Jimi Hendrix - Alan Herr

Alan Herr

Alan Herr began his photographic interest in 1964 at the age of ten when he was given his first camera, a 35mm Pentax Spotmatic. A music lover, Alan began photographing performances of his favorite musical groups at age 12 in 1966. After submitting his work to Bill Graham of the Fillmore East, he was authorized as “House Photographer” at the Fillmore East and West in June of 1967 at the age of thirteen and was subsequently referred to affectionately by that elite professional group as “The Prodigy”. Photographing exclusively in color separated him from the photographic crowd very early and his works adorned the walls of the Fillmore immediately. With all-access passes to whatever shows he wished, Alan was photographing groups such as The Cream, The Who, Johnny Winter, Yes, Alice Cooper, Mountain, Jimi Hendrix and countless others. After seeing Frank Zappa in the early seventies, Alan found what would become his first musical love. Over the next fifteen years a working relationship and ultimately a friendship was formed with Zappa that inspires Alan to this day.

In the late 70’s Alan was accepted into and attended the prestigious “School of Visual Arts” in New York City working toward his goal of achieving the much prized Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Photography. Subsequently Alan was given the prized opportunity to assistant the legendary photographer Francesco Scavullo, where he honed his skills in every phase of the medium. By 1978 Alan began his commercial career photographing everything from beauty and runway to product photography and everything in between. Ranging from 35mm to 8 X 10 view cameras, no challenge was too demanding. His published photos are too numerous to mention. In 1999, Alan was approached by Paul Allen (Bill Gates’ ex partner), to sell his “Band of Gypsys” collection of Jimi Hendrix images to Mr. Allen’s “Experience Music Project” museum where Alan’s images will be displayed for generations representing that magical New Year’s Eve of 1969, the show when the “Band of Gypsys” album was recorded. His are the only color photographs in existence of that performance. Alan was only fifteen years old.

In 1982 Alan began a working relationship with the Bellette Hofmann Art Fine Gallery on Park Avenue that took him in several directions, not the least of which was the sale of fine art works by everyone from Rembrandt to Warhol as well as limited editions of his own photography. Alan ultimately became a partner in the Bellette Hofmann Fine Art Gallery that continued until Ms. Hofmann’s retirement in 1996 following the introduction and promotion of Yuriy Gorbachev, nephew of the legendary world leader Mikhail Gorbachev, the man that put an end to communism in the world as we now know it. Taking what he did from that worldwide, history making experience, Alan has continued to work with his photography as well as his now global fine arts sales skills and pursuits.