Dick Waterman

Joseph Spence, Cambridge, 1972. Copyright © Dick Waterman. All Rights Reserved.

While studying journalism at Boston University in the late 1950s, Dick Waterman began writing for Broadside magazine, where he was exposed to many different types of music of the day. By the early 1960s, he had begun to focus on traditional blues music. In 1964, Waterman, together with Nick Perls and Phil Spiro, rediscovered legendary Delta blues singer Son House living in Rochester, New York. Waterman later formed Avalon Productions, the first agency devoted exclusively to managing and promoting blues musicians.

dick waterman govinda galleryWaterman managed artists Son House, Skip James, Booker White, Mance Lipscomb, Arthur Crudup, Robert Pete Williams, John Hurt, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Luther Allison, Magic Sam and Otis Rush, and promoted concerts by Bruce Springsteen, Cat Stevens, James Taylor, Los Lobos, John Lee Hooker and many others. By the late 1960s, Waterman met Bonnie Raitt, whom he went on to manage for 15 years. Avalon Productions continues to advise the estates of many legendary blues artists. In 2000, Waterman was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. In honor of the induction, an exhibition of his photographs was presented at the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C.

Waterman’s blues photographs are published in Between Midnight and Day: The Last Unpublished Blues Archive (Insight Editions, 2004).  Govinda Gallery exhibited Dick Waterman’s work in conjunction with the publication of Between Midnight and Day in November 2003.  His work is available through Govinda Gallery.

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All images are Copyright © Dick Waterman. All Rights Reserved.

All images are Copyright © Dick Waterman. All Rights Reserved.

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