Rock legends visited Southwest Florida 50 years ago to shoot an album cover with the Gulf as a backdrop.
The Rolling Stones traveled to Sanibel Island in early 1976 to shoot the cover of their 12th album at the time, “Black and Blue.” The News-Press covered it, including photos of Stones’ frontman Mick Jagger and other band members when they arrived and later departed Fort Myers-Lee County Airport.
Here’s what to know about the whirlwind few days when music icons enjoyed some fun and work in the sun.
‘It’s just work’
News-Press staff writer Steve Dougherty wrote about the Stones’ visit in a Jan. 31, 1976, story.
The Stones were in town for three days and two nights, arriving Monday, Jan. 26, and leaving Wednesday, Jan. 28.
“Flying to Florida with a planeload of friends for three days of picture taking and carrying on at an exclusive Sanibel Island resort hotel might be your idea of a good time,” Dougherty wrote.
“But for the Rolling Stones, ‘it’s just work.’ “
The Stones entourage included members Jagger, Keith Richard, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts. Others who made the trip were guitarist Ron Wood, Stones recording and concert pianist Ian Stewart and manager Marshall Cress.
New York City photographer Hiro Wakabayashi shot the album cover and inside photos.
The Stones booked five suites (for $95 a night) “overlooking the Gulf of Mexico at the Sundial Beach Hotel and Tennis Club.”
Southwest Florida reacts to Stones visit
Dougherty noted in his story how Stones’ fans kept a vigil outside the band’s rooms.
“The patience of hardcore Stones fans paid off in token glimpses and in some cases brief and event extended conversations,” he wrote.
One fan commented on how Watts was “the nicest guy in the band” while another proclaimed that Richards “looks like death itself.”
“He’ll be the world’s first millionaire to ever die of malnutrition,” the story said.
Another observed when Jagger “came out on the second floor balcony in a dressing gown with a drink in his hand” at 2 p.m. on a Monday.
One fan the next day yelled to Jagger on a balcony to say he wanted to show him something. “Well bring it on up,” Jagger told him. The man went up the stairs to meet with Jagger and show him a necklace he made from Sanibel shells.
“He said it was lovely and asked me to tie it on his wrist. He said he didn’t like things around his neck.”
How does ‘Black and Blue’ look
Jagger, Richards and Wyman are on the front, with other Wood and Watts on the back with the Gulf in the background. The News-Press reported that it was shot on the beach behind the Sundial.
Inside the album, “the five are seen on the Sanibel beach at twilight or dawn waving hand-held pen-sized flashlights,” the story said.
A third Sanibel photo, on the disc label, is of a full moon over tropical waters. Sanibel isn’t mentioned anywhere in the record package and is only mentioned as an anonymous tropical setting.
‘Black and Blue’ album reception
The album was released April 23, 1976, and wasn’t as financially successful as many other Stones’ albums like “Sticky Fingers” and “Some Girls.”
Even so, “Black and Blue” features a variety of sounds, from funk and hard rock to soft rock, reggae and blues. The song “Hot Stuff” has a disco-rock edge, for example, showcasing the guitar of Canned Heat’s Harvey “The Snake” Mandel.
“Fool to Cry” written by Jagger and Richards was the only song that had some success.
Rolling Stone magazine asked fans in 2012 which Stones’ albums were their favorite. They ranked “Black and Blue” at No. 9.
“Released in 1976, at the height of disco fever, the Stones’ 15th album found the band digging deep into soul (‘Fool to Cry’) and funk (‘Hot Stuff’),” the Rolling Stone story said.
The Rolling Stones over 60 years have released 31 studio albums, 12 live albums and 28 compilation albums.
“The album also features the standout, seven-minute Jagger/Richards ballad ‘Memory Motel,’ ” the Rolling Stone story said.
“It was the first Stones album with Ron Wood on guitar after he replaced Mick Taylor; the band also relied heavily on the contributions of guest keyboardist Billy Preston.”
A May 2, 1976, News-Press story under the headline “Rolling Stones on the Gulf” had fun with the release and its relevance for Southwest Florida.
“A tropical moon, photographed one January evening over Sanibel Island, will be seen soon spinning slightly more than 33 times a minute around record turntables the world over,” the story said.
Dave Osborn is the regional features editor of the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. Contact him at dosborn@usatodayco.com and follow him on Instagram @lacrossewriter.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Rock legends 50 years ago shot album cover in SW Florida
Reporting by Dave Osborn, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Fort Myers News-Press
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