Jim McGuire has been photographing the country music world for 35 years. There's a great collection of his stuff currently touring museums around the US. You don't have to be a country music fan to admire the way he captures the spirit of his subjects. Click here to see "The Nashville Portraits." Click on the photos to read captions.
When the Opry abandoned the old Ryman Auditorium in 1974, McGuire spent several months shooting the final performances there, and those photos have been collected in a book, Historic Photos of the Opry. It's a fascinating document of a particular moment in country music, and I was amazed at the way it took me back to the Nashville of my childhood. I did an interview with McGuire about the book, which you can read here.
2 comments:
I too remember, years ago, hanging in the windows at the back of the Ryman and hearing Tex Ritter sing "Just a Touch of Gray." The windows were left open because there was no air conditioning in the building, only church fans. It was also possible to sneak in the back door to the stage and wend one's way out into the seats. There will never be another show like the old Opry at the Ryman. Don't get me started about it.
Bozo, I wish the publishers would put some of the photos up on their website. You would love seeing them. The book should be out in the stores pretty soon, so take a look if you get a chance.
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