Johnny Cash photographed at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, California in 1968. (Photo: Jim Marshall)
Jim Marshall, the photographer who documented the early days of rock, died in his sleep Tuesday at a New York hotel. He was 74 years old. Marshall was known for a slew of iconic photos, perhaps most notably his shot of Johnny Cash at San Quentin with his middle finger outstretched, or Jimi Hendrix lighting his guitar on fire at Monterey Pop. Marshall’s work seems to have a classic appeal that’s missing from much of today’s music/culture photography. But perhaps that’s because the people he shot represent the past, so it’s easy to associate them with the golden age of rock and get intoxicated by nostalgia. The San Francisco Chronicle has a nice rememberance here.
