Down to the River: Portraits of Iowa Musicians

Sandy's new book, Down to the River: Portraits of Iowa Musicians will be published in June 2007 by the Iowa Press. Sandy moved to Iowa City in 1987 and began documenting the area's vibrant live music scene, with its distinctive combination of folk, blues, roots/Americana, and rock sounds. The sixty photos in Down to the River capture her twenty years of photographing live music venues and shooting portraits of musicians in and around the city, resulting in a collection of images as compassionate and honest as the music itself.

Sandy's photographs present both the sweaty intensity of live performances and the more contemplative moments of individual portraits. They are complemented by Chris Offutt's empathetic essay, which also encapsulates the experience of connecting with a new home through its music. A companion CD with eighteen tracks by Iowa's finest singer/songwriters, including Dave Moore, Greg Brown, Bo Ramsey, David Zollo, and Pieta Brown, add up to an unmatched perspective on Iowa music and musicians.

You can learn more about the book from the University of Iowa Press website. There is also now a MySpace page to promote Sandy's work: http://www.myspace.com/sandydyas.