Last Trump by Duncan Long - CD cover artwork for Rick Derringer Album

About a week ago I got a phone call from Rick Derringer (of “Hang on Sloopy” fame) with word he’d be using my artwork for his upcoming CD “High City.”

How exciting is that? In fact, I could hardly stay seated and felt like dancing around the room rather than calmly talking to this great musician.

However his use of my artwork on his album cover wasn’t a complete surprise. We’d been working on ideas for the CD cover for several years, and I’d also sent some of my artwork to him for use with the musical video he would produce for his new album.

Here are two of my illustrations that had been considered during that time, both featuring the “High City” (New Jerusalem):

New Jerusalem - Descending-027 CD cover artwork by Duncan Long

New Jerusalem 6 CD cover art by illustrator Duncan Long

In the end, Derringer opted to let listeners imagine the High City, instead placing my golden “musician” angel on the cover.

It was a thrill when it all finally came together. It was also almost anti-climatic in a way since once Derringer had settled on the illustration to use for the CD cover, I sent a high-resolution version to him via email attachment, and a few hours later it the album was available on CD baby. For someone like me who can remember the “good old days” when “pressing a record” and getting it to market took months or even years, going from the planning stage to “for sale” in less than a few hours is pretty amazing.

There was one more surprise: Derringer used the cover picture without any lettering over it.

When you’re as famous as this musician is, lettering is superfluous.

As for the history of the illustration, I created it many years ago and it has since been employed in a number of church presentations around the world. It was inspired by a Christmas ornament we once had on our Christmas tree. Sadly my kids didn’t realize its sentimental value to me and sold it in a garage sale. What I would pay to have that beautiful angel back! Perhaps one day soon I’ll meet the real golden angel when I reach that High City of Derringer’s album.

In the meantime, it’s been a pleasure working with a musician of such merit. With this album, Rick Derringer has created some new slants on the notion of Christian Rock with styles varying from “old school” to urban, fast, slow. heavy, pop, commercial, and eclectic.

You can listen to samples and buy tracks or the entire “High City” CD at CD baby.

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Duncan Long has created a number of CD covers for recording artists. You can see more examples of his work at his CD Album Gallery.