A native of Cerritos, California, Keerthi worked as a journalist and editor for years after his undergraduate studies at New York University. He decided to apply those research and interview skills to gaining a better understanding of the blues—an expression of music and culture that has deeply impacted his life. The resources and opportunities in Mississippi combined with his immigrant background have led him to research how blues music and the blues aesthetic influence, and have been influenced by, international ingredients and performers.

Areas of Focus: Blues Music