Album cover designer Wilkes dead at 69

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., July 19 (UPI) -- Artist Tom Wilkes, known for designing albums for popular rock music acts, has died at age 69 in Pioneertown, Calif., his daughter says.

Katherine Wilkes Fotch said her father had primary lateral sclerosis and died of a heart attack, The New York Times reported Saturday.

Wilkes designed the Rolling Stones' "Beggars Banquet" album, took photographs for Janis Joplin's album "Pearl" and created the cover of Neil Young's "Harvest" album.

In addition, the artist did album work for George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker and Dave Mason.

Wilkes also gained notoriety for creating posters for the first Monterey International Pop Festival that took place in June 1967. His success with the festival advertisement helped land Wilkes a job as art director for A&M Records, where he embraced album cover design.

The Times said Wilkes, who died June 28, also is survived by a brother and three grandchildren.