Alton Kelley (June 17, 1940 – June 1, 2008) was an American artist known for his psychedelic art, in particular his designs for 1960s rock concert posters and album covers. Along with artists Rick Griffin, Stanley Mouse, Victor Moscoso and Wes Wilson, Kelley founded the Berkeley Bonaparte distribution agency in order to produce and sell psychedelic poster art.
Along with fellow artist Stanley Mouse, Kelley is credited with creating the wings and beetles on all Journey album covers as well as the skull and roses image for the Grateful Dead. Kelley's artwork on the 1971 self-titled live album, Grateful Dead, incorporated a black and white illustration of a skeleton by Edmund Sullivan, which originally appeared in a 19th-century edition of the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám.
In 1995, Kelley designed and printed a limited edition poster of Jack Kerouac to raise money for the Jan Kerouac Benefit Fund. Kelley is also credited for the cover art for the King's X album Ear Candy in 1996.
He was brought up in Connecticut and worked as a welder there.[1] In 1966-1967, Kelley had his studio at 715 Ashbury (across the street from 'the Grateful Dead house') along with Stanley Mouse, Rick Griffin, and Victor Moscoso.[2][3]
He died on June 1, 2008, at the age of 67, after a long illness.[4][5][6]
^"Topic Galleries". Courant.com. Archived from the original on 2008-06-06. Retrieved 2009-10-30.
^Eisen, Bill Kreutzmann with Benjy (2015-06-18). "Grateful Dead drummer: How 710 Ashbury St. levitated into legend". SFGATE. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
^Dante (2017-05-07). "Page 43 Kindred Spirits". The Wheel. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
^"'60s Psychedelia Artist Alton Kelley Passes Away". allaboutjazz.com. 2008-06-02. Archived from the original on 2009-01-02. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
^Joel Selvin (June 3, 2008). "Alton Kelley, psychedelic poster creator, dies". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on 7 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
^Patricia Sullivan (June 3, 2008). "Alton Kelley, 68; Graphic Artist With a Flair for the Psychedelic". Washington Post. p. Page B06. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
AltonKelley (June 17, 1940 – June 1, 2008) was an American artist known for his psychedelic art, in particular his designs for 1960s rock concert posters...
compete with Roth's "Rat Fink" character. In 1966 and 1967, Mouse and AltonKelley lived and worked from 715 Ashbury across the street from 710 Ashbury...
album covers. Skull and Roses The skull and roses design was composed by AltonKelley and Stanley Mouse, who added lettering and color, respectively, to a...
Graham Rick Griffin David Grisman Lenny Hart Dan Healy Bruce Hornsby AltonKelley Steve Kimock Ned Lagin Dick Latvala David Lemieux Branford Marsalis Stanley...
roses" poster for a Grateful Dead show at the Avalon Ballroom done by AltonKelley and Stanley Mouse was adapted from Edmund J. Sullivan's illustrations...
Graham Rick Griffin David Grisman Lenny Hart Dan Healy Bruce Hornsby AltonKelley Steve Kimock Ned Lagin Dick Latvala David Lemieux Branford Marsalis Stanley...
to be one of "The Big Five" San Francisco poster artists, along with AltonKelley, Victor Moscoso, Rick Griffin, and Stanley Mouse. Robert Wesley Wilson...
Graham Rick Griffin David Grisman Lenny Hart Dan Healy Bruce Hornsby AltonKelley Steve Kimock Ned Lagin Dick Latvala David Lemieux Branford Marsalis Stanley...
San Francisco, "Red Dog" participants Luria Castell, Ellen Harman and AltonKelley created a collective called "The Family Dog." Modeled on their "Red Dog...
Graham Rick Griffin David Grisman Lenny Hart Dan Healy Bruce Hornsby AltonKelley Steve Kimock Ned Lagin Dick Latvala David Lemieux Branford Marsalis Stanley...
such as: Rick Griffin, Victor Moscoso, Bonnie MacLean, Stanley Mouse & AltonKelley, Bob Masse, and Wes Wilson. Their psychedelic rock concert posters were...
Graham Rick Griffin David Grisman Lenny Hart Dan Healy Bruce Hornsby AltonKelley Steve Kimock Ned Lagin Dick Latvala David Lemieux Branford Marsalis Stanley...
Graham Rick Griffin David Grisman Lenny Hart Dan Healy Bruce Hornsby AltonKelley Steve Kimock Ned Lagin Dick Latvala David Lemieux Branford Marsalis Stanley...
Graham Rick Griffin David Grisman Lenny Hart Dan Healy Bruce Hornsby AltonKelley Steve Kimock Ned Lagin Dick Latvala David Lemieux Branford Marsalis Stanley...
released as Dick's Picks Volume 24. The album's cover art was created by Kelley/Mouse, who had previously created artwork for the band's American Beauty...
and were mastered by Ken Perry. The winged horse art was created by AltonKelley and Stanley Mouse, who were credited as "Kelly and Mouse". The art director...
Graham Rick Griffin David Grisman Lenny Hart Dan Healy Bruce Hornsby AltonKelley Steve Kimock Ned Lagin Dick Latvala David Lemieux Branford Marsalis Stanley...
Graham Rick Griffin David Grisman Lenny Hart Dan Healy Bruce Hornsby AltonKelley Steve Kimock Ned Lagin Dick Latvala David Lemieux Branford Marsalis Stanley...
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