Bringing together her revelatory portraits of some of the biggest names in the music industry, American Music is a collection of Annie Leibovitz’s greatest hits and the ultimate photo album for any fan. From tattooed tough-guy Eminem to angelic songstress Emmylou Harris and the velvet-voiced Mary J. Blige, the images in this intuitive, passionate volume reflect the varied nature of American song today.
Leibovitz’s entree into the world of professional picture-taking happened at Rolling Stone magazine, where she became chief photographer in 1973. Over a 10-year period she documented the music business, producing an unmatchable portfolio of work and building her own extensive archive, which is represented in the new volume along with a host of new material. With photos of Ray Charles, Steve Earle, Dolly Parton and Anita O’Day, among others, Leibovitz covers all the musical genres, and her reverence for her subject matter penetrates each and every image. (Our favorite: A youthful Bruce Springsteen, iconic in biker boots and blue jeans, eating Ritz crackers in his kitchen.) Biographical info about each musician and insightful essays written by notable artists round out the volume. By turns innocent, sexy and edgy, American Music is a landmark release in the career of one of our finest photographers.
