Rare Photos By King: Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart at the Salt Palace in 1984

Heart opened for The Rolling Stones in Boulder, Colo., in 1981 - Photo © 1981 Richard King
Heart opened for The Rolling Stones in Boulder, Colo., in 1981 - Photo © 1981 Richard King

By RICHARD KING

I first saw Heart on the Dreamboat Annie tour in 1976. I was 17. They played a small hall in Salt Lake called The Terrace Ballroom. It held about 1000 people.

It was my second concert. Boston opened for Heart. I had no idea who Boston were, my friend Kent would say “You know, Boston. ‘More Than A Feeling?’” still I had never heard of them.

Ann Wilson of Heart - Photo © 1981 Richard King
Ann Wilson of Heart – Photo © 1981 Richard King

Heart was the first group I liked that had any women in it. Up until then it was all British bands (Deep Purple, Zeppelin, UFO) and Alice Cooper (!). It seems like most people first heard them when “Barracuda” came out on their second album Little Queen but I really liked Dreamboat Annie, still do.

Nancy Wilson of Heart - Photo © 1981 Richard King
Nancy Wilson of Heart – Photo © 1981 Richard King

It wasn’t until five years later that I would get my first pictures of Heart. It was when they were opening for The Rolling Stones in Boulder, Colorado in 1981. It was the first time I had been in a crowd of 60,000 and my shots were kind of far away.

Ann Wilson of Heart - Photo © 1981 Richard King
Ann Wilson of Heart – Photo © 1981 Richard King

The next time I saw them was in Jan. ’84 and I was up front. I got some pretty good shots here and got to meet the drummer, Denny Carmassi after the show.

I have seen Heart several times since then and will happily go see them again.