Jini Dellaccio

Jini Dellaccio (née Duckworth; January 31, 1917 – July 3, 2014)[1] was an American photographer best known for her images of rock and pop acts of the 1960s, particularly in the Pacific Northwest.

Her photographs of the Sonics, the Wailers, Merrilee Rush, the Daily Flash and many others were frequently used for album covers, posters, and publicity stills, and - along with her shots of major acts such as Neil Young, the Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys, and The Who - have been widely reproduced in books, CDs, articles, and gallery exhibitions.

Born and raised on a family farm in Indiana, Jini (pronounced "Jeanie") Duckworth's father was an auto mechanic and her mother was a beautician.

[3] While performing in Hollywood, Florida with the Sweathearts of Swing[4] during World War II, she met her husband-to-be, Carl Dellaccio, who was serving in the Navy.

[7] In 1953, the couple moved to Long Beach, California where Carl had been offered a high school level Spanish and Italian teaching job.

[2] The fashion gig lasted ten years, ending when Carl was offered a job with the Tacoma, Washington Public Schools district in 1961.

Avoiding the standard, formal studio techniques of the time, she frequently photographed bands outdoors, and utilized the unique background of the Pacific Northwest as the frame for her album cover shoots.

[5] Dellaccio's signature approach was to have the bands climbing trees, peering through the mist, or surrounded by great works of architecture and sculpture in their Beatle boots.

[3] Her black-and-white images of sharply-dressed young musicians, sometimes clowning but more often skulking in naturally beautiful settings created an unusual and distinctive look.

Her photography also featured locations such as the University of Washington, where she photographed musicians at iconic sites such as Red Square, Suzzallo Library, and the 4 Pillars.

Among the dozens of Northwest bands she photographed were Merrilee Rush & the Turnabouts, Paul Revere and the Raiders, the Galaxies, Don and the Goodtimes, Mr. Lucky and the Gamblers, the Bootmen, the Bards, the Daily Flash, Emergency Exit, Bodine, and City Zu.

In addition to session work, Dellaccio's attraction to the burgeoning music scene led her to documenting live performances by both regional acts and touring stars such as the Rolling Stones, the Yardbirds, the Who, Herman's Hermits, the Shangri-Las, the Lovin' Spoonful, the Beach Boys, the Mamas and the Papas, Gary Lewis & the Playboys, Johnny Rivers, and others.

Her Aim Is True, a documentary on her life and work by British filmmaker Karen Whitehead, had its world premiere at the Seattle International Film Festival on May 26, 2013.