Then & Now

Mariposa: Then & Now Interview with Photographer Edwin Gailits

It’s not every day you meet a witness to musical history. But recently I was lucky enough to interview photographer Edwin Gailits who, armed with his camera, found his way to Mariposa Folk Festival in the early days when Joni Mitchell, Gordon Lightfoot, John Prine and Bob Dylan – among many others – were rising stars in the folk scene. His curiosity and gentle nature allowed him to quietly burrow into rare and personal moments amongst these legends-inwaiting as they played, joked, communed on stage – and on the grass.

The photographs he took stand as precious artifacts of music history. Please click through and enjoy the gallery below of his photo series.

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53GordonLightfoot3_MARI72-310EGailits-2-2
1JPrineFriendsApproach_MARI73-141EGailits-2-2
23Dylan_MARI72-128EGailits-2-2
43CoupleOnGrassResting_MARI73-820EGailits-2-2
57JohnPrine_MARI72-232EGailits-2-2
4JohnJackson2_MARI73-310EGailits-2-2
14JoniMitchellSmoking_MARI72-443EGailits-2-2
19NeilYoung_MARI72-228EGailits-2-2
36SteveGoodman2_MARI73-105EGailits-2-2
83TwoMusiciansOnGrass_MARI72-124EGailits-2
12_JoniMitchell_MARI72-16EGailits-2-2
13JacksonBrowne3_MARI72-117EGailits-2-2
18BruceCockburn4_MARI72-424EGailits-2-2
25LeonRedbone_MARI73-808EGailits-2-2
30WomanClapsHairFlows_Mari745_19-20-147_1800x120072-2-2
31PaulSiebel_Mari746_23_1800x120072-2-2
41CoupleGuitarByWater_MARI73-617EGailits-2-2
44BaiKonti_MARI73-717EGailits-2-2
64FiddlerOnGrass_MARI73-39EGailits-2
67NativeDanceLine_MARI73-401EGailits-2
75ChickRobertsChildren_Mari748_7-219_1800x120072F-2
97GirlFeedsDucks_MARI73-302EGailits-2-2
87MysteryWomanFiddleBillVanaver_MARI73-620EGailits-2
98TreePeoplePeninsula_MARI72-404EGailits-2-2
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From the historical 401 Richmond studios in Toronto, Edwin reflects on the incredible images he captured over the years at Mariposa and shares memories of his adventures along the way. If you love music, and especially if you’ve attended the Mariposa Folk Festival, this is a once in a lifetime conversation that will take you back and bring you closer to intimate moments from a festival that helped launch the careers of folk/rock’s biggest artists.

Leslie Merklinger sat down with Photographer Edwin Gailits to discuss his Mariposa experience.
Steve Goodman, Vera Johnson 1976 Mariposa Folk Festival
John Prine 1972 Mariposa Folk Festival
Couple On Grass 1973 Mariposa Folk Festival