A Lesson In Inspiration
Music, Photography, and Creative Roots
If you know me, you know I love music.
While my career in photography started early—my first paying job came at age 15—music has always been close behind. My parents were passionate music lovers, and I caught the bug early. After piano lessons and a brief stint with the snare drum, I settled into the role of bass guitarist, the heartbeat of any band’s rhythm section. These days, I’m married to an extraordinary singer, so the music never stopped—it just evolved.
Reuniting with Texas Singer-Songwriter Danny Everitt
From 1970 to 1973, I played in a band in Austin with Danny Everitt, now an acclaimed Texas singer-songwriter and 2014 recipient of “Texas Singer-Songwriter of the Year” from The Texas Music Awards. When the band broke up, Danny kept writing and performing, and I dove deep into my photography career. But we never stopped collaborating creatively—especially when it came to Danny’s album covers.
Over the decades, I’ve shot the covers for:
-
Fire Down Inside (late 1970s)
-
Cold Wind, Cold Rain (2007)
-
Acoustic Souvenir (2013)
Still, one idea lingered in the back of my mind for nearly a decade....
A Photographer’s Long-Held Vision, Born at 44 Farms
In 2007, I began photographing for 44 Farms, a historic Texas Angus cattle ranch near Cameron. Owned by Bob McClaren and in the family for over 100 years, the ranch is a blend of heritage, beauty, and quiet solitude.
On my first visit, I noticed the skeletal remains of a forgotten farmhouse. I knew immediately: one day, this would become a photograph. That spark sat patiently in my mind until the timing—and the light—were right.
The “Dream Big” Album Shoot – Bringing Vision to Life
Fast forward to 2016. Danny mentioned his new album Dream Big, and I knew it was time. We chose October 21—a crisp, clear day after a Texas cold front had swept through. Danny, his wife Patrice, or "Pete", and I headed to 44 Farms for a golden-hour session.
We got my gear out and hit the ground running.
-
Location 1: By the pond and chimney ruins, backlit by sun
-
Location 2: A nearby hillside glowing with autumn light
-
Final setup: Twilight at the chimney, with Danny by a “fire”
-
This was the image that had been in my mind all these years.
Serendipity Always Has a Say
And yet… the favorite photo of everyone else involved wasn’t the one I had waited years to create. Pete, music producer Jack Saunders, and graphic designer Kenny Ragland all chose an earlier image—the one by the pond—for the Dream Big cover. That golden-hour shot became the official wraparound, while my twilight vision became the inside spread (complete with a little crescent moon I added during post-processing).
Other shots, like the hillside portrait, are now featured on Danny’s promotional materials and his Bandcamp page.
Photography Lessons: Vision + Flexibility
Two important takeaways for photographers:
-
Trust long-term creative instincts. Some images take years to make, and that’s okay.
-
Be open to the unexpected. Often, the shot you didn’t plan becomes the one that resonates most.
This shoot blended Texas ranch photography, musician portraiture, and over four decades of friendship—culminating in a set of images I’ll always treasure.
And as a coda? In 2020, Danny, our former bandmates, and I proved we could still rock. Check out Belle Of The Bar by The Volume Dealers here.