THROUGH THE LENS: Sierra Ferrell, Chris Stapleton, The Avett Brothers, and Other Photos of the Week

This column has been going full throttle through festival season lately, but it’s time to catch up with other shows ND photographers have been attending. This week’s Through the Lens features photos by 12 photographers in all, but I’d like to single out two: ND’s most tenured photographer and former photo editor C. Elliott and one of our newest contributors, Liza Orozco.

In Elliott’s photo of John Doe and Exene Cervenka, I can feel the lingering effects of the groundbreaking Los Angeles punk band X. The band originated in the late 1970s and, to me at least, outshined their East Coast counterparts. Why? Their music contained ideas, or at least ideas that I could wrap my head around. Then just a few years later, they, along with Dave Alvin, created another legendary band, The Knitters, where it became readily apparent that everyone involved was steeped in roots music. Elliott’s photo, with a shimmering black and red background, seems to be lifted from a dream.

Liza’s photos of Sierra Ferrell, the brightest star to emerge in the roots music sky in the past couple of years, wonderfully capture her talents. Ferrell has barnstormed the country in a long string of sellout shows in what seems to be a neverending tour. She has been nominated for three Americana Music Association awards this year, including Artist of the Year.

Elliott also contributes photos of Chris Stapleton, Gregory Alan Isakov, Rhiannon Giddens, Dave Matthews, Adrianne Lenker, Amigo the Devil, Asleep at the Wheel, Bruce Cockburn, Morgan Wade, Neko Case, and The Sadies with Howe Gelb. Phew!

Liza has been busy as well, with additional photos of Lukas Nelson, Whitey Morgan, Rachel Brooke, and Nick Shoulders and Two Runner. 

Also in the gallery below are photos by Peter Dervin, Mary Andrews, Kirk Stauffer, Eric Ring, Kim Reed, Susan Trestrail, Alycia Pollock, Mark J. Smith, Alan Perry, and Brian Bolea. The photos — 42 in all — include fan favorites such as Old Crow Medicine Show, The Avett Brothers, and Allison Russell as well as artists new to the column including Lainey Wilson, Storm Large, and rock legend Rod Stewart.

Click on any of the photos below to view the gallery as a full-size slideshow.