Ted Olson holds a Ph.D. in English and Southern Studies and serves as Professor of Appalachian Studies and Roots Music at East Tennessee State University. A respected cultural historian, editor, poet, photographer, and musician, he has produced and curated award-winning documentary albums that preserve key chapters of Appalachian music history—such as the Bristol, Johnson City, and Knoxville recording sessions. Olson has received multiple Grammy nominations and has won honors including Appalachian Book of the Year, Independent Music Awards, and the East Tennessee Historical Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award.