 djgraciemuldoon
wrote: on Mar. 11, 2005:
There are many ways to interview someone, especially, a very
busy someone. My interview with the founder of Kentucky's
ONLY Bluegrass magazine, Bluegrass Music Profiles, Mr. Kevin
Kerfoot, was done through email. Being a super-busy
interviewer, himself, I sent Kevin some questions that he
answered by email! This is how he told me, the story of the
beginning of his very successful, two year old print and
online publication, Bluegrass Music Profiles.
Kevin decided in 2002 that he wanted to be in the music
industry, the Bluegrass Music industry, and his wife Lori
was very supportive, knowing how Kevin loved his Bluegrass
state and music. Kevin played played bass and did some
performing, but his desire was to sit down with his "idols"
and "get the scoop". A dream that became reality in a very
short period of time.
After calling up J.D. Crowe, who lived in the same town as
he did, J.D. encouraged Kevin to follow his dream of
starting the magazine. He offered a lot of suggestions to
Kevin and introduced him to a lot of contacts. Through this
encouragement and help of his supportive friend J.D., Kevin
began his magazine. Dean Osborne, whom Kevin met at a show,
later that week was also very instrumental and influential
in getting Kevin established in the "community" of bluegrass
artists, bands and promoters. With all that these two men
have done for him and BMP, Kevin wanted to be sure and to
have it known, if anything, the importance of their advice,
encouragement and guidance, to the successful beginnings of
BMP magazine
Lori and Kevin, both, having grown up in Kentucky, met at a
Lexington store, where they were both working...then came
love and marriage. They now have children and continue
living in their home state of Kentucky. Kevin gave up
performing for reporting, and now the magazine keeps him too
busy to play music. He's too busy writing about the artists
that make up the music. Kevin (and sometimes Lori and the
children) travels to the concerts/festivals/shows, all over
the U.S., interviewing Bluegrass artists such as Josh
Graves, Ricky Skaggs, Bobby Osborne and so many others, that
Kevin said that he is now living his "dream". He is living a
very exciting dream, thanks to his "manager" of the mag, his
wife, Lori. Lori does the business end of the publication,
freeing Kevin to work on the creative side. You will see his
black and white BLUEGRASS MUSIC PROFILES canopy at a lot of
venues, where he enjoys meeting the bluegrass fans and
bands! This is where I met Kevin and Lori back in 2003 at
Bean Blossom Festival, in Indiana. I saw Kevin, again, last
year at the Brown County Festival in Georgetown, Ohio. Kevin
hands out free copies of the current magazine to any one who
visits their table!
When asked what he liked most about being a magazine
entrepreneur, he said it is getting to meet his favorite
artists, and finding out the little things about them most
folks wouldn't get to know. Interviewing in unusual places,
hotel lobbies and warm, friendly kitchen tables, Kevin
realizes he is experiencing things that most of the
bluegrass fans will never get to...so he shares those
moments with his readers. The helpfulness of the "name"
artists to the "unknown" or "struggling" artists/people in
bluegrass music, is something that isn't found in a lot of
genres today. Kevin testifies of this first hand.
Popularity of BMP is growing every day and it is definitely
a magazine you'll want to get for the Bluegrass lover in
your family or yourself! You can also read some of each
issue's features online at http://www.bluegrassmusicprofiles.com.
This month's (March-April) cover features an article on
Michelle Nixon and Drive and her new project "What More
Should I Say?". Missed an month or article? No problem, says
Kevin, you can always order a back issue online or by
writing to the magazine.
BMP also features articles/reviews/commentary written by
their readers in their mailbag. Concert and festival
information along with many other features make the magazine
interesting and a "must have" for the dedicated fan.
Classified ads called "Grassifieds" are reasonably priced.
Gift prizes of new music CD's are handed out to the trivia
winners! A yearly subscription goes for twelve dollars,
which is a good deal for all the useful information you get,
along with the featured artists articles. If you're lucky
enough to win a trivia question on month, you will win the
CD which covered your cost of the magazine! You can contact
BMP for subscriptions or to answer any questions about their
publication at :
Bluegrass Music Profiles Magazine
A Division of Bluegrass Publications, LLC
P.O. Box 850 /Attn: Kevin Kerfoot
Nicholasville, KY 40340-0850
859-333-6465
Get to know the artists and their music and life stories a
little more intimately through the eyes of a dedicated
Bluegrass music lover and fan Kevin Kerfoot. We wish Kevin
and Lori much continued success with their magazine
Bluegrass Music Profiles. I thank them, particularly, being
a Kentucky Girl, for keeping the publication, where it
belongs, in the beautiful, wonderful state of Kentucky,
birthplace of this great American genre of music.
-DJ Gracie Muldoon Cincinnati Ohio
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