Bill Narum
Encyclopedia
Bill Narum was an artist, illustrator, and Texas counter-culture icon known for his work in popular entertainment, and for being one of the few non-natives to have lived with the Tarahumara
tribe of northern Mexico
in Copper Canyon
. He was also the brother of artists Jon Eric Narum and Heidi Narum Hyatt.
In the late 1960s Narum co-founded the Houston, Texas
FM rock and roll
radio station KLOL and worked as art director for Space City News
, an underground newspaper. He also worked with KPFT-FM, the Pacifica radio station in Houston, and was a founder of Space City Video. In the 1970s a friendship with guitarist Billy Gibbons
led him to become the house artist for rock band ZZ Top
, designing posters, album covers, and stage sets. Narum also provided murals for ZZ Top's fleet of semis.
Narum created concert posters for many artists including Captain Beefheart
, Ravi Shankar
and Humble Pie
. Music venues such as the Armadillo World Headquarters
and Continental Club also used Narum's posters to promote their monthly slate of acts.
In 1993 he was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation from the City of Austin, Texas
where he resided.
Narum later went on to work for the computer game development company Origin Systems
, and followed by opening his own game development company, 'Go-Go Studios in Austin, Texas in the mid-1990s where he acted as art director and CEO.
In 2005 he was elected president of the South Austin Museum of Popular Culture
. A retrospect of Narum's work was the subject of a 2005 art show at the museum, titled “You Call That Art.”
On Saturday, November 28, 2009 there was a tribute at Threadgill's restaurant to honor Narum, with proceeds going to establish a memorial fund.
Tarahumara
The Rarámuri or Tarahumara are a Native American people of northwestern Mexico who are renowned for their long-distance running ability...
tribe of northern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
in Copper Canyon
Copper Canyon
Copper Canyon is a group of canyons consisting of six distinct canyons in the Sierra Tarahumara in the southwestern part of the state of Chihuahua in Mexico...
. He was also the brother of artists Jon Eric Narum and Heidi Narum Hyatt.
In the late 1960s Narum co-founded the Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
FM rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
radio station KLOL and worked as art director for Space City News
Space City (newspaper)
Space City was an underground newspaper published in Houston, Texas from June 5, 1969 to August 3, 1972. The founders were SDS veterans and former members of the staff of the Austin, Texas underground newspaper, The Rag, including Thorne Dreyer, Victoria Smith, Cam and Sue Duncan, and Dennis and...
, an underground newspaper. He also worked with KPFT-FM, the Pacifica radio station in Houston, and was a founder of Space City Video. In the 1970s a friendship with guitarist Billy Gibbons
Billy Gibbons
William Frederick "Billy" Gibbons is an American musician, actor and car customizer, best known as the guitarist of the Texas blues-rock band ZZ Top. He is also the lead singer and composer for many of the band's songs. Gibbons is known for playing his Gretsch Billy Bo guitar and his famous 1959...
led him to become the house artist for rock band ZZ Top
ZZ Top
ZZ Top is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "That Little Ol' Band from Texas". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based boogie rock, has come to incorporate elements of arena, southern, and boogie rock. The band, from Houston Texas, formed in 1969...
, designing posters, album covers, and stage sets. Narum also provided murals for ZZ Top's fleet of semis.
Narum created concert posters for many artists including Captain Beefheart
Captain Beefheart
Don Van Vliet January 15, 1941 December 17, 2010) was an American musician, singer-songwriter and artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. His musical work was conducted with a rotating ensemble of musicians called The Magic Band, active between 1965 and 1982, with whom he recorded 12...
, Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar , often referred to by the title Pandit, is an Indian musician and composer who plays the plucked string instrument sitar. He has been described as the best known contemporary Indian musician by Hans Neuhoff in Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart.Shankar was born in Varanasi and spent...
and Humble Pie
Humble Pie (band)
Humble Pie was a rock band from England, finding success both in the UK and the US. They are remembered for songs such as "Black Coffee" "30 Days in the Hole", "I Don't Need No Doctor", and "Natural Born Bugie"...
. Music venues such as the Armadillo World Headquarters
Armadillo World Headquarters
The Armadillo World Headquarters was the premier music hall and entertainment center in Austin, Texas, United States from 1970 to 1980.-History:...
and Continental Club also used Narum's posters to promote their monthly slate of acts.
In 1993 he was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation from the City of Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
where he resided.
Narum later went on to work for the computer game development company Origin Systems
Origin Systems
Origin Systems, Inc. was a computer game developer based in Austin, Texas that was active from 1983 to 2004...
, and followed by opening his own game development company, 'Go-Go Studios in Austin, Texas in the mid-1990s where he acted as art director and CEO.
In 2005 he was elected president of the South Austin Museum of Popular Culture
South Austin Museum of Popular Culture
The South Austin Museum of Popular Culture is a Texas 501 nonprofit organisation dedicated to collecting, preserving, and exhibiting art and memorabilia that reflect Austin's eclectic contributions to popular culture worldwide....
. A retrospect of Narum's work was the subject of a 2005 art show at the museum, titled “You Call That Art.”
On Saturday, November 28, 2009 there was a tribute at Threadgill's restaurant to honor Narum, with proceeds going to establish a memorial fund.
External links
- Bill Narum's personal web site
- Bill Narum's Facebook page
- Austin Chronicle article
- Gallery of Space City! covers by Bill Narum, 1960s Texas Music.
- Gray, Chris, "RIP Bill Narum...", Houston Press, Nov. 19, 2009.