Music Industry Vet Bob Heimall Details His Life Creating Iconic Record Album Covers in New Book, “Cover Stories: Tales of Rock Legends and the Albums That Made Them Famous”

New Jersey resident Bob Heimall, who helped craft some of the most iconic album cover images for rock legends like John Lennon, Carly Simon, James Brown, Jim Morrison and many more, has published a new book telling all the stories behind the making of these classic graphics in Cover Stories: Tales of Rock Legends and the Albums That Made Them Famous. The book is available now at Amazon and wherever good books are sold.

In Cover Stories: Tales of Rock Legends and the Albums That Made Them Famous, Heimall not only gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at working with the artists, but also tells the stories about how their covers came about, including pictures of the album covers, too. His multi-decade career in album graphics showcases his work during the majority of his career at Elektra Records, Arista Records and more, as a designer, photographer and award-winning art director. Heimall’s recollections include the usual tales of excess associated within the music industry during the 1970/1980s, but he also tells of his personal spiritual journey that followed.

Heimall also shares stories –and covers – on other artists he’s worked with over the years, including the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Nico, Lou Reed, Bread, Queen, Harry Chapin, Jim Croce, Patti Smith, Barry Manilow, Kinks, Outlaws, Dickey Betts, George Burns, Isaac Hayes, Kool & The Gang, The 4 Tops, Ronnie Spector and Reba McIntire.

“I loved my work and really got to know the stars,” he says. “I developed great professional and personal relationships with them.”

The back cover of his book says, “From the psychedelia of The Doors’ Weird Scenes Inside the Gold Mine to the austere beauty of Carly Simon’s No Secrets, some of the most memorable and groundbreaking images of the last five decades have graced the covers of these rock albums that were created by Bob.”

In his book, Heimall includes an accompanying evocative, humorous, and/or sentimental story for each album he crafted – about the artist, the creative process, the industry and the music he loved. He says that “it was always about the music!”

In the book’s foreword, written by Jac Holzman, founder of Elektra/Nonesuch Records and member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Holzman says, “As Elektra bloomed in the 1960s, Bob Heimall joined the company and, overnight, doubled the size of our graphics department.”

Holzman goes on to say, “His addition added a more youthful and spirited approach ….when Bob left in 1973, he was ready to go out on his own, which he did with the great success, so well-illustrated within the pages of this book.”

The book also includes a 1970 quote from Jim Morrison that says, “(Jac) take care of Bob… he’s real talented.”

A 1970 quote in the book from Linda Eastman McCartney states, “Bob, one day I am going to marry one of these stars!”

After leaving the music industry in 1980, Heimall started a company called, Corporate Sports, which has been placing corporate softball teams at the best fields in Central Park South for over 40 years. He is the Commissioner.

At the same time, he opened the Bob Heimall, Inc. Graphic Design studio in NYC and taught Visual Communications for 10 years, while in NYC, at Pratt Institute and School of Visual Arts.

About Bob Heimall

Heimall says he showed aptitude as an artist at a young age and enjoyed the art classes he took throughout his local schools in New Jersey. His art prowess led him to attend the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Art and NYU.

Heimall spent most of his formative years growing up in the town of Livingston, New Jersey, with his sisters, mother and father, who owned a local plumbing and heating company. Over the years, he moved around before finally settling in on a farm in Sussex County, New Jersey, for 40 years, where he lived with his wife Tori, and children Reina, Blake and Ashley. He now has five grandchildren. In 2019, he became a full-time painter and resident of Cape May, New Jersey, where he’s always had a summer house.

Bob Heimall’s Charity Work

Heimall has also dedicated his time to doing missions in the Dominican Republic. He became a part-time Missionary in 1983. He joined the full-time staff of Mission Emanuel in the Dominican Republic in 2003 and has been making four-five trips there a year. He says he goes to the Barios (slums) on the outskirts of Santo Domingo to serve the impoverished people there.

“We built a water purification plant, two Christian schools and a medical and dental center with approximately 300 children, which is sponsored financially by Americans who visit on Short-Term Mission Trips,” says Heimall.

He adds, “Being in the DR has been some of the happiest times of my life – it’s my sweet spot.”

“My main mission now in the DR is to mentor a young talented lady named, Lissette, in photography and graphic design,” he says. “I’m basically training her to do my job. Part of what our mission does is help the poor people down there learn to help themselves to earn a living. It gives them value and self-confidence, instead of having to wait for handouts and welfare.”

“Lisette is eager to learn and is a blessing to me,” says Heimall. “I love teaching her photography techniques and tricks.”

Heimall says he has enjoyed all the stages of his life and can’t wait to see what the next chapter in Cape May will hold. He also says he’d love to hear from old friends, who would like to reach him at bobheimall@gmail.com  and from anyone who reads his book.

Amazon order link: https://bit.ly/AmazonCoverStoriesBobHeimall