경남 거창에서 태어나 전주대 영문과를 졸업했다. MBC 창작동화 대상, 임수경 통일문학상(시), 청년 통일문학상(시)을 받았으며, 장편동화 『내가 살던 고향은』과 시집 『시방세』 『원기마을 이야기』를 냈다. 고향에서 15년 가까이 신문배달을 하면서 덕유산 주위의 많은 이야기들을 엮어 가고 있다. 송흥록, 송우룡, 송만갑 삼 대로 이어진 동편 판소리를 연구하다 소중한 명창들의 삶을 함께 나누고 싶어 이 책을 썼다.
Born in Geochang, South Gyeongsang Province, Lee Gyeong-jae studied English literature (BA) at Jeonju University. The recipient of the MBC Grand Prize for Children’s Fiction, Im Su-gyeong Reunification Literary Prize (poetry), and Young People’s Reunification Literary Prize (poetry), he has penned the children’s novel My Home Village and poetry collections Sibangse and A Story of Won’gi Village. For the last 15 years, he has created stories about Mt. Deogyu, near which his hometown lies, while delivering newspapers. He wrote this book to share with young readers the lives of renowned masters while studying the Eastern school of pansori, which has been transmitted from Song Heung-nok to Song U-ryong to Song Man-gap.