ARHOOLIE FOUNDATION COLLECTIONS:Photo Galleries
Our archive contains thousands of photos related to historical roots and regional music, including some 25,000 images taken by Chris Strachwitz from the mid-1950s onward. Browse below for artist galleries as well as galleries of concert posters, Mexican movie lobby cards, record company catalogs, 78-rpm record sleeves, and more. Check back for updates as we continue to digitize our physical collections and share them here.
Zydeco, Cajun, Gospel, and Rhythm & Blues Posters
During his years collecting and recording music Arhoolie Records and Arhoolie Foundation founder Chris Strachwitz acquired many posters for shows of vernacular music. The walls at...
View the collection
Frontera Image Archive
The Frontera Image Archive contains historical vintage photos and images associated with the Arhoolie Foundation’s Strachwitz Collection of Mexican American and Mexican Recordings. This collection was...
View the collection
Big Mama Thornton Photo Gallery
Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton (December 11, 1926 – July 25, 1984) was a Rhythm and Blues singer, harmonica player and drummer. She was to first...
View the collection
Los Alegres de Terán Gallery
Los Alegres de Terán were one of the earliest Mexican Norteño bands started by Eugenio Abrego and Tomas Ortiz in the mid 1940’s. These images were...
View the collection
Maddox Brothers and Rose Gallery
The Maddox Brothers and Rose “America’s Most Colorful Hillbilly Band” These images were collected by Chris Strachwitz and are part of the Arhoolie Foundation’s Chris Strachwitz...
View the collection
Repertorio Musical Mexicano – Mauricio Calderón
Repertorio Musical Mexicano (also known as La Casa de Musica, and La Casa de Musica de Mauricio Calderón) located at 408 North Main St., Los Angeles,...
View the collection
Flaco Jiménez Photo Gallery
All photos were taken by Chris Strachwitz except where noted (four photos with Flaco and Steve Jordan by Maureen Gosling) and older archival photos. All images...
View the collection
J.E. Mainer Image Gallery
All photos were taken by Chris Strachwitz except the song book cover and the archival photo of the J.E. Mainer Band. All images © Chris Strachwitz...
View the collection
Lydia Mendoza Photo Gallery
Lydia Mendoza was the first Queen of Tejano Music, with a recording career that began in 1928 and lasted more than 60 years. Known as “La...
View the collection
Frontera 78-rpm Record Sleeve Gallery
78-rpm record sleeves not only provided space for record labels to advertise their other artists and releases, but were occasionally beautiful works of art . Here’s a selection of Spanish language,...
View the collection