Ioannis Vasilopoulos, Allman Bros Album Cover Artist, Dead at 66

Ioannis Vasilopoulos, a popular artist whose images graced the covers of many famous classic rock albums, has died at the age of 66.

In a message shared via his Facebook page, Vasilopoulos’s family thanked fans for their support. “The outpouring of love for Ioannis and his work is a great comfort. Ioannis wanted to do so many new things, and as a family, we have been tasked with continuing his work.”

“His energy will live on through his incredible art,” the statement continued. “His bright smile and child-like excitement live on in his works. Ioannis will undoubtedly be remembered as one of rock’s all-time great artists.”

Who Was Ioannis Vasilopoulos?

Vasilopoulos was born in Athens, Greece, before moving to the United States as a child. He developed a passion for comic books and animation, along with an interest in music. He designed his first album cover while in college and would go on to create more than 350 across his impressive career, while also adding concert poster artwork and major marketing campaigns to his repertoire.

The bands who have worked with Vasilopoulos reads like a who’s-who of classic rock.

He designed the covers for Styx’s Return to Paradise (1997) and Brave New World (1999), Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Twenty (1997) and Edge of Forever (1999), Extreme‘s Extreme II: Pornograffitti (1990), King Crimson‘s The ConstruKction of Light (2000), Blue Oyster Cult’s Pocket (2001) and A Long Day’s Night (2002), and five different albums with Deep Purple. Vasilopoulos also worked with Bon Jovi, Boston, Skid Row, Uriah Heep, Sepultura, Quiet Riot and Starship among his long list of collaborators.

Still, arguably his most distinctive image was created for the Allman Brothers Band. The group’s 1994 LP Where It All Begins featured a bright, beckoning mushroom on its cover, looking like something out of a fantasy novel. The image became so popular that it emblazoned many of the band’s merchandise, including t-shirts, stickers and posters.