Recently it was Scotland for the Shetland Folk Festival. His 50 books and videos include A Smoky Mountain Christmas for Guitar and Flatpickin' the Gospels. In this business you fill the void. There weren't bluegrass gospel videos. He's a virtual industry - in addition to books, CDs and videos, Kaufman peddles all kinds of knickknacks in the camp store, from picks to lapel pins, coffee mugs to mandolin case covers, and fanny packs to fly swatters shaped like a guitar.
Musicians like to mill around picking up the instruments for sale.
They crowded in as Kaufman and a guitar buddy jammed on the first day of camp. A fast fiddle tune enlivened the atmosphere, and one man started singing along to a gospel number. Kaufman, in blue jeans and tennis shoes but without his trademark country hat, was clearly enjoying himself. After camp ends, he'll take a break from the road but not from work. Kaufman holds up a brochure for the Palace Theater, a Maryville landmark dating to 1868, which he and his wife bought two years ago and restored as a music venue, espresso bar, and vintage film house.