Johnny Price – Owner/Editor/Music Journalist/Photographer
Johnny felt like a misfit from a very early age. He always felt left out and misunderstood. That was until music came along. Music opened up a whole new world to him. He was a die-hard listener to Casey Kasem’s American Top 40. He stayed up late to watch Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert and The Midnight Special. Saturday mornings meant American Bandstand followed by Soul Train. He discovered KISS at the young age of nine and these larger than life superheroes captivated his world both sonically and visually. Music became his obsession in life and he just couldn’t get enough of it. Over the years, he’s seen hundreds of concerts including 57 KISS shows and their final two concerts of their last tour ever at Madison Square Garden in December of 2023. He loves going to concerts and interviewing musicians.
After writing and doing concert photography for other publications, he took a leap of faith with the support of several bands and publicists and he began his own magazine in 2014 called I’m Music Magazine. I’m the guy who still loves to ride that rail up front for concerts. I’m the guy who loves catching a guitar pick at a show. I’m the guy who waits late after a show for a chance to get a picture or autograph. Who am I? I’m Music. That’s how the name was born for this magazine. Johnny brings over 10 years of writing and concert photography to the magazine. He’s a lover of all types of music and that’s why the magazine is open genre. We love talking to the big dawgs in music, but we also love talking to the small bands too. All of the big dawgs started out as little puppies, so we give those small bands the same respect as we do the big guys. The saying ‘do it with passion or not at all’ is something that he truly believes in.
Daphne McKinney – Associate Editor/Photographer/Music Journalist
Daphne McKinney has always been consumed by music. Her first favorite band as a kid in the 80’s was Mötley Crüe. As a teenager in the 90’s that switched to collecting anything and everything by two more favorites, Blind Melon & Candlebox.
By the late 90’s, she was already combining her love for photography with her love for music, and began asking to photograph any band that would let her. She joined I’m Music Magazine in early 2019 as a photographer, has dabbled in a little bit of writing, and also can often be found updating the website.
You can usually find her at a few concerts a week, whether she’s photographing or just buying a ticket and attending for fun. At home, she has 10 extremely spoiled rescue cats and often has a few more hanging around that’s being fostered.
Personal goals: “I just want to spend every night at a different metal show, is that too much to ask?”
Michele Hancock – Photographer/Music Journalist
Michele is a self professed concert-junkie and freelance photographer based in SW Virginia. After ten years of teaching, she finally put that art degree to use, and started putting the camera to use. Michele met the Editor / Owner of I’m Music Magazine Johnny Price and fell in love with the idea of mixing her love of music with the art of photography.
Michele has a love for a wide range of music, going from classical to hard and heavy rock, and tried to instill that love of music in her now grown children. She is the wife of a first responder, who shares her love of classic cars. On a nice spring or fall day, it’s not unusual to find her in her 1969 Camaro with the top down and music loud. 🤘🏻
My Top Ten Drivetime Songs from My Senior Year, 1989 (in no particular order)
- All She Wants Is – Duran Duran
- When Love Comes To Town – U2 & B.B. King
- Black Velvet – Alannah Myles
- Harvester Of Sorrow – Metallica
- Youth Gone Wild – Skid Row
- Kickstart My Heart – Motley Crue
- Fire Woman – The Cult
- Close My Eyes Forever – Lita Ford & Ozzy Osbourne
- Paradise City – Guns N’ Roses
- Modern Day Cowboy – Tesla
Kris Cagle – Associate Editor of I’m Music Nashville/Photographer/Music Journalist
Kris Cagle is a MTSU grad, living in Nashville since 2016. He loves all genres of music but has a passion for classic rock and metal. When he’s not taking concert photos, he works in AV at the Nashville Public Library. His first concert was Charlie Daniels and favorite has been Red Hot Chili Peppers.
“I’d say my favorite I’m Music Magazine story so far is when they mixed up my name at will call and I got the honor of calling Styx manager and he came down and escorted us in.”
Amanda Packey – Photographer/Music Journalist
Amanda Packey is from Long Island, NY. Her first concert was Elton John at Madison Square Garden. She’s mostly listened to rock and metal, but recently become obsessed with country music, especially Billy Currington. Her favorite concert was probably the Dream Theater show in the late 90s when Mike Portnoy handed her one of his drum sticks.
“I once drove nine hours straight to see The Tea Party the same night in Buffalo, NY. I’m still shocked I made it out of the Godsmack photo pit (at Jones Beach) with my eyebrows intact with all the pyro they had. I started doing music photography back in the 90’s with my friends’ bands. It was a much different world working with film, but a lot of fun.”
The attached photo was taken of me in the pit at Great South Bay Music Festival (Patchogue, NY), July 2022. Photo credit Vanessa Marie Media.
Through The Eyes Of A Queen – Photographer
Born and raised in South Florida, Through The Eyes Of A Queen has been capturing live music amongst other things since 2013.
Property manager by day, and a self-taught photographer by night. I love capturing moments especially on stage. Because when words fail, music speaks.
Alice Malice – Music Journalist
A poet, storyteller, guitarist, amateur film photographer, avid vinyl-collector, concertgoer, and more, I’m a jack of all trades, master of none. While I am a NC native, I’ve been known to travel questionable distances for a good show (including When We Were Young Festival in Las Vegas, catching The Cure in New Orleans, and Rock for People all the way in Czech Republic…yes, my bank account hates me). All that being said, my favorite shows are the more intimate bar settings, whether it’s a local band or a touring act who hasn’t quite broken into mainstream venues yet, there’s something special about grabbing a cheap beer and kicking back at these smaller gigs to watch a good set, and if lucky, sometimes getting the chance to chat with the band afterwards.
Outside of writing for I’m Music Magazine, I’m either at home writing my own short stories, film essays, and poetry, tucked in the back corner of a movie theater, or on rarer occasions taking my old Alvarez downtown to play some songs myself.
Shannon King – Music Journalist
I’m Shannon, but you can call me ShaY. I have two passions, Music and Dogs but I work at a bank for my day job but I was born and raised on RockNRoll thanks to my parents who had an impeccable taste in music. I was lucky enough to have been able to go to many concerts paid for by my dad mostly which has given me the opportunity to say that I have been to more concerts than the average adult my age. That’s still a revolving door that I don’t plan on getting out of. I also spend my spare time volunteering with a local animal rescue In Cincinnati where I enjoy every moment with the dogs there, getting to know them and doing what I can to help them find their forever homes.
Back to the music part: When I was old enough I ventured out and discovered my own likings of different music, old and new. i love discussing music and going to record stores. I live, breathe and sleep Music, I love every aspect of it and wanted to contribute to it in some form whether it be photography, writing, discussions etc. Music has created who I am and honestly has a huge part on how I live and love my life. I’m looking to get involved in the music world as much as I possibly can and hoping this the beginning to something exciting! It’s something I won’t ever give up.
Dave Tesh – Music Journalist/Photographer
I am a lifelong music fan who just happens to carry a camera. Living just outside Raleigh, North Carolina, I have always been drawn to the energy and emotion that great music creates. Rush, Led Zeppelin, KISS, and Springsteen have been the soundtrack of my life and continue to inspire me.
I love classic candid images of rock acts from the past. The raw, unfiltered moments tell the real story. Photographers like Jim Marshall and Fin Costello shaped the way I see concerts and approach photography.
At the end of the day, I am simply a fan with a camera. I love talking music, sharing stories, and capturing moments that keep the spirit of it all alive. See you in the pit!
Kate Simpson – Music Journalist
Kate Simpson is a writer, artist, producer, singer, and frontwoman in the music industry based in Austin, TX-The Live Music Capital of the World. Her writing is shaped by direct experience in the modern rock landscape informed by years spent performing, marketing, producing, and building a career within the music world.
She is also the creative force behind Kate Angel, her rock band rooted in alternative, hard rock, and punk-driven anthems. Since 2020, she has performed more than 160 live shows across Texas, developing a new generation rock audience through touring, disciplined songwriting, and a passionately driven work ethic. That lived experience informs her perspective as a writer. She writes from the stage, the studio, and the reality of the grind, not from the sidelines.
Her work focuses on music culture, craft, live performances, studio records, and the evolving challenges facing the artists today. She approaches music journalism with the same standards she brings to her own work as an artist: honesty, accountability, and respect for the craft.
In 2026, alongside the release of her PROVE IT EP as Kate Angel, she continues to expand her voice as both a creator and a writer – bridging artistry and journalism with clarity, conviction, and credibility.
Tim Board – Music Journalist/Photographer
I’ve been obsessed with radio and music for as long as I can remember. Some of my earliest memories involve falling asleep with a small radio tucked under my pillow, quietly tuning in and hoping my parents wouldn’t notice. That early curiosity turned into a lifelong love of discovering music and sharing it with others.
That passion eventually led me to host my own indie music radio show on internet radio, where I spent several years highlighting independent and emerging artists. Over time, the microphone gave way to the keyboard and the camera, expanding my creative focus into music writing and photography.
While I’m relatively new to music journalism by traditional standards, I bring a perspective shaped by years of listening, exploring, and connecting with artists. My work is driven by curiosity, and a genuine excitement for uncovering great music and helping new artists reach new listeners.
At heart, I’m still doing what I’ve always done, tuning in, paying attention, and sharing the sounds that move me.
Some of my favorite musicians/bands include AC/DC, Van Halen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Chesney, Zac Brown Band, Jimmy Buffet, and a lot of the 80’s new wave, and hair bands.
Michael Praats – Photographer/Music Journalist
As a full time journalist, Michael wandered into photography out of necessity, but it eventually turned into a hobby and then a passion. Michael’s entry into concert photography wasn’t planned, and started as a crazy idea that hit him at a Nine Inch Nails concert in April of 2022.
After taking a terrible cell phone photo from the lawn, he told his wife, “I’m going to find a way to get into the photo pit to get a better photo of Trent Reznor before this tour ends.”
Ever supportive of his whims, she told him she thought it was a good goal and that he should try to make it happen. Neither of them expected his latest new-found ‘hobby’ to be anything more than just another impulsive decision that would quickly lose its shine — but it wasn’t. A couple of weeks after the concert, she accompanied him to the store and he bought his first camera.
With camera in hand, and no idea how to use it, he went to local bars to ask bands playing if he could photograph them, which, they all obliged. Along the way managed to pick up some photo passes for bigger shows including Rage Against the Machine. Despite the successes in his newfound passion, he still had not managed to reach his goal. The Nine Inch Nails tour was coming to an end, already having moved on to the west coast. Time was running out to fulfill his promise he made that night on the lawn, but he wasn’t ready to call it quits just yet. With a little bit of luck and a lot of persistence, just five months after the concert that inspired him to pick up a camera, he got the email he never really expected to get.
It was brief, but it was an email that turned a half-baked idea into a reality — he was approved to photograph Nine Inch Nails at the Greek Theater in Berkeley, California.
Since then he’s had the chance to photograph dozens of bands, and as a journalist by trade he enjoys writing and reviewing albums, songs, and shows. He now resides in Charlotte, NC, but will always be loyal to his hometown of Atlanta, GA.
Jason Shrum – Music Journalist
Jason always sat quietly, just far enough from the cool older kids at lunch so they wouldn’t notice him, but close enough so he could hear what they were talking about. He listened in the halls and after school, absorbing all their music knowledge and beginning a sonic journey that would shape him forever. Eventually he worked his way into the social misfits club and became one of their own. He began writing for his high school paper and college papers (attended 4 colleges). Jason had immediately gravitated to the punk scene and leaned into bands like The Sex Pistols, The Clash and the Buzzcocks. However, he was into just about any genre under the sun and some of his overall favorites are The Cure, Elvis Preseley, Sonic Youth, Talking Heads, Social Distortion and Nirvana. The first concert that Jason attended was Richard Marx and Corey Hart with family friends at Wet N Wild, in Orlando Florida. However, the first one he really dug his teeth into was Tom Petty. That began the journey that has never ended. Jason went on the road with his own artistic dreams starting in 1999 as a stand-up comedian. That career lasted about 12 years as he headlined small venues and opened larger ones for acts like Bob Saget, Dave Attell, Bert Kreicher, Margaret Cho, Maria Bamford and many others before heading out to Seattle and co-owning his own brewery for another decade. COVID crushed that dream and so he started writing again and headed to Nashville to figure out what was next. Alongside his trusty pup, Stevie Licks, Jason loves to hike and collect vinyl.