Kirk Judd, founding member of West Virginia Writers, Inc., has lived, worked, trout fished and wandered around in West Virginia all his life. Kirk was a member of the Appalachian Literary League, a former president (and JUG recipient) of West Virginia Writers, Inc., and is a founding member of and creative writing instructor for Allegheny Echoes, Inc., dedicated to the support and preservation of WV cultural heritage arts. Author of 3 collections of poetry "Field of Vision" (1986), "Tao-Billy" (1996), and "My People Was Music" (2014), and a co-editor of the widely acclaimed anthology, "Wild, Sweet Notes - 50 Years of West Virginia Poetry 1950 - 1999", he is widely published. He has been featured three times on American Public Radio on "The Poet and The Poem" with WV native Grace Cavalieri and has appeared on the acclaimed public radio show Mountain Stage. Kirk was honored to be one of 5 readers selected for the installation ceremony of Louise McNeill Pease as WV Poet Laureate in 1979. He is internationally known for his performance work combining poetry and old-time music and has performed poetry in Ireland and across West Virginia at fairs, concerts, and festivals since the 1970s.
