Photographer Alan Messer

Alan Messer is a legendary music photographer whose career began in London in 1967 at just 16 years old. He quickly became known for capturing rock and pop icons like John Lennon, David Bowie, and The Rolling Stones. After moving to Nashville in 1978, his British style brought a fresh perspective to the country music scene, leading to collaborations with legends like Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. brush stroke

Alan Messer

Meet the Artist

Alan Messer has been photographing musicians for five decades. His career started at age sixteen on December 4th, 1967, working from Dezo Hoffmann’s London studio as a freelance and as a staff photographer for the pop magazine, the Record Mirror.

During the seventies, Alan was the resident photographer for Old Grey Whistle Test at the BBC. He toured briefly with Iggy Pop and Deep Purple, and photographed many American bands and artists visiting the U.K., either in his London studio or on the road. Excited by America and its music, Alan moved to Nashville in May 1978 to open a studio.

An amazing opportunity to photograph America’s vibrant country music scene unfolded, as his British style of photography attracted musicians, record companies, and legendary artists like, Johnny Cash.

During the 80s, Alan Messer’s career soared as a prolific primary Nashville photographer, often shooting a session or an album cover every day. Some of those sessions were in his studio or in Austin, Texas with Stevie Ray Vaughan, Willie Nelson, and Joe Ely.

Alan is a celebrated photographer with hundreds of albums and CD’s to his credit and a Grammy for album packaging photography/design. His projects include photographs of

John Lennon, George Harrison, Keith Richards, the Rolling Stones, Small Faces, Iggy Pop, David Bowie, The Who, Diana Ross, Deep Purple, Elton John, Bill Haley, Bob Marley, Jim Morrison, James Brown, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Kris Kristofferson, Steve Earle, Tanya Tucker, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lucinda Williams, Merle Haggard, Bill Monroe, Dwight Yoakam, Joe Ely, Jimmy Buffett, and more….

Many of Alan’s Nashville photographs were featured in Ken Burn’s 2019 PBS documentary, “Country Music”.

Alan always carries a camera, and he is currently working on his archives and books.

Every Alan Messer photograph has a story.

www.alanmesser.com

Nashville, Tennessee – 2025

Cheeseburger in Paradise – 1987

Alan Messer

I was on assignment for Andy Warhol’s, Interview Magazine, and flew down to Miami on a “red-eye”, rented a car, drove to Key West (3.5 hours), found a motel with barely enough time to sleep before the early morning session at Jimmy’s rented home on the water next to Dog Beach.

I was so tired that my mind was moving slower than my body as I vamped through some standard photo setups, but the shot just wasn’t there. Jimmy went back in his house to roll us a joint, and re-emerged wearing these parrot glasses.

“Warhol’s going to love these” he laughed, as he ran next door to Louie’s Backyard to order a cheeseburger for the setup.

Now Inspired, I remembered the picture I came to make! “Cheeseburger In Paradise” was the first Jimmy song I heard in 1978 working at Anchor Records in London, so when I got this assignment, the cheeseburger was already top of mind.

Jimmy had terrific instincts, and just like that the magic struck, and I captured one of Jimmy’s most iconic images on the beach in Key West.

Planning a Trip to Key West?