Resume

Work Experience 

• Freelance writer/author, book editor, 2019-present

• Music critic/Arts reporter, The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) – 1991-2019

• Co-editor, University of Texas Press American Music Series, 2011-2019

• Music critic/Feature writer, The Daily Camera (Boulder, Colo.) – 1985-1990

Education

• Master of Arts, Journalism – University of Texas (1985)

• Bachelor of Arts, English – Southwestern University (1983)

Awards

• Finalist, 2025 Last Syllable Book Awards

• Certificate of Merit, 2024 ARSC Awards for Excellence in Historical Recorded Research

• 2021 North Carolinana Society Book Award

• Eric Hoffer Book Awards – 2021 First Runner-up, 2013 Honorable Mention

• 2019 Piedmont Laureate

• North Carolina Press Association -- Magazine columns, first place (2025); Criticism, first place (2007, 2001, 1998), second place (2013) and third place (2009); Arts/entertainment reporting, first place (2017, 2011), second place (2014) and third place (2018); Profile feature, second place (2017); Feature writing, second place (2018)

• American Association of Sunday and Feature editors -– Criticism, Third place (1996) and honorable mention (2002); Multi-media innovation, third place (2009)

Freelance

Rolling Stone

New York Times

Spin

salon.com

Indyweek

WRAL.com

Billboard

No Depression

Mojo

Acoustic Guitar

Mother Jones

Alumni magazines 

Appalachian State, Auburn, Bowling Green, Brandeis, Brown, Clemson, Duke, East Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Harvard, Illinois, Iowa, Johns Hopkins, Kansas, Miami of Florida, Miami of Ohio, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Oberlin, Ohio State, Penn State, Princeton, Purdue, Rice, Rochester, Southern California, Stanford, Taft, Texas, Tufts, Utah, Washington State, Wisconsin