Book Excerpt: Nine Photos From People You'd Like to Know

Photos by Herb Wise

I love taking pictures. Maybe you can see that in the faces of the people I’ve captured in People You’d Like To Know. What pleasure walking through the grass separating multi-stage events carrying multiple cameras and searching for my two good friends: Beautiful Light and Artist Access. You can’t do much without both.

Maybe these were different times. The era of high defense was not yet upon us.

No need to span the moat of security. The line demarking “backstage” was often only a figment. You could walk up to Pete Seeger talking to Arlo Guthrie or Joni Mitchell holding hands with Jackson Browne. Now how simple is that to get a good shot?

During this swing period of American culture bluesmen influenced the music of generations with their tales of yearning. The bluegrass, country and folk artists celebrated other time. There was much about our country to be learned.

I was working for Oak Publications, the legendary New York music publisher specializing in folk, blues, country and jazz. Illustrative photos were what they were seeking for their publications, and I was chosen. It started as a chore but wound up a glorious experience.

What fascinating history lessons taught on a grassy field in Washington, the hills of Vermont, the clubs of New Orleans or alongside the cool waters of the St. Lawrence.

To this day there is a near-deluge of talent that appears at hundreds of festivals throughout America and Canada. You won’t know the names of all the performers but you will certainly enjoy their music, tall tales and humor.

These were different times. Or were they?

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