James McKelvey is a Hillsborough, N.C., based photographer. From 1979 to 1992 he worked as a stringer writing for weekly Variety under the byline Kelv in New York City, N.Y., the Detroit Free Press in Detroit, Mich., the FACE in London, England and U Magazine in New York City, N.Y., as a professional writer. His photographs have been published in the Raleigh News & Observer, No Depression Magazine, Rolling Stone Magazine, and CMT Television. 

Photographs from 160 concerts that total 4,500 images are stored at the Wilson Library in the Southern Folklife Collection that is part of the campus of the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill.   It is listed online under the "James McKelvey Collection" with 150 images to view online and the rest can be seen in person.

In addiiton, the concert photography resulted in three CD covers and the cover of a download recording by Ollabelle and Friends at Duke University. Darrell Scott’s “Live In NC,” John Cowan’s “8745 Feet,” and the Piedmont Melody Makers featuring Alice Gerrard’s “Wonderful World Outside” had covers photographed by the author.