Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, at Summerfest's, Schlitz Country stage in 1972.

April 20, 2015

This week we look at the legend, Curtis Mayfield, who I photographed at Summerfest in 1973.

It's always fun to look at Summerfest's Main Stage on the grass hill here, where the speakers were held together with rope!

His bass player is shown here, throwing his guitar in the air while playing! Anybody remember his name?

Curtis, had a remarkable career, but had a very tough life. In 1990, at a show in New York, some lighting equipment fell on him, paralyzing him from the neck down.

This, did not stop him from writing songs! He would compose, sing and record while on his back!

Famous for being in The Impressions and doing soundtracks for movies like Shaft, he had a great career through a lot of hardship. He lost a leg due to diabetes and finally died from complications of the disease in 1999.

He had his own record label Curtom, and a recording studio, in Chicago for many years.

I will always remember him for his famous song, Superfly!

Miss you Curtis.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

Curtis Mayfield, at Summerfest in 1973.

April 13, 2015

Lately, I have featured some blogs from photographs that I have found, lost in a closet in the house here.

Today, I am featuring Willy Porter and his band from Summerfest in 2009. I found them lost in my digital closet here on the computer! They were in with a bunch of bands from Summerfest in 2009.

At Summerfest, I always try to photograph just about everyone I come across while I am there.

Sorry Willy, you, Carmen, and the band, have been lost for a while! Too many shows photographed at Summerfest by yours truly in 2009!

Willy Porter and Carmen Nickerson are one of Milwaukee's top music artists. Milwaukee is very fortunate to have such quality performers that tour nationally.

I didn't know about Willy, until I was at a gallery opening with my photographs in Minneapolis years ago. Willy and the band were playing in Minneapolis and a friend said that one of Milwaukee's top acts was in town that night. Sorry again Willy, I didn't know who you were!!

You and Carmen are exceptionally talented musicians that need more exposure and shouldn't be lost in a closet!!

So, everyone, enjoy some photographs of Willy, Carmen, and the band, from 2009 and get out there to see them sometime soon.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

March 23, 2015

These photographs are from a few things that I have found in my closet lately!

Good seeing Steve Miller playing a beautiful and rare vintage Ibanez Artist 2623 guitar!

This period of Summerfest, was when the good old mainstage existed with the two big top tents and grass in front of the stage. It was a good time, except when it rained and turned Summerfest into Mudfest!

Steve Miller, on this particular evening was awesome and his band with Norton Buffalo was so good to listen to. The added benefit of Leslie West coming out to play was a great surprise.

Some of these images are not in the best of shape and if you know me, I don't Photoshop until purchased, due to theft on the web of my images. They are still good to look at to see Norton Buffalo, Steve Miller and Leslie West rockin' and rollin'.  I could listen to Norton Buffalo all day long!  If you don't know who Norton Buffalo is, he is pictured here in the first photo. He is a great harmonica player and a great all around musician.

Enjoy and let me know if you were there!

Please join me on Facebook at Rich Zimmermann Photography if you haven't already.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

February 9, 2014

During Summerfest 1974 in Milwaukee, I had the pleasure of being included in an interview with Melanie for the media. I was there representing the Bugle American newspaper.

Melanie, was very nice and a pleasure to be around. The interview was right before her show and the crowd loved her performance on that summer evening. 

She was not your usual rock star and that was nice. She had fun with the crowd that night.

Both of her parents helped her in her musical career and she started performing at the age of four! Performing at Woodstock and a lot of other festivals through the years, she retreated from the spotlight shortly after Summerfest to start a family.

Enjoy a look back into 1974.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

Melanie, at Summerfest in 1974.

January 5, 2015

Happy New Year to everyone! Hope you all had a nice Christmas and New Years with family and friends.

This week's blog features my friend Ed Sison who was the drummer for the band Truc, and of course my favorite local band The Ox.

My photos here are of Truc at Summerfest in 1972 on the main stage opening up the show for Jerry Lee Lewis.

Enjoy, and I hope you got one of my WMSE/Rich Zimmermann 2015 calendars! If not, message me and we can take care of that.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

November 24, 2014

Just found some old negatives of B. B. King at Summerfest in 1972.

What can I say but he is the master of the blues and he is dressed sharp!

Always interesting to look at the old Main Stage at Summerfest in 1972.

Enjoy some old images of a young B. B. King.

Have a great week.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

July 14, 2014

Last weeks blog, was on the Babe Ruth Band at Summerfest on June 28th, 2014.

After looking at all the photos that I took, I had to share some more with you. So, enjoy 12 more images of a very fun night and let's hope they come back soon to do it all again!

I didn't mention that the Babe Ruth song, "The Mexican", has been sampled and enjoyed by the break dancing community. One of my photos last week, showed one of the break dancers on stage with Alan Shacklock's son playing DJ behind him.  Very cool stuff!

Have a great week and please join my Facebook page Rich Zimmermann Photography if you haven't already.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann