January 23, 2017
If you asked me about the top ten shows that I have seen and photographed, this would be one of them, The Hunter Ronson Band at the Uptown Theater on April 18, 1975.
Ian Hunter was from Mott the Hoople and Mick Ronson was from David Bowie's band. It was a great, great show and Ian talked about it last time he was in Milwaukee.
I did blog #43 on this show way back on January 11, 2013. Since then, I have wanted to play with the photos some more and add a few more shots.
I have always loved Mick Ronson's shirt and it makes for a great photo.
Thanks,
Rich Zimmermann
January 17, 2017
Wow!! Blog #1 was on February 26, 2012, with an effort to scan my rock'n' roll and racing photography. Here we are at blog #250 and still scanning negatives and slides of mine for you.
Hope you all enjoy it. Something interesting things have happened along the way. Just this past year, photos of mine were published in Jeff Beck's book, "Beck01"!
Today's blog is on Bryan Lee at UW Oshkosh on September 4, 1972, when he opened a show for REO Speedwagon. No stage was made other than getting a flatbed trailer from someone's truck. It was primitive and small, but it worked.
Bryan Lee is called "The Braille Blues Daddy", because he has been legally blind since age eight. He is a Wisconsin boy born in Two Rivers, Wisconsin on March 16, 1943. In the 1980's he made New Orleans his home and continues playing and touring today from there.
A little bit B.B. King, Buddy Guy, a touch of Luther Allison and you have Bryan Lee. He's a great musician who I'd like to see again sometime soon.
Enjoy a look at some old photos of young blues man, Bryan Lee.
Thanks,
Rich Zimmermann
Bryan Lee at UW Oshkosh on September 4, 1972.
January 9, 2017
Hi everyone and Happy New Year! Been a little under the weather here do to a little procedure and subsequent infection. Sucks getting old and as my Dad used to say, getting old ain't for sissies! Boy was he right!
A new friend expressed some interest in my Little Feat photos from the Oriental Theater here in Milwaukee on April 27, 1977. It was an awesome show and my blog #56 on 4-15-2013 was about them and that show.
I have rescanned the photos and worked on them a bit and here ya go! New technology helps a lot but this is some old film that I could work on forever!
Enjoy another look at Lowell George. He was one of the best slide guitar players ever and a great writer. I have heard that he taught Bonnie Raitt how to play slide guitar.
Thanks,
Rich Zimmermann
November 21, 2016
It finally feels like winter here in Wisconsin! Thursday it was 70F and Friday was warm in the morning but then it changed quickly. Saturday we woke up to snow flurries and a bit of snow on the ground.
Winter is coming and so are the Rich Zimmermann Photography 2017 8 X 11 Rock'n Roll Calendars!!!!!!
For 2017's calendar I went with the birthdays of musicians to pick out each months photo like last year.
The cover is Frank Beard of Z Z Top and his amazing drum kit. Again David Bowie is our January pick because we have so many Bowie lovers, including myself!!
February-Don Everly of the Everly Brothers
March-Rory Gallager
April-Peter Frampton
May-Mick Ronson-From his Ian Hunter tour
June-Jeff Beck-From 1972!!
July-Roger McGuinn of The Byrds
August-Madonna
September-Roger Waters-Pink Floyd
October-Elvin Bishop
November-Joe Walsh
December-Jim Messina-Loggins and Messina 1973
Attached are the photos for a preview for you. No watermarks will be on the calendar prints of course.
I think you will all love it for yourself or for a Christmas gift for someone!
They are $30.00 each and $6.00 for shipping. Again, they are printed by Shutterfly who prints on a heavy stock that makes the prints suitable for framing when the month is over. They really do an awesome job I think and everyone loves them based on the comments I received about the 2016 calendar.
Email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to place your order and we can get you a calendar before Christmas no problem.
Thanks,
Rich Zimmermann
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October 3, 1980
The Eagles started out as Linda Ronstadt's band and became a huge arena and large stadium packing band.
Hotel California was probably their biggest and most successful song and album.
The little backup band by 1980 was huge. Many guitars and Joe Walsh were added along with Timothy B. Schmidt from Poco.
My blog last week was about the Eagles of 1975 and here is the 1980 lineup. It has less banjo and more electric guitars.
This little band from California had now become one of the biggest bands ever. I think that they were the biggest band around until Fleetwood Mac with Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham came along.
Enjoy a look back at 1980.
Thanks,
Rich Zimmermann
September 26, 2016
In 1975, the Eagles did a stadium tour in the United States with the Rolling Stones and Rufus with Chaka Kahn.
It was a very hot day in June when they played Milwaukee County Stadium.
The crowd was huge and the place was packed.
The backstage area had Winnebago recreational vehicles for dressing rooms and lounges for the bands and crew.
Enjoy a look back to a hot summer day like today here in Milwaukee!
Thanks,
Rich Zimmermann
The Eagles in 1975 at Milwaukee County Stadium with the Rolling Stones.
August 15, 2016
On April 30th in 1972 I was hired by The Bugle American newspaper to photograph the Byrds at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Accompanied by Columbia Records executive, John Hagar I had a night I would never forget!
Backstage I got to meet the band before the show and Roger McGuinn didn't want any photos taken during the show.
Guitar player Clarence White was sitting on a church table and said to Roger to let the kid (I was 18 years old) take some photographs.
Clarence was so nice to me and we talked a bit.
The photos here show Clarence playing his B Bender guitar that now is played by Marty Stuart. I recognized the guitar years later when I was photographing Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives at Summerfest.
The stickers of Frankfurt and Nudie on the guitar helped me recognize the legendary guitar with amazing sound. Clarence you see, invented the B Bender and this is the first one of many to come.
My first blog was on this guitar and Clarence. Enjoy a revisit of Blog #1 with some added photos.
Thanks,
Rich Zimmermann
