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Sun, Surf, Rock Stars

©Henry Diltz/Morrison Hotel Gallery.

 

©Henry Diltz/Morrison Hotel Gallery.
Credit ©Henry Diltz/Morrison Hotel Gallery.
Photographer Henry Diltz, who studied psychology at the University of Hawaii in the late '60's and says he got his start here. That's because he visited a small hip spot near the edge of Waikiki, Greensleeves Coffehouse, joined a singing group there, and began touring with them as the Modern Folk Quartet. Through that group he met James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Stephen Stills and the others whose photographs became his career.

 Hawai‘i is a paradise for photographers and the range and quality of photographs available here is very high.  Now there’s a perhaps unexpected genre joining the offerings on Maui: limited edition, signed prints of famous musicians. HPR’sNoeTanigawa reports the quality of the images sets them apart. 

©Henry Diltz/Morrison Hotel Gallery.
Credit ©Henry Diltz/Morrison Hotel Gallery.
Keith Richards and Ron Wood in one of the candids Henry Diltz is famous for.

  The Morrison Hotel Galleryopens Thursday, June 30th, at Mick Fleetwood’s General Store in Lahaina with a special reception and glimpse “Behind the Lens” with Henry Diltz.  

“I don’t like when they say, “Rock’n Roll photos!  Legends of Rock!” Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, I don’t think of them as rock so much, as really great Americana music.”

Henry Diltz shot the cover photo for James Taylor’s Sweet Baby James album, and many more.  He did the iconic shot of David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash on that couch, the cover shot of their first release, circa 1969.  Diltz has shot Hendrix, Springsteen, Michael, McCartney, Dylan, he’s known for capturing insightful moments with superstars.

“I don’t wade into the scene with my cameras flashing!  No, I walk in very quietly because sometimes I 

Fleetwood's General Store.
Credit Fleetwood's General Store.
Mick Fleetwood, of Fleetwood Mac, proprietor of Fleetwood's General Store which he opened in 2014 on Front Street, Lahaina, Maui.

  compare myself to Jane Goodall who would sit and quietly observe the chimps and make notes, but not want to interact with them because it would change what they were doing.”

Diltz shot the cover of the Doors’ Morrison Hotel album, that’s the shot that lends its name to the photo gallery.  The Morrison Hotel Gallery’s offerings now span the 50’s to the present, from Sinatra to Nirvana, Prince and Beyonce.

“With a hundred twenty five photographers there’s a wide range, all kinds of music.”

Diltz knew Hawai‘i from going to UH in the 1960’s, so with outposts in Soho and West Hollywood, Diltz says Maui was a natural.

“Ten, twelve years ago, several people came in and said you know where you should be, Lahaina Maui, because the most art in the world is sold in New York, Paris, and Lahaina Maui.”

When a partnership with musician Mick Fleetwood came up, it was a natural.  Fleetwood first came to the islands in the 70’s with Fleetwood Mac, and has been living on Maui since 2000.  Two years ago he opened Fleetwood’s General Store in Lahaina.  

Fleetwood reminisces:  “Back in the day, Front Street, Lahaina, a lot more people actually lived on Front Street, actually lived there, there were green grocers, and there were loads of different clubs.  The Blue Max on Front Street became very famous.  Legendary people used to go and sit in and hang.”

The Blue Max epitomized Hawai‘i’s flair for casual hipness, Maui was wowee, attracting Kenny Loggins, Boz Scaggs, Elvin Bishop, George Benson, Steely Dan, et al, and one huge night in 1977, Elton John closed down the town with a concert in the Blue Max.

“Back in the crazy days, yes it was crazy, but it was a scene!  That’s sort of dissipated so I like to think we’re putting a little sparkle back on Front Street.”

The General Store is full of Fleetwood Mac memorabilia, the Morrison Hotel Gallery will expand on that theme.  Leigh Weiner’s shots of Johnny Cash, other shots of Sinatra, Miles Davis, and others, reveal as much about the artists as their music does.  Fleetwood's General Store has a restaurant too, with live music every night, says Fleetwood.  Frequently jam sessions evolve  with Willie K, maybe Michael McDonald, maybe the guys from Nickelback, or Steven Tyler, who has been doing a regular new year's gig with Fleetwood.   Photographer Henry Diltz;

”I’m a student of human nature.  I said I was studying psychology at the University of Hawai‘i, and I’m just interested in people and what makes them tick.”

If that interests you, check the Morrison Hotel Galleryphoto of Mick Jagger belting through a rainstorm in Dallas, 1981.

©Henry Diltz/Morrison Hotel Gallery.
Credit ©Henry Diltz/Morrison Hotel Gallery.
Henry Diltz photographed David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash on that couch in LA, the cover shot of their first release, circa 1969.

Morrison Hotel Gallery and Fleetwood's General Store Maui Present

Morrison Hotel Gallery Grand Opening and 

Behind The Lens with Henry Diltz

Thursday, June 30th

8 PM

Club Keller at Fleetwood's on Front Street

744 Front Street

Lahaina, Maui

www.fleetwoodsonfrontst.com

https://www.morrisonhotelgallery.com/slideshow.aspx

Noe Tanigawa covered art, culture and ideas for two decades at Hawaiʻi Public Radio.
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