Rock Photog Henry Diltz Gets Exhibit at Carlsbad’s Museum of Making Music

CARLSBAD, Calif. – NAMM’s Museum of Making Music will host the exhibit “Listening Through the Lens: The Music Photography of Henry Diltz” June 9 through Oct. 28.

“Music is such a huge part of so many people’s lives,” Diltz said. “It is a love we all share and I am so happy to be able to bring these amazing moments of our common musical history to visitors at The Museum of Making Music. They are memorable images that I was privileged to capture.”

Henry Diltz photo by Paul Zollo
Henry Diltz photo by Paul Zollo

Listening Through the Lens: The Music Photography of Henry Diltz will present a visual journey of some of music’s most notable figures photographed in candid and unguarded moments.

The 18-photo special exhibition includes scenes with Joni Mitchell, Jim Morrison, Neil Young, and more, as well as an invitation to visitors to consider how the photos elicit their own experiences with the music and environments in which the photographs were shot.

A new, one-on-one interview with Henry Diltz will loop throughout the day and explore his work as a photographer and a musician in his own words.

“The exhibition explores the connections between music and photography and the ways in which sight and sound contribute to one’s own memories of musical artists,” said Carolyn Grant, executive director of the Museum of Making Music. “We’re so pleased to share this illuminating exhibit with our many visitors and honored to highlight the work of one of the most influential photographers of our time.”

Joni Mitchell - Photo by Henry Diltz
Joni Mitchell – Photo by Henry Diltz

Diltz has captured  some of the most memorable and iconic LP covers, including James Taylor’s Sweet Baby James album and the cover of The Eagles’ double Platinum studio album Desperado. His work at Woodstock, The Monterey Pop Festival and Miami Music Festivals and as the photographer for over 200 album covers, provides a visual guide to some of the most popular music of the late

Still working more than 50 years later, Diltz is also the co-founder of the Morrison Hotel Gallery (Los Angeles, Maui, New York).

In addition to the new exhibition, visitors can also access the museum’s additional galleries, which feature a variety of displays of musical instruments, industry innovations, manufacturing techniques, and the opportunity to play instruments from the early 1900s to present day.

Henry Diltz photo of Neil Young
Neil Young by Henry Diltz

Upcoming Museum of Making Music events include a variety of artist performances; a celebration of Make Music Day, June 21 with the Earth Harp – the longest stringed instrument in the world, as well as an August 25 bluegrass fundraising benefit featuring The Grascals and Flatt Lonesome. Tickets can be purchased here. For details on the museum’s concerts, exhibits, workshops, and outreach programs, please visit https://www.museumofmakingmusic.org/.