Listening through the Lens: The Music Photography of Henry Diltz to Open at NAMM’s Museum of Making Music

Legendary music photographer Henry Diltz has captured some of the most iconic images of the last four decades, and now the famed documentarian is sharing his love of music and photography with visitors to NAMM’s Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad, CA. The new exhibit, Listening Through the Lens: The Music Photography of Henry Diltz, will open Saturday, June 9, with a special VIP member reception, and will be on display for all visitors through October 28.

“Music is such a huge part of so many people’s lives,” shared Diltz. “It is a love we all share and I am so happy to be able to bring these amazing moments of our common musical history to visitors at The Museum of Making Music. They are memorable images that I was privileged to capture.”

Listening Through the Lens: The Music Photography of Henry Diltz will present a visual journey of some of music’s most notable figures photographed in candid and unguarded moments. The 18-photo special exhibition includes scenes with Joni Mitchell, Jim Morrison, Neil Young, and more, as well as an invitation to visitors to consider how the photos elicit their own experiences with the music and environments in which the photographs were shot. Also part of the gallery: a brand-new, one-on-one interview with Henry Diltz that will loop throughout the day and explore his work as a photographer and a musician in his own words; and a feedback station will invite visitors to reflect upon and write down their own experiences in a way that can be enjoyed by others who attend the museum.

“The exhibition explores the connections between music and photography and the ways in which sight and sound contribute to one’s own memories of musical artists,” says Carolyn Grant, Executive Director of the Museum of Making Music. “And, it celebrates the pivotal role of the iconic musician within the intricate ecosystem of music making; not as a culmination of the music making process, but as an element within the vast landscape of our own experience. We’re so pleased to share this illuminating exhibit with our many visitors and honored to highlight the work of one of the most influential photographers of our time.”

From his earliest days on tour with his band, the Modern Folk Quartet, to album covers for mass production, his knack for framing the perfect shot – and his friendships with other musicians – has led to unprecedented access to the artists behind the music. Diltz has captured some of the most memorable and iconic LP covers, including James Taylor’s Sweet Baby James album and the cover of The Eagles’ double Platinum studio album Desperado. His work at Woodstock, The Monterey Pop Festival and Miami Music Festivals and as the photographer for over 200 album covers, provides a visual guide to some of the most popular music of the late1960s and 1970s, and the cultural shifts happening during these tumultuous times. Still working more than 50 years later, Diltz is also the Co-Founder of the Morrison Hotel Gallery(Los Angeles, Maui, New York.

In addition to the new exhibition, visitors can also access the museum’s additional galleries, which feature a variety of displays of musical instruments, industry innovations, manufacturing techniques, and the opportunity to play instruments from the early 1900s to present day.

Upcoming Museum of Making Music events include a variety of artist performances; a celebration of Make Music Day, June 21 with the Earth Harp– the longest stringed instrument in the world, as well as an August 25 Bluegrass fundraising benefit featuring The Grascals and Flatt Lonesome. For details on the museum’s concerts, exhibits, workshops, and outreach programs, please visit https://www.museumofmakingmusic.org/.