The Band Perry were recently announced as featured in the photography the Annenberg Space for Photography exhibition Country: Portraits of an American Sound. They are the only modern day country band included in the exhibit, which presents images of the pioneers, poets and icons of country music. It will be offered free to the public May 31 through September 28, 2014. Guest curators for this exhibit are Shannon Perich of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, and Tim Davis and Michael McCall of the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum.
Country: Portraits of an American Sound uses historical and contemporary photographs to explore how images shape the public identity of country music performers and of the genre itself. Celebrated performers such as Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Keith Urban and Hank Williams-as well as deejays, fans, executives and musicians-are seen in the works of photographers who documented multiple generations of this popular history.
“David McClister’s artful photograph of The Band Perry perfectly captures an important aspect of contemporary country music, in its mix of glamour set against the American landscape, and how the best country music artists reflect the higher ideals and struggles of modern America. The photo also expresses that this family band has a style all its own, grounded in the country music tradition of telling compelling stories about how people relate each other-and the changing roles of women and men-in the 21st century,” says Michael McCall, co-curator of the exhibit and writer-editor at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
The work of the featured photographers spans from post-World War II America into the new century. The photographers include the late amateur photographer Elmer Williams; the late studio photographer Walden S. Fabry; veteran Grand Ole Opry staff photographer Les Leverett; the late Los Angeles-based photographer Leigh Wiener; Boston-based documentary photographer Henry Horenstein; iconic entertainment photographers Henry Diltz, Raeanne Rubenstein and Ethan Russell; and contemporary photographers David McClister and Michael Wilson. Through their work-a variety of documentary, studio, promotional and fine art images- guests visiting the Annenberg Space for Photography can see and experience the power of photography to portray American ideals that country music embodies.
(Photo Credit: David McClister)
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