A few ways to help local journalist Kevin Ransom

Even if you don't follow bylines, you've read Kevin Ransom's work. For over twenty-five years, area journalist and music writer Kevin Ransom has worked as an auto writer, business reporter, music critic, arts & entertainment reporter, environmental writer, general feature writer and general-assignment reporter. He's written for such newspapers, magazines and websites as The Detroit News, Guitar Player, Ann Arbor News, Rolling Stone, Musician, New Car Test Drive, Middle East Car, and Creative Loafing.

Recently, several chronic and severe health conditions have conspired to make it so Ransom can't work the way he used to. He's applied for Disability from the government, but that's a process that could take up to two years. As a result, a general fund has been set up via GoFundMe to help him get by and keep his house in the meantime, and you can contribute to that here if you like. As of this writing, the fund is more than halfway toward its total goal of $28,000.

There's also a benefit concert being put on for him at The Ark in Ann Arbor on Monday, Aug. 24. You can read all about it and get tickets here. The Chenille Sisters, Peter Madcat Ruth, Matt Watroba, Rev. Robert Jones, Dave Boutette, Jo Serrapere & John Devine, Katie Geddes, and others are slated to perform. General admission tickets are $20 and reserved seats are $25.

Ransom is a Dearborn native. Over the years, he's also lived in Wyandotte, Royal Oak, Grosse Pointe Park, Trenton and Rochester Hills — before moving back to Dearborn in 2001. His bio states that he "enjoys bicycling, roots-rock, historic houses, classic cinema, Greenfield Village, and walking the nature trails at Lower Huron Metropark, the Arboretum in Ann Arbor and the Environmental Study Area at U-M Dearborn, among other locales. He also has an abiding interest in political and social issues."