Photo auction for Hurricane Katrina
Carterville, Ill. — Southern Illinois photojournalist and disc jockey Devin Miller will be auctioning off four of his most valuable prints and donating all of the proceeds to help with the relief efforts in the Gulf states following the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. The 2′X3′ large prints are of Grammy winning piano players Jerry Lee Lewis (from Louisiana ) and Pinetop Perkins (from Mississippi) [see attached low res photos] were taken in 1999 and 1998 respectively. Also a 3′X2 triptych of the New Orleans Mardi Gras group The Wild Magnolias and a 8X10 print of recently deceased Mississippi blues legend R.L. Burnside will be auctioned off ending on Sept. 11.
“I was Jerry Lee Lewis’s personal photographer for two years in the late 90’s and I was able to make literally thousands of images of Mr. Lewis, this image ‘The Hawk’ is my favorite from that period. Anyone who knows of Jerry Lee Lewis will understand the image. The photograph of Pinetop Perkins was made at the sound check before the 1998 Chicago Blues festival. I have never sold either of these prints other than for charity before. I want to do something positive in the name of my heroes. There are only three of the Jerry Lee prints in existence at this size and one of the Pinetop Perkins. I don’t sell my musician prints to anyone, I only auction them off on rare occasions for charity, rare as in only three times in 9 years,” Miller said.
“The Wild Magnolias are a New Orleans staple. They don’t disappoint their namesake, they be W-I-L-D. I don’t know if they made it out of New Orleans or if they are safe. I tried to capture the spirt of the group in this triptych during a show at B.B. King’s Memphis club in 2000. I pray they are doing well. There is only one other triptych in
existence. I don’t even have one of these on my wall.”
“I just got word 2 hours ago (Thursday night) that one of my heroes, R.L. Burnside had passed. I was fortunate enough to drink cheap whiskey and tell dirty jokes with him for hours before a Tulsa show in 1999 at the world famous Cain’s Ballroom. This will be the only print in existence from my entire take that night. RIP R.L.”
“I hope to raise as much money as possible and to help raise awareness for the relief effort. If you don’t bid on the prints, send some money to the Red Cross or any other charity that is helping with the cause. I want to thank eBay for their efforts in expediting the process in helping to promote these auctions.”
Miller, an award winning photojournalist, has been published in National Geographic, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Denver Post, St. Louis Post Dispatch and many other national and regional publications. His live radio show, ‘Original Roots’, airs on WSIU FM 91.9, WUSI FM 90.3 and WVSI FM 88.9 every Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m..
If you have any questions feel free to contact me at: 618-922-7193 or -email-.
Ebay auction links
Jerry Lee Lewis —
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:31&item=7347703426
Pinetop Perkins —
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:31&item=7347706075
R.L. Burnside and Wild Magnolias are the two new prints.
I have added two more prints to the auctions.
Ebay has put us on the main page of givingworks.ebay.com (look for the Jerry Lee Lewis thumbnail)
and also we will have our own vanity url:
http://www.ebay.com/devinmiller