«The impulse to do AMERICAN MUSIC, writes famed photographer Annie Leibovitz, «came from a desire to return to my original subject and look at it with a mature eye. Bring my experience to it... make it a real American tapestry.» Her ambitious idea became AMERICAN MUSIC, a stunning collection of photographs of the musicians, places and people that enrich the landscape of American music. As «Rolling Stone's» chief photographer for over thirteen years, Leibovitz created a legendary body of work. Her portraits of some of the world's most talented musicians capture more than the performer, they convey the art of making music. For AMERICAN MUSIC, Leibovitz traveled across the country to juke joints in the Mississippi Delta, honkytonks in Texas, and jazz clubs in New Orleans «to take pictures in places that mean something.» In her signature style, she shares stunning portraits of American greats — B.B. King, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen, Beck, Bob Dylan, Mary J. Blige, Jon Bon Jovi, Steve Earle, Ryan Adams, Miles Davis, Etta James, Pete Seeger, Emmylou Harris, Tom Waits, The Dixie Chicks, Dr. Dre, The Roots and many more. AMERICAN MUSIC includes a commentary about the American Music project by Leibovitz, short essays by musicians Patti Smith, Rosanne Cash, Steve Earle, Mos Def, Ryan Adams, and Beck as well as biographical sketches of all the musicians.»

Annie Leibovitz' extraordinary career took off in San Francisco in 1970 when she first submitted a portfolio to Rolling Stone magazine. By 1973, she was the magazine's chief photographer. Since 1983, Annie Leibovitz has worked closely with Vanity Fair, who will be producing a special music issue to coincide with the book. Her subjects include Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Bruce Springsteen, Bryan Adams, Dolly Parton, Marvin Gaye, Chuck Berry and even Philip Glass. She has created a body of new work for the book, covering the landscape of American music — the juke joints of the Delta, Graceland, B. B. King at his hometown of Indianola in Mississippi and the Carter family in Virginia. The book is a tribute to a great culture in its widest form by the photographer who has understood more than anybody the power of the iconic image.