Loose Ends: Pleasant Surprises

Seeing my photos of musicians used for a good cause and to promote their work

When you’re out shooting photos on an assignment, you’ll never know where they may end up. Here’s are examples of two recent — and pleasant — occurrences involving a couple of my favorite musicians.

Tommy Stinson

Several months ago, I received a phone call with a somewhat unusual request: A library in a place I’ve never visited wanted to use my photos of a musician to promote a community songwriter’s workshop.

The cause was right: A free event featuring local artists that helped community members learn about storytelling through music. And the musician?  Tommy Stinson, a founding member of The Replacements and a member of bands ranging from Guns N’ Roses to Soul Asylum as well as his own Bash & Pop.

Stinson performed solo in Washington, D.C., in a show I shot for Americana Highways. Given that the show was in front of a too-small crowd on a cold night in the middle of the omicron outbreak, I was just pleased to meet a member of one of my favorite bands.

I never thought the photos would have an afterlife.

Review: Tommy Stinson, Solo in D.C.

But Stinson’s management contacted me about using the photos to promote his upcoming shows. And then a staff member at Chelsea District Library near Ann Arbor asked to use the photos for the annual CDL Song Fest, which returned this past Saturday for the first time since 2019.

I agreed and was pleasantly surprised to see my photos used — each time with proper credit — on various social media platforms multiple times in the past few weeks. And it was fun to see a photo of the banner outside the event site, as seen in this photo posted to Facebook by the library:

The library also promised to send a signed poster after the event, which is cool. I also wouldn’t mind a T-shirt if they’re handing them out.

If you haven’t heard Stinson’s solo work, check out these two videos from Bash & Pop, the band he fronted after The Replacements broke up the first time (in the early 1990s) and renewed after they called it quits a second time in 2015. As much as I enjoy listening to The Replacements’ front man, Paul Westerberg, these two Bash and Pop albums are essential.

Amanda Shires

The spouse of fellow musician Jason Isbell performed last month at the 930 Club in D.C. Touring behind her newest and strongest album, “Take It Like a Man,” Shires’ performance was transcendent.

Review: Amanda Shires at 930 Club

I noted this fact in my review (above) and you could see it in the set of photos I managed to get. So it was nice to see one of those photos, along with a blurb from the review, featured at the top of Shires’ e-newsletter promoting the rest of her tour.

Here are a couple of videos from Shires’ new album. Check them out when you get the chance.

Thanks for taking a minute to read this post! Leave comments on the photos, the music, and whatever you’d like to see me write about/showcase next.