20 Rarely Seen Photographs of River Phoenix as a Musician When He Was a Kid From the 1970s

River Jude Phoenix (August 23, 1970 – October 31, 1993) was an American actor. Phoenix was known as a teen actor before taking on leading roles in critically acclaimed films. He received numerous accolades including the Volpi Cup and the Independent Spirit Award as well as nominations for an Academy Award, and Golden Globe Award.

Although Phoenix’s movie career was generating most of the income for his family, it has been stated by close friends and relatives that his true passion was music. Phoenix was a singer, songwriter, and accomplished guitarist.

He had begun teaching himself guitar at age five and had stated in an interview for E! in 1988 that his family’s move to Los Angeles when he was nine was so that he and his sister “could become recording artists. I fell into commercials for financial reasons and acting became an attractive concept.”

Before securing an acting agent, Phoenix and his siblings tried to forge a career in music by playing cover versions on the streets of the Westwood district of LA, often being moved along by police because gathering crowds would obstruct the sidewalk. From the first fruits of his film success, Phoenix saved $650 to obtain his prized possession: a guitar with which he wrote what he described as “progressive, ethereal folk-rock.”

Here, below is a collection of 20 rarely seen photographs of River Phoenix as a musician when he was a kid from the 1970s: