Brian Everett

Brian Everett has been tattooing in New Mexico for more than 50 years.

He opened his first shop in Albuquerque in the early 1970s at Fourth Street and Alameda, at a time when tattooing was still illegal within the city limits. After being forced to move, Brian eventually helped establish Route 66 Fine Line Tattoo on Central Avenue, which became one of Albuquerque’s longest-running tattoo shops.

Brian also operated Route 66 Santa Fe Trail in Santa Fe, carrying the Route 66 name into New Mexico’s capital. The shop’s name reflected more than a brand. Santa Fe had been part of the original Route 66 alignment, which ran through the city along the Old Santa Fe Trail before the highway was rerouted in the late 1930s.

Brian became known for fine-line, single-needle and black-and-grey portrait work. He developed his approach alongside his longtime friend Jack Rudy and became part of the generation of tattooers who helped establish fine-line black-and-grey as a serious style of tattooing.

He also spent decades involved in the wider tattoo community, including serving as president of the National Tattoo Association and working alongside artists such as Jack Rudy. He was also a founding member of the Beatniks Car Club.

Today, Route 66 is run by Brian’s son, Dano Everett. Brian doesn’t tattoo much anymore. As he’s gotten older, his focus has shifted toward engraving. When he does pick up a machine, he keeps it simple: skulls and roses.