MUSICIANS
Photographs by Michael Hyatt
One of my earliest and most favorite subjects to photograph
was musicians. While a student at Moorpark College in California in 1969 I
photographed the anti-war movement and the folksingers around campus, including
Dan Wheetman, now a famous producer of musicals and member of the band Marley’s
Ghost. During my trip to Ireland I photographed The Boy Scouts following their
performance at an anti-nuclear demonstration (see Ireland portfolio). Upon
my return to Los Angeles I began photographing The Plugz, one of Hollywood’s
seminal punk rock bands. Around that time, new wave stars The B-52s came to
town and signed LPs at Tower Records. Up and coming in the New Traditionalist
Movement was Dwight Yoakum, seen here with band-mates rehearsing backstage
at McCabes Guitar Shop. The folk music leanings of members of X, plus Dave
Alvin and Johnny Ray Bartel were captured by The Knitters prior to their opening
set for John Prine. The day I made the portrait of The PLugz in 1980 I got to see Los Lobos on
the bill at the Olympic Auditorium. Then in 1983 I was there when they
opened for The Clash at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. That night they
learned that they'd been nominated for their first Grammy Award, which they
ultimately won. Folk and bluegrass legend Doc Watson sat for this portrait
in Tucson in 2003.
Email Michael for more info.
SAMPLE PHOTOS

The Plugz - Olympic Auditorium Los Angeles 1980
B52s - Tower Records Hollywood 1980
X - Billy, Exene, DJ & John Los Angeles 1981

Phil and Dave Alvin, The Palace Los Angeles 1982
Dwight Yoakam, J.D. Foster & Pete Anderson Santa Monica, CA 1984
The Knitters Hollywood 1985
Merle Haggard Tucson 1992
Exene & the Original Sinners in Ghost Room 234 Hotel Congress, Tucson 2002

Doc Watson, Songwriter Tucson 2003
Tom Russell, Songwriter Hotel Congress, Tucson 2003
Los Lobos Santa Monica Civic Auditorium 1983
Top Jimmy @ The Whisky Hollywood 1981
Steve Berlin Los Angeles 1981
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