Henry Diltz

Henry Stanford Diltz was born on September 6, 1938 in Kansas City, Missouri, and grew up amid the burgeoning folk scene of the early 1960s. After moving to Los Angeles, he co‑founded the Modern Folk Quartet, a group that blended harmonious vocal styles with the era’s socially conscious lyrics. While touring with the quartet, Diltz developed a fascination for still‑image documentation, acquiring a modest 35 mm camera that would soon become his trademark tool. His close friendship with The Monkees opened doors to studio sessions, where he both contributed musically and captured candid moments that later appeared in press kits and album liner notes. This dual role as musician‑photographer cultivated a reputation for being both inside the studio and behind the lens, allowing him to document iconic performances with an intimacy few outsiders could achieve. Over the next decade Diltz’s portfolio expanded to include shots from landmark festivals such as Monterey Pop, Miami Pop, and the historic Woodstock, solidifying his status as a premier chronicler of the 1960s counterculture. In the subsequent years Diltz turned his focus almost exclusively to photography, delivering more than two hundred album covers for artists ranging from The Doors to Crosby, Stills & Nash. His celebrated 1970 Morrison Hotel cover, taken surreptitiously at a downtown Los Angeles hotel, exemplifies his knack for seizing spontaneous, high‑energy moments. Diltz co‑founded the Morrison Hotel Gallery in New York and West Hollywood, creating a dedicated space for fine‑art music photography and promoting the work of fellow photographers. His contributions earned him the 2023 lifetime achievement award at the Abbey Road Music Photography Awards and a continued presence on contemporary media such as The Henry Rollins Show. Married to Elizabeth Joy Grand Diltz, he is father to two children, Zoe and Nicholas, and remains an active voice in preserving the visual legacy of rock and folk music.