TOM WILKESGraphic designer, illustrator and photographer Tom Wilkes died aged 59 at his home in the Californian desert.He is best remembered for his work on album covers, with his distinctive work featuring on George Harrison's All Things Must Pass, Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs & Englishmen and The Gilded Palace Of Sin by The Flying Burrito Brothers. He was also responsible for The Rolling Stones collection, Flowers, Pearl, by Janis Joplin, and Neil Young's Harvest.Tom Wilkes was born Long Beach, California 30 July 1939, graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1957 and learned his craft at Long Beach City College and the Art Center School in Los Angeles. One of his early trademark works was creating flamboyant motifs and illustrations on his friends' cars.By 1967 he ran his own advertising agency and had begun his album work with examples for the Rolling Stones.That year he was art director of the Monterey International Pop Music Festival, a landmark event in the Summer of Love which established him as a designer.Other album work includes Safe As Milk from Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, Accept No Substitute by Delaney & Bonnie, Close To You by The Carpenters, and Delaney & Bonnie & Friends On Tour with Eric Clapton.The cover of Pearl by Janis Joplin, showed the singer on a loveseat with a bottle in hand and was taken the night before she died of a drug overdose.Mr Wilkes was diagnosed with a form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ten years ago.He was married and divorced three times and has a daughter from his first marriage.
Keep me informed of updates
