Agent, manager, producer, promoter, Dick Waterman established himself in the Blues community as a diligent advocate for the artist and the art. Waterman is primarily known today as a photographer and archivist for his commitment to documenting the artists he worked with and came into contact with throughout the years.
Dick Waterman moved to Boston in the 1950’s to study journalism at Boston University. During this time the East Coast was inhaling Folk music sounds. In 1964, he journeyed to Mississippi with friends Phil Spero and Nick Perls (Perls later formed Yazoo Records, a label dedicated to music preservation). The result of this trip was the rediscovery of Eddie ‘Son’ House, a legendary Blues singer who had vanished from the Delta music scene over 20 years earlier. Dick acknowledges that finding Son House was the turning point in his life; from there he started Avalon Productions in order to start booking Son. His company was the first booking agency ever formed solely to represent Blues artists and within a few years, Dick was representing many acts including Booker White, Lightnin’ Hopkins, ‘Mississippi’ Fred McDowell and Skip James.
When the electric sound of the Chicago Blues scene started gaining popularity, Waterman added Junior Wells, Buddy Guy and Luther Allison to his roster. In the late 1960s he met Bonnie Raitt and convinced her to begin what has become a long, fruitful music career. As many of his artists died, Dick assumed responsibility for their estates to provide for their heirs.
Dick Waterman’s photographs, which have appeared in many publications around the world, feature never seen before photos of some of the legends of Blues, Country and Jazz. Dick Waterman’s photography is displayed in A Gallery For Fine Photography in New Orleans and The Govinda Gallery in Washington DC.
— (Blues Foundation press release, 2000.)