There have been many great photographers in the rock era. However, few have crossed over into the world of performing and beyond.
Lynn Goldsmith is that rare exception. Possibly best known for her iconic photography of rock legends during the 1970s, her work has appeared in Life, Newsweek, Time, Rolling Stone, Sports Illustrated, People, Elle, Interview, US and others. She has also worked on numerous album covers, including discs by Frank Zappa, Bryan Adams and The Waterboys, and has eight books to her credit, with a new volume due in 2007.
However, that is barely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Goldsmith’s accomplishments. She is also a member of the Directors Guild of America, having directed ABC-TV’s “In Concert” during the ’70s and numerous other projects. Perhaps more importantly, when it comes to her music photography, she has also been a recording artist since the age of 12. She first came to the public’s attention with the song “Walk Right Back,” a 1963 hit for folk group The Rooftop Singers, before moving on to harder rock.
“Actually, I think I got Iggy Pop into his first rock ‘n’ roll band, and he got me into mine,” she said with a laugh. “I was in a band during college called the Walking Wounded, and we did get to do some cool stuff ” like open for Jimi Hendrix.”
In the ’80s, she signed with Island Records under the name Will Powers as the first optic-music artist, combining her love of visuals and sound. Writing music on her own as well as alongside Sting, Steve Winwood, Todd Rundgren and Nile Rogers, her debut album called “Dancing For Mental Health” won critical acclaim, with the single “Kissing With Confidence” reaching No. 3 on the British charts.
While the Will Powers project continues, for the moment Goldsmith is concentrating on her photographic work.
As a native of Detroit, she was always close to music, even as a youngster, with neighbors that included a pre-fame Aretha Franklin and George Clinton. Her biggest influence, however, was much closer to home.
“My father was a very serious, amateur photographer,” Goldsmith said. “I think when you’re very little and you are with your dad in a darkroom and he’s taken your picture and then you see your face come up through the chemicals in the tray, it’s like magic. And what’s more attractive to a child than magic?”
On Nov. 4, The Morrison Hotel Gallery will host the opening of an exhibit of Goldsmith’s work, scheduled to run through Nov. 26. Though she has held numerous exhibitions in her career (with only 20 of each photograph created), each show is special.
“For this event, I thought about how different images work together “¦ everything from colors to the fact that the exhibit is in California,” she said.
Goldsmith cited an image of James Taylor as having captured the right elements for a West Coast show despite its East Coast origins.
“I took it in Martha’s Vineyard,” she said. “James put a hat on and we were playing in the ocean. I took a photo as all the water came out of the hat onto his head. That image reminded me of the light feeling of California and the colors, so it’s something I felt should be included. Additionally, I also wanted to make sure that images that had become iconic, such as Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, [were included].”
While Goldsmith enjoys performing music, photography holds the most important place in her life.
“There is a connection between the two mediums,” she said. “It’s just that I felt I really didn’t want to be on the road playing the same songs all the time. The only reason that I did Will Powers is because I thought that I finally had an idea that nobody was doing.
“I’m more interested in my path of enlightenment than I am in my success, whether it’s as a photographer or a musician. But with a camera, I traveled into a different universe. For example, not only did I get to meet all different kinds of musicians, but I also went with Muhammad Ali to Zaire in 1972, and that was an incredible experience. And the camera has been a passport to everything for me.”
An opening reception for “The Photography of Lynn Goldsmith” will be held Nov. 4 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Morrison Hotel Gallery, 1230 Prospect St. For information, visit www.morisonhotelgallery.com or call (858) 551-0835.