Kevin Avery (born June 24, 1957) is an American biographer, short story writer, and editor.

Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, he now lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Interview subjects included NBA star Shaquille O'Neal, musical acts Radiohead, Freedy Johnston, Los Lobos, Tori Amos, Moody Blues, Graham Parker, and Sheryl Crow, cartoonist John Callahan, and late impresario Eugene Jelesnik.

In addition to interviewing Nelson's friends, family, and fellow critics, Avery interviewed some of the artists about whom Nelson wrote, including Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, Elliott Murphy, Bruce Hornsby, Suzanne Vega, and Rod Stewart.

[8] Critic Robert Christgau called the book, which was published eight weeks before Everything Is an Afterthought, "astonishingly thorough.