Photo: Ted Russell/Courtesy Govinda Gallery
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A Surprising Discovery
Ted Russell/Courtesy Govinda Gallery
It’s a rare thing to discover unpublished photographs of music icons, explains Murray, the owner of Govinda Gallery in Washington, D.C. and a longtime champion of rock photography. So when Ted Russell called Murray in 2013, and asked if he could show him his box of rare Bob Dylan photographs, Murray immediately agreed.
“Here was this gentleman who is in his mid-80s, and we sit down at the table, and he pulls out a box of old photos. Not gorgeous gallery prints, if you will. They’re just a box of photos. I looked in this box, and I said, ‘Oh my God,’ " he says. “It’s not very often that you can find an archive of unpublished photos of America’s greatest songwriter that have never been seen.”
02of 13An Unknown Folk SingerTed Russell/Courtesy Govinda GalleryIn November 1961, Bob Dylan performed at Gerde’s Folk City. After the performance, Russell asked Dylan if he could photograph him in his apartment for a photo essay about “the struggles of an up-and-coming folk singer trying to make it in New York City,” which he planned to pitch to national magazines, according to the preface inBob Dylan.Russell’s pitch toThe Saturday Evening Posteditors was a bust. While the editors were initially “enthusiastic” about the story idea, they didn’t like Dylan’s music, Russell writes.‘They were all seated around a large oak conference table, waiting to hear the records, and as soon as I played the first one, they looked dismayed, and asked me if I was playing it at the correct speed,” he explains. “I tried at 33 rpm, and then 45 rpm, and they didn’t like either.”
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An Unknown Folk Singer
In November 1961, Bob Dylan performed at Gerde’s Folk City. After the performance, Russell asked Dylan if he could photograph him in his apartment for a photo essay about “the struggles of an up-and-coming folk singer trying to make it in New York City,” which he planned to pitch to national magazines, according to the preface inBob Dylan.
Russell’s pitch toThe Saturday Evening Posteditors was a bust. While the editors were initially “enthusiastic” about the story idea, they didn’t like Dylan’s music, Russell writes.
‘They were all seated around a large oak conference table, waiting to hear the records, and as soon as I played the first one, they looked dismayed, and asked me if I was playing it at the correct speed," he explains. “I tried at 33 rpm, and then 45 rpm, and they didn’t like either.”
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The Beginning of a Long Career
“These photos show the beginning of that incredible 60-year journey of songwriting and performing and recording and entertaining,” says Murray, whose favorite image is featured on the cover of the photo book. A young Bob Dylan smiles directly at the camera. “You see the whole future of Bob Dylan in that photo,” he continues.
04of 13Just Bob DylanTed Russell/Courtesy Govinda GalleryWhen Ted Russell photographed Bob Dylan in his apartment for the first time, the musician had just moved in with his girlfriend, Suze Rotolo."[Ted] said to Bob, ‘Hey, pretend I’m not here. Just go on and do what you do as if I’m not here,’ " Murray explains of the photo shoot. “Sure enough, Bob just strummed his guitar in his bed.“Murray loves the photograph (right) of Dylan smiling. He notes that next to Dylan is a box of items he hadn’t even unpacked yet.“There were no stylists, no hair and makeup people, like there would be today,” says Murray of Russell’s “fly on the wall approach.” “It was just Ted with his camera observing Bob and shooting him.”
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Just Bob Dylan
When Ted Russell photographed Bob Dylan in his apartment for the first time, the musician had just moved in with his girlfriend, Suze Rotolo.
“[Ted] said to Bob, ‘Hey, pretend I’m not here. Just go on and do what you do as if I’m not here,’ " Murray explains of the photo shoot. “Sure enough, Bob just strummed his guitar in his bed.”
Murray loves the photograph (right) of Dylan smiling. He notes that next to Dylan is a box of items he hadn’t even unpacked yet.
“There were no stylists, no hair and makeup people, like there would be today,” says Murray of Russell’s “fly on the wall approach.” “It was just Ted with his camera observing Bob and shooting him.”
05of 13The Tom Paine AwardTed Russell/Courtesy Govinda GalleryRussell didn’t photograph Dylan again until November 1963, just a few days before President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. Both Dylan and James Baldwin attended the NECLC’s Bill of Rights Dinner, where Dylan was given the Tom Paine Award. Russell was on assignment forLIFEmagazine and photographed the two icons as they sat next to each other during the event.
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The Tom Paine Award
Russell didn’t photograph Dylan again until November 1963, just a few days before President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. Both Dylan and James Baldwin attended the NECLC’s Bill of Rights Dinner, where Dylan was given the Tom Paine Award. Russell was on assignment forLIFEmagazine and photographed the two icons as they sat next to each other during the event.
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Two Icons Meet
07of 13No Direction HomeTed Russell/Courtesy Govinda GalleryYears later, when director Martin Scorsese released his 2005 documentary about Bob Dylan’s life,No Direction Home, he featured a number of Russell’s photographs from that historic night.“It was a very significant event,” Murray explains.
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No Direction Home
Years later, when director Martin Scorsese released his 2005 documentary about Bob Dylan’s life,No Direction Home, he featured a number of Russell’s photographs from that historic night.
“It was a very significant event,” Murray explains.
08of 13The Last Photo ShootTed Russell/Courtesy Govinda GalleryRussell’s fourth — and last — photo shoot with Bob Dylan was also aLIFEassignment. In March 1964, Dylan was still living in the same Greenwich Village apartment. Russell photographed him at his typewriter, after his interview with aLIFEjournalist.“By then, [Bob Dylan] was a big, big deal. Still a folk artist. Hadn’t gone electric yet. But his songwriting had changed everything,” says Murray, who shared this never-before-published photograph (right) from the shoot with PEOPLE.
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The Last Photo Shoot
Russell’s fourth — and last — photo shoot with Bob Dylan was also aLIFEassignment. In March 1964, Dylan was still living in the same Greenwich Village apartment. Russell photographed him at his typewriter, after his interview with aLIFEjournalist.
“By then, [Bob Dylan] was a big, big deal. Still a folk artist. Hadn’t gone electric yet. But his songwriting had changed everything,” says Murray, who shared this never-before-published photograph (right) from the shoot with PEOPLE.
09of 13A Songwriter at WorkTed Russell/Courtesy Govinda Gallery"Bob turned around and started writing. He used a typewriter,” Murray continues. “I’ve never, ever seen any other photos of Bob Dylan writing, and he is our greatest musical songwriter.”
09of 13
A Songwriter at Work
“Bob turned around and started writing. He used a typewriter,” Murray continues. “I’ve never, ever seen any other photos of Bob Dylan writing, and he is our greatest musical songwriter.”
10of 13Capturing the Folk Music SceneTed Russell/Courtesy Govinda GalleryBeyond insight into the beginnings of Bob Dylan’s career, Russell’s photographs also capture the vivid folk music scene of New York City in the 1960s."[Bob Dylan] came from Hibbing, Minnesota to go to Greenwich Village,” says Murray, “because everybody knew there was this scene going on there.”
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Capturing the Folk Music Scene
Beyond insight into the beginnings of Bob Dylan’s career, Russell’s photographs also capture the vivid folk music scene of New York City in the 1960s.
“[Bob Dylan] came from Hibbing, Minnesota to go to Greenwich Village,” says Murray, “because everybody knew there was this scene going on there.”
11of 13The Sound of Social JusticeTed Russell/Courtesy Govinda GalleryBob Dylan is a longtime champion of humanitarian causes — and so is his music.“People were interested in ideas like peace, social justice,” Murray says of Bob Dylan’s connection to the cultural movement of the 1960s. “While Ted was photographing Bob during those three years, Bob wrote ‘Blowin’ in the Wind.’ He wrote ‘The Times They Are a-Changin’. So those photos reveal the environment, if you will, in Greenwich Village. The photos of him in Gerde’s Folk City, where he’s performing and singing these songs, this was the heart of the folk music movement. Bob was part of it.”
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The Sound of Social Justice
Bob Dylan is a longtime champion of humanitarian causes — and so is his music.
“People were interested in ideas like peace, social justice,” Murray says of Bob Dylan’s connection to the cultural movement of the 1960s. “While Ted was photographing Bob during those three years, Bob wrote ‘Blowin’ in the Wind.’ He wrote ‘The Times They Are a-Changin’. So those photos reveal the environment, if you will, in Greenwich Village. The photos of him in Gerde’s Folk City, where he’s performing and singing these songs, this was the heart of the folk music movement. Bob was part of it.”
12of 13The Last PhotographTed Russell/Courtesy Govinda GalleryThe last photo Russell took of Dylan is of the artist walking down the street before he grabbed a cab.“I’m getting goosebumps. When you think of the cover photo of that young lad who looks like a kid or a cherub, he’s got the sweetest look, to the one when Bob is coming down the street, that’s November ‘61 to November ‘64,” says Murray. “What an amount of creativity in those few years. That folk music scene nurtured all of that, and New York nurtured it. Bob said, when he came to New York, ‘I knew this was the place I was meant to be.’ "
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The Last Photograph
The last photo Russell took of Dylan is of the artist walking down the street before he grabbed a cab.
“I’m getting goosebumps. When you think of the cover photo of that young lad who looks like a kid or a cherub, he’s got the sweetest look, to the one when Bob is coming down the street, that’s November ‘61 to November ‘64,” says Murray. “What an amount of creativity in those few years. That folk music scene nurtured all of that, and New York nurtured it. Bob said, when he came to New York, ‘I knew this was the place I was meant to be.’ "
13of 13The Photo BookamazonRussell’s iconic photographs of Bob Dylan are featured in his book,Bob Dylan: NYC 1961-1964.
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The Photo Book
amazon
Russell’s iconic photographs of Bob Dylan are featured in his book,Bob Dylan: NYC 1961-1964.
source: people.com
