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The number of vinyl LPs I have purchased simply because of the album
cover design is probably in the thousands! Loring Eutemey is one of the
designers/illustrators responsible for that.
The number and variety of musicians he has designed covers for is truly amazing. At the top of the list, for me, is Iron Butterfly for their second album, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (link below). He designed the cover for My Favorite Things by John Coltrane. Then there was Wild Thing by the Troggs (originally called the Troglodytes); Sam Kinison did an absolutely hilarious send up of the song and the mood completely fits my first impression of it (link below).
The number and variety of musicians he has designed covers for is truly amazing. At the top of the list, for me, is Iron Butterfly for their second album, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (link below). He designed the cover for My Favorite Things by John Coltrane. Then there was Wild Thing by the Troggs (originally called the Troglodytes); Sam Kinison did an absolutely hilarious send up of the song and the mood completely fits my first impression of it (link below).
The Troggs - Aug. 5, 1970
photo: KEYSTONE Pictures USA
One of my very favorite records is the second album by Bette Midler; Richard Amsel
did the illustration, Eutemey did the design. I had never heard of Midler
but when I saw the album cover, I bought it and loved the range of music on it (link below). Needless to say, I was not
disappointed!
vinyl LP album cover detail
illustration by Richard Amsel
design by Loring Eutemey
detail photo of album cover by Styrous®
Eutemey did the cover design for the album of the Off-Broadway show, The Golden Screw by Tom Sankey. A brilliant project but unfortunately, one few people know of (link below).
The list of the artists he has worked with goes on and on. Archie Bell & the Drells, The Young Rascals (later known as The Rascals), Otis Redding, Ray Charles, Ike Turner, Ben E. King, Herbie Mann, The Coasters, João Gilberto, Mel Torme, Acker Bilk, Solomon Burke, Esther Phillips, Leslie Uggams, Joe Tex, Eddie Harris, Donny Hathaway, Ornette Coleman, The Slow Slushy Boys,
a French rock, soul, and R&B band that's been active on the
underground scene from the early 90's (I love this group simply for the
name) and dozens more.
vinyl LP album cover
illustration by Loring Eutemey
photo of album cover by Styrous®
Eutemey
has done over four hundred album covers. Unfortunately, I do need to
keep the list of the artists under control as it would be endless.
He also designed covers for books; in particular, the 1963 edition of The Black Jacobins by C. L. R. James published by Vintage Books (link below).
I could not find the date of his birth nor an image of him but he grew up at Revere Place in Brooklyn, and graduated from Samuel J. Tilden High School. After graduating from Cooper Union,
where he trained as a graphic designer, he began his career at Push Pin
Studios during its early days. Later he became a freelance illustrator
and graphic designer, widely recognized for his distinctive album cover
designs for Atlantic Records.
After a short illness, Loring Eutemey died in 2013 on the 22nd of September, in his apartment in Manhattan. He was 82 years old.
Iron Butterfly ~ In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
The Slow Slushy Boys -
