Robert Johnson 14x18 by Lamar Sorrento
Robert Johnson 14x18 by Lamar Sorrento $325 (Frame included)
Memphis Folk Art Champion, Lamar Sorrento, nom-de-plume of James Eddie Campbell of Memphis, Tenn. has been a guitarist and all-around music lover almost since he was born on top of a Tennessee mountain, and he began painting his musical heroes in 1992. His art career took off in 1993, hardly a year after starting from scratch. A special idol of Lamar’s is the gypsy jazz guitarist, Django Reinhardt, but his vivid portraits span the legends of blues, country, and rock & roll as well. A favorite among both art collectors and musicians, his paintings appear in museums and galleries, on several album covers, funky restaurant walls around the country and in the private collections of Johnny Cash, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Susan Sarandon & Tim Robbins, John Hiatt, Neil Young, Jimmie Vaughn, Marty Stuart, Mark Knopfler, Kim Ritchey, Lucinda Williams, David Lindley, Jackson Browne, Morgan Freeman, Malcolm McDowell, Bonnie Raitt, Radney Foster, David Caruso, Drew Barrymore, Elle McPherson and Sam Phillips, among others. When Lamar isn't painting musicians he's playing music. Recent dabbles include painting the cover art for Huey Lewis & The News’ new album “Soulsville”, Devon Allman’s “Honeytribe”, a ten foot tall guitar for the Rock 'n' Roll Hall Of Fame, and contributing two paintings of Johnny Cash to Bill Miller's book, "Cash: An American Man."
