Cleveland rock music fans are familiar with the work of photographer George Shuba, who in 1964 fell accidentally into the opportunity to shoot some of the biggest stars of the 60s and early 70s. By being in the right place at the right time and having connections with local media, he got exclusive shots of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, the Who, and the last shots taken of soul star Otis Redding before his untimely death. He was a regular at the national syndicated Upbeat Show, filmed in Cleveland, which was an important stop for every major music performer of the era.
While Shuba has long marketed his images locally, now Cleveland International Images, a new division of Cleveland International Records, has acquired the George Shuba Collection of more than 8000 images taken from 1964-1975. Cleveland International is helmed by Steve Popovich Jr, son of its founder Steve Popovich who formed the company to release and promote Meat Loaf’s debut Bat Out of Hell after every major label turned it down. It became one of the bet-selling albums of all time.
“We’re expanding beyond our long-established role as a groundbreaking indie record label in which we’ve made our mark with releases from Meat Loaf, Ellen Foley, Ronnie Spector & the E-Street Band, Slim Whitman, Jim Steinman, Frank Yankovic, Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers, Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes, Jim Steinman, David Allan Coe, Brave Combo, Georgia Satellites, B.J. Thomas and others,” says Popovich Jr. “As the new home for the George Shuba Collection we’re underscoring the fact — this time in a visual sense — that Cleveland is the rock ‘n’ roll capital of the world.”
Among the photos are images of Beatles arrival at Hopkins International Airport on September 13, 1964; Keith Moon tossing his drum kit off the Public Hall stage; and Simon and Garfunkel’s first-ever TV appearance — on the Upbeat Show, as well as shots of Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Sonny and Cher, the Doors, Dizzy Gillespie, the Monkees and many more.
For more information about the George Shuba Collection contact Cleveland International Images at info@clevelandinternational.com.