Kickstarter Campaign Launched To Preserve The Music Of Darrell 'Dr D' Vernum

In an effort to preserve the artistic legacy of Darrell Vernum, a notable figure in the music and arts scene from Schenectady, NY, and later Austin, TX, Richard Allen, proprietor of thatsafact.com, has initiated a Kickstarter campaign titled "Darrell Vernum Lost Records." This campaign aims to safeguard Vernum's extensive digital archive from being erased due to online account inactivity following his death in December 2020.

Darrell Vernum, an alumnus of Mohonasen High School's class of 1987, was celebrated for his contributions to the school's fine arts programs under Mr. David Bournazian. His journey in music saw him performing, recording, and teaching, alongside playing in bands such as Is, Sense, and The Infidels. Vernum's dedication to archiving his musical endeavors led him to store his works online. However, with some of his accounts deactivated posthumously in May 2023, access to his life's work became jeopardized.

The digital trove Vernum left behind encompasses live and studio recordings, photographs, writings on his projects and collaborators, as well as insights into music theory and education. In a bid to rescue what remains of this invaluable archive, Allen has engaged with one of the cloud services used by Vernum to explore retrieval options based on their policies for accessing data belonging to deceased individuals. This process necessitates Allen obtaining a legal writ as dictated by the cloud company's requirements.

Allen's connection with Vernum spans nearly three decades, during which he actively participated in Vernum's musical projects. Thatsafact.com also served as the inaugural online platform for Daring Ventures Multimedia, a venture established by Vernum to promote his professional services and publish his works. Following Vernum's passing, Allen collaborated with Vernum's father and sole heir, Walter Vernum, in archiving Darrell's creative outputs—a task that grew more challenging after Walter's death in August 2022.

The urgency of this preservation effort is underscored by the impending deletion of Vernum's remaining online data. Supporters are encouraged to visit the "Darrell Vernum Lost Records" Kickstarter page at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thatsafact/darrell-vernum-lost-records to learn more and contribute to the cause. Additionally, a selection of Vernum's visual art is currently on display at The Moon & River Cafe in Schenectady, NY until the end of March, offering a glimpse into his multifaceted talent.