John R. Rowlands has been photographing music and movie celebrities since 1960. As one of the very first dedicated music photographers in a blooming record industry his goals were personal and then turned corporate. His first paid job was with Brenda Lee and after looking at his prints her management sent him his first check for $35. In 1960 an ounce of gold was worth $32.

The Brenda Lee work led to shoots with Sam Cooke, Bobby Vee, Duane Eddy and then the British Invasion with acts like Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Dave Clark Five, The Rolling Stones and in 1965 and 1966, The Beatles.

His work was noticed by record companies, management firms, magazines, newspapers and the artists themselves and by the late 60s he was shooting several jobs a week and starting to travel the world with and for these icons of musical youth.

His 48 years in the business has taken him around the world, accomplished 110 Album/CD covers and allowed him to work with almost everyone of note in pop/rock music through five decades. Worldwide magazines and trade papers have featured his work from London to Hong Kong, and from highway billboards to point of sale posters, his work has stayed in the public eye to this day.

In 1981 his book SPOTLIGHT HEROES was published by McGraw-Hill and showed a small collection of his first two decades of stage and industry photography. Currently he is working on several coffee table book concepts in hopes of having a new product in the book stores around the world by 2010, his 50th Anniversary of working in the music industry.

J. R. Rowlands has always been an industry photographer working behind the scenes for every major record company in the world, leading magazines, radio and television networks and other associated clients. As such he now has a body of work from those shots he still owns and controls that in most cases have never before been seen by the public.  Some of the artists he has worked with over the years include:  David Bowie, The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Dick Van Dyke, 4 tours with the Rolling Stones, Jefferson Airplane, Diana Ross, Eric Clapton, KISS, Madonna, Michael Jackson, The Police, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, The Grateful Dead, Blondie, Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Peter Gabriel, Ike and Tina Turner, The Who, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Alice Cooper, B.B. King, Sly and the Family Stone, Billy Joel, Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Lucinda Williams, Emylou Harris, Willie Nelson, Donna Summers, Stevie Wonder, Queen Latifah, Natalie Cole, Carlos Santana, Steve Tyrell, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Barry Manilow, The Beach Boys, Journey, Cat Stevens, Dr. John, Leonard Cohen, Prince and many more.  

 

Website : http://www.spotlightheroes.com/

Press :

·        Article 1

·        Article 2

  •