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 regardless of what genre you choose, album art has become more than just an industry term, but a full-grown medium. While software such as Photoshop has enabled today's designer to make vinyl album covers that challenge tradition, they owe a debt of gratitude to those that initiated the form.

In the 1960s, one of these men, Henry Diltz, almost redefined the process. Catapulting rock vinyl beyond just a mere auditory medium, Diltz began his foray into the music industry as a founding member of the Modern Folk Quartet. However, he soon gravitated toward photography. He soon started photographing the flourishing act after meeting the Monkees and sitting on some recording sessions. As his portfolio expanded, so did his reputation. He was named 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 shot over 80 covers of rock vinyl albums. Of those, a lot have been really career defining. His credits include the Doors' "Morrison Hotel," Crosby, Stills and Nash's eponymous debut effort and Stephen Still's self-named solo debut. His work on these timeless rock vinyl masterpieces has put Diltz 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.

Today, Diltz is still up to his old tricks. His images of current acts such as Pearl Jam, Henry Rollins and Korn have captured the rage of a new generation of rockers. As Glenn Frey of the Eagles once defined Diltz's work, "This is not history. This is evidence!"