The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Rock Hall showcasing the photography of the ‘Iconic’ Barry Wolman
Rock Hall displaying the work of Rolling Stone photographer Baron Wolman
Hardly a month goes by that Rolling Stone magazine doesn’t aggrandize its rock ‘n’ roll past, whether it’s through resuscitating interest in classic rock for millennials or stirring up debate with its recently released “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” ¶ One area where the publication remains above reproach is its importance in helping break late ‘60s rock ‘n’ roll artists. One of the people responsible for playing a key role in creating that image is Rolling Stone’s first chief photographer, Baron Wolman, whose famous work adorned one magazine cover after another. ¶ Now the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is celebrating the photographer with new exhibit “Iconic: Baron Wolman Images of an Era,” which opens Oct. 18 at the downtown Cleveland venue.
“We want to recognize the important contribution of Baron Wolman, who is one of the preeminent rock photographers of all time,” said Andy Leach, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame senior director of museum & archival collections.
“He was there at kind of the perfect time to capture some of these amazing musicians. I think his photos in some ways made them icons. Some of them are so familiar — whether you’ve seen
them in print or on the cover of Rolling Stone — fans will really make a connection.”
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame exhibit includes photos of Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Tina Turner and Pete Townshend, as well as Wolman’s old Nikon camera used during the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. There’s also a slide show set up displaying his Rolling Stone magazine covers.
“There are a lot of genres,
everything from Motown, folk rock and hard rock to blues and Frank Zappa,” said Leach, who noted his favorites include an intimate color photo of Joni Mitchell at home in Laurel Canyon and a 1968 Fillmore West concert photo of Jimi Hendrix.
Due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, Wolman won’t be present for the exhibit’s debut.
“The chance to be a part of the first days of Rolling Stone came out of the blue,” said Wolman in
a news release. “It released the latent creative forces as a photographer I didn’t know I had, and working with the magazine came to define my career.
“I loved the music and the musicians and always tried to honor them and respectfully show them in the best possible light. The majority of my photographic output is music-related, although my curiosity about life led me onto many other subjects.”
Another consideration surrounding “Iconic” is how rock photography has changed over the decades.
“You don’t see photographers these days taking shots quite as intimate and dynamic as this anymore because they don’t have access that they did back then,” Leach said.
“What I hope people will take away from it is just how skilled Baron Wolman was and how he was able to kind of adapt to different situations to bring out the best in these artists — whether it was shooting them in a performance or getting them at ease in the studio or in their homes.”