Meet The Staff
Michael Lello – Founder/Editor
Michael Lello, who has more than a decade of journalism experience, founded Highway 81 Revisited in the spring of 2011. He was previously the editor of an arts and entertainment weekly newspaper, where he interviewed everyone from rock and pop legends Brian Wilson and Ray Davies to modern standouts such as Wilco, My Morning Jacket and Dr. Dog.
Michael’s writing has been published by PopMatters, Philadelphia Daily News, Associated Press, ESPN.com, GuySpeed.com and others. In 2010, he won a Second Place Keystone Press Award for his music coverage, the first Keystone in the history of the publication he was working for. In 2011, he won Best Headline, First Place, Society of Professional Journalists Spotlight Contest, Keystone State Professional Chapter for “Franks for the memories,” which headlined a story about hot dogs. He currently freelances for outlets including the I’m With The Band blog at TRI Studios, an interactive multimedia project run by Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead.
Michael Lester – Staff Writer
Michael Lester grew up in the Poconos, graduating from Pocono Mountain High School in 1991. He’s stuck around in Bloomsburg since landing a full-time newspaper writing job there after college. He’s been attending concerts ever since. He has a dorky ticket album with well-preserved ticket stubs to prove it. His favorite indoor venue is Penns Peak. He’s seen Grateful Dead-related bands over 60 times since Jerry’s passing. The one band he’s seen the most is Widespread Panic — nearly 30 times. Don’t judge him! Contact him at mlester9@hotmail.com
Nikki M. Mascali – Staff Writer
Nikki M. Mascali spent much of her NEPA-based childhood listening to hair metal. She is now working as an editor and writer in New York City. She cut her teeth writing about the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton music scene and has interviewed everyone from Bret Michaels, Alice Cooper and Joe Elliott to Ritchie Blackmore, Chris Squire and some guy named Gene Simmons. She has also reviewed CDs and shows in NEPA, Philadelphia and New York, including Bob Dylan, The Flaming Lips, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and many others.
Jason Riedmiller ��� Photo Editor
Jason Riedmiller is a two-time Keystone Press Award winner (2010, 2012) whose photography has appeared in numerous regional and national newspapers and magazines. A Penn State graduate, Mr. Riedmiller began his career as a portrait photographer in Phoenix in 2000. Due to a life intervention by Michael Lello and Christopher Hughes, he learned a love for photojournalism in 2008. Since then he has had the privilege of photographing two United States presidents, a vice president, too many rock shows and rock stars to count, the NFL, Major League Baseball and NCAA football and basketball. In his free time Jason enjoys playing video games and hanging out with his boxer dog Fritz. Finally, Mr. Riedmiller does not enjoy writing about himself in the third person or Motley Crue.
Jesse Faatz – Photographer
Jesse Faatz, a freelance photographer, has had the opportunity to work with a wide variety of clients including concerts for Live Nation, print and social media for publications such as the Times-Tribune, The570.com, Electric City, Our Town Lackawanna and promotional work for local radio stations Rock 107 & Fuzz 92.1.He specializes in shooting as well as writing live concert reviews, but also has an expanded portfolio that includes portraits, weddings, engagements, promos and corporate events.
Emily Votaw – Staff Writer
Emily Votaw lives in Northeast Ohio and has over five years of experience in music journalism. She has written for Billboard.com, National Public Radio affiliate WOUB Public Media and several other publications. Contact her at emilyvotaw8@gmail.com.