1 favorite]
I had the good fortune to chat with Dick Waterman several times when I used to frequent some blues chatrooms 7 or 8 years ago, and besides being a superlative blues photographer, he is national blues treasure.
Dick rediscovered an obscure Son House years ago, and brought him out of hiding and into the national prominence he deserved. Harvard student Bonnie Raitt happened to meet Son House over at Waterman's house one day, an afternoon that she says changed her life. Waterman managed her career for 15 years. He also managed Skip James, Booker White, Mance Lispcomb, Howlin Wolf, John Hurt, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Otis Rush, Luther Allison. As a promoter, he brought greats like Big Mamma Thorton and and John Lee Hooker to small clubs in Boston. Read this story in his weblog about the concert he staged at Harvard's Sanders Theatre for a young and unknown James Taylor.
Thanks for the post because it reminded me that the B.B. King's biography that Dick coauthored with the man himself is just recently available. His last book, Between Midnight and Day, is not only filled with the richest, most incredible photos of blues legends taken over four decades, but also with personal memories and vignettes about these incredible people.
In a preface to his book, Bonnie Raitt says of Dick:
"He knew how to help rural, unsophisticated geniuses fare in the alien world of the folk/blues festival and concert circuit. By gathering so many greats under one roof, Dick was able to collectively bargain to insure each artist got to play the best gigs and be paid what they deserved. He steadfastedly guarded every aspect of his artists' professional life and was often their families solid rock during personal crises as well. By helping to raise the quality of life for so many artists with whom he worked, by reminding the white progeny of these mighty scions wherein their debt lies, by refusing to compromise probably to the detriment of his own advancement, and by taking the high road and loving the people as well as the music, Dick has helped shepherd the Blues to a place in history truly befitting it worth."
If you love blues, Dick Waterman is someone well worth paying attention to.
posted by madamjujujive at 5:46 AM on October 22, 2005 [1 favorite]
Wow, talk about a comment that adds value. Thanks, mjj.
posted by languagehat at 9:07 AM on October 22, 2005
posted by languagehat at 9:07 AM on October 22, 2005
Thanks for all the additional info madamjujujive! There was too much there I did not know.
posted by OmieWise at 5:59 AM on October 24, 2005
posted by OmieWise at 5:59 AM on October 24, 2005
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posted by rocket88 at 11:13 AM on October 21, 2005