Although Henry Diltz was making a reasonable living for himself playing banjo in the Modern Folk Quartet in the 60s, recording albums for Warner Brothers, which were produced by Phil Spector and Jack Nitzsche, it was the spontaneous acquisition of a camera which changed his life forever.
Hanging out with and photographing his musician friends such as Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Joni Mitchell and The Doors, Henry was inadvertently documenting the rise of the American west coast music scene in the late 60s into the 70s. From shooting iconic album covers such as The Doors’ Morrison Hotel, James Taylor’s Sweet Baby James, Crosby, Stills and Nash’s debut album, and The Eagles Desperado, to being the official photographer at Woodstock, the rest of the world was viewing this idyllic Californian lifestyle through the eyes of Henry Diltz.
At the 2018 NAMM Show, Australian Musician editor Greg Phillips had the opportunity to sit down with the legendary American folk musician and rock music photographer to discuss his amazing life.
Many of Henry’s iconic photos can be viewed and purchased from the Morrison Hotel Gallery, either online or in person at galleries in Los Angeles, New York and Maui.