John Bare is a photographer, songwriter, and former journalist who has worked for more than two decades in the nonprofit sector. With Don Dixon, John wrote songs for the 2019 album, Lassie James Songbook Vol. I, a collection of twelve original songs inspired by his novel. John was born in Winston-Salem and attended public schools in Garner, NC, where his parents were educators. He attended the University of North Carolina, where he studied film as an undergraduate, received a PhD in mass communication research, and developed an appreciation for biscuits, whiskey, and live music. John shares his house with rescue dogs Winston and Isadora.