Joy by Apollo 100 Album Cover

This is the record art for the album Joy by Apollo 100. The album cover was designed by Herb Burnette of Pinwheel Studios in Nashville, TN. Pinwheel Studios designed for musical acts like Waylon Jennings, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Conway Twitty, and Charley Pride. 

According to the June 10, 1972 issue of Billboard Magazine, Pinwheel Studios was formed in 1970 and quickly became an important part of Nashville’s music industry. Pinwheel specialized in album cover design but also dabbled in promotional materials, press kits, stationery, and more. At this time, Pinwheel’s employees included Herb Burnette, studio manager and chief commercial artist, Marshall Givens, photo retoucher and commercial artist, and John Donegan, director of photography.

In the March 18, 1978 issue of Cash Box Magazine, Burnette was noted as having won three Nashville art directors awards. Burnette and Pinwheel Studios were known as advocates for locally produced album artwork, especially in the country music scene. Being located in Nashville, they emphasized the value of producing album art in Nashville rather than traveling or flying out photographers and artists from coastal locales like Los Angeles and New York City.

Sources:

Campbell, Bob. “Pinwheel Studio’s Art Hits Mark on Chart Topping ‘Waylon & Willie’ LP.” Cash Box, March 18, 1978.

“Pinwheel Studios.” Discogs. Accessed November 13, 2023. https://www.discogs.com/artist/1990702-Pinwheel-Studios.

“Pinwheel Studios Pinpoint Companies’ Graphic Needs.” Billboard Magazine, June 10, 1972.

Written by: Madison Inman