Clarity of focus
Singer-songwriter Lyle Lovett shares his passion for photography on social media
L yle Lovett still makes his living playing music with his bands Large and Small, or occasionally with other songwriters like Robert Earl Keen, John Hiatt and Vince Gill. Doing so takes him to all sorts of theaters, historic and modern, and puts him in the company of interesting people, from the aforementioned writers to guys like the late, great guitar builder Bill Collings and photographer Mark Seliger.
And those who follow Lovett on Instagram have found photography to be another creative outlet for the Klein native. He’s developed a beautiful set of shots of empty concert halls, as well as photos of musicians, horses, motorcycles and his other interests.
“Taking pictures of people is still my favorite thing,” he says. “And I like the social-media aspect of it. It’s become such an important way to let people know you still exist.” He’s likely referring to the five years since he last released an album. “And I just feel better doing this sort of stuff for myself. I don’t think it would be as effective as hiring a company to do it. You end up with a more personal relationship.” In advance of his Thursday night stand at the Hobby Center, Lovett described his long love of photography, from his childhood to his more formal study at Texas A&M University to the photos that document his touring life in bright detail.
Q: I’ve seen photos you took while a student at A&M. Was that the beginning of your interest?
A: My folks always had a camera around and let me play with it. So I