15 Mesmerizing Photos That Capture The Spirit Of Aging Musicians

15 Mesmerizing Photos That Capture The Spirit Of Aging Musicians

About five years ago, photographer Leland Bobbé, 66, went to a New York City club to hear a friend's band and spotted what he describes as "this cool looking guy with great long gray hair in the audience." As soon as he saw him, he knew he wanted to shoot a portrait of him.

The man turned out to be a guitar player named Al Maddy. Bobbé shot him and then revisited the photo on his computer last year -- wondering what it would look like in black and white. "I did the conversion and liked it so much I thought it would be something to pursue as a project," Bobbé said. "Musicians 50+ in black and white."

He hadn’t done anything in black and white since his New York City street photography from the 1970s, he told The Huffington Post.

Bobbé is an ex-musician with many close friends from that world. The photos were shot over the past year in his New York studio.

Bobbe's work has previously been featured in The New York Times and The Huffington Post.

"My intention was to take real and honest portraits of musicians close to my age who still play music. I find that older people's faces have much more character than younger people’s do. They have lived and it shows," Bobbé told The Huffington Post.

On a personal note, he added, "This project has connected my past as a musician and my present as a photographer."

Simply beautiful.

Al Maddy
Leland Bobbé
This portrait of guitarist Al Maddy was originally shot in color, and then converted to B&W.
Annie Golden
Leland Bobbé
Singer/actress Annie Golden currently appears on "Orange is the New Black," and she just won a SAG award.
Binky Phillips
Leland Bobbé
Binky Phillips is lead guitarist and songwriter from the legendary NYC band The Planets.
Carmine Appice
Leland Bobbé
Carmine Appice was the drummer in The Vanilla Fudge. He has been credited with influencing every hard rock drummer that came after him including John Bonham from Led Zeppelin.
Cheetah Chrome
Leland Bobbé
Cheetah Chrome is a guitar player and songwriter from The Dead Boys, one of the original punk bands.
Gene Cornish
Leland Bobbé
Gene Cornish is the guitar player and singer from the Young Rascals/Rascals and is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
John Berenzy
Leland Bobbé
John Berenzy is a singer, songwriter, poet and guitar player who toured Europe with Willy Deville. He has recorded with Garth Hudson from The Band.
John Bruschini
Leland Bobbé
John Bruschini is a jazz guitarist who had a long tenure with jazz giant Cecil Taylor.
Jojo Mayer
Leland Bobbé
Jojo Mayer is a drummer extraordinaire who currently has a band called Nerve.
Kenny Aaronson
Leland Bobbé
Bass player Kenny Aaronson has played with Bob Dylan, Billy Idol, Joan Jett, and many others.
Lenny Kaye
Leland Bobbé
Lenny Kaye has been playing guitar with Patti Smith from day one.
Liberty DeVitto
Leland Bobbé
Liberty DeVitto was Billy Joel's drummer for 30 years.
Ricky Byrd
Leland Bobbé
Guitarist Ricky Byrd is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Joan Jett And The Blackhearts.
Rob Duncan
Leland Bobbé
Rob Duncan is a keyboard player/songwriter/producer living and working in NYC.
Walter Lure
Leland Bobbé
Walter Lure was a guitar player with The Heartbreakers. He now has a band called the Waldos.

A previous version of this story incorrectly spelled the name of John Bonham. It has been corrected.

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot