Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Stars on Manny's Walls

Manny's Music in midtown is the oldest musical instrument store in the city. It's served the greats of showbidness since 1935. Along with guitars, horns and amps, the walls are lined with hundreds of autographed photos that date back to the '40s. Manny's may be closing soon (Rockefeller Center wants to buy the block, which is called Music Row for its many instrument stores) but no one seems to know for sure.
A luminous Carly Simon
Jazz great Jo Jones
Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, Barry Manilow, Steely Dan, The Cars
Bob Hope blows
Led Zeppelin!
Blondie
Whitney, Carly, Mariah
Pete Townsend of the Who, looking like a male model for some inane reason

12 comments:

EV Grieve said...

Wonder what will become of all these photos...

The New Yorker has a piece on Manny's this week...

http://tinyurl.com/pgabx2

Anonymous said...

Pete Townsend looks like he's teaching a class in scientology.

Daryl said...

What a treasure trove of faces .. Dylan smiling .. how fun is that?!

Judy said...

You captured a treasure trove of photo's there. I hope someone will hang those on another wall somewhere if the building goes. Great post.

Unseen India Tours said...

Great Capture

Bowery Boogie said...

Manny's gettin the Led out...

TheChieftess said...

How sad to potentially lose such a fun and historic place...what wonderful photos and such a treasure trove of history...
This is my first time to visit your blog and I love your pictures! Great composition...love the one of the flatiron building!!!

Jean Spitzer said...

Washington Square Arch looks great in that first old photo. Love the photos of photos and the fact that these now exist, together, someplace else.

marley said...

I hope they don't buy it up! Great collection of photos with such history. I liked the Bob Hope one :)

valeria said...

This is so fascinating! And it's so sad when an "institution" like Manny's gets dramatically wiped away.
I hope that someone may save the shop!

Virginia said...

Oh what wonderful photographs....treasures. Thanks for these KM

Anonymous said...

Fabulous personalities.. loving the Carly Simon pics!
Di
The Blue Ridge Gal