IBM Ring 58 - Knoxville, TN

	Name: Kyle Copeland
	E-mail Address: copelandmagic@yahoo.com
	Website: cop.utmem.edu/kcopeland/magic/
	Favorite Magic Trick: Sands of Time (Stage), Out of This World (Cards)
	Favorite Magic Book: Greater Magic, John Northern Hilliard (1938)
	Prop Preference: Stage Illusions, Cards
Awards / Accomplishments Current (2007) Vice President of Ring 58
How Did you first become interested in Magic? When I was only seven years old, I saw my first real magic show while visiting Sea World in Florida. I waited in line for over 2 hours to get good seats, they were on the front row. The magician showed us amazing illusions. He needed an assistant and I was selected to help with a Cut and Restored Rope routine. After the illusion, the magician gave me the rope and a piece of paper explaining the illusion. I still have a piece of that rope (the rest I used in performances). The next day, I begged my parents to take me to a local magic shop in Florida and a nice magician helped them select a Blackstone magic set and a simple card trick to get me started. I spent the next few years practicing and learning. I found that my local library had some books on magic. I checked every single one of them out multiple times. More than 20 years later, I've had the privilege of working with many wonderful magicians. Those books I used to check out now sit in my own library. I'm still learning, everyday. And I hope that I can entertain children, and take adults on a journey back to childhood... if only for a moment... to see how magical the world truly can be.
Background: Kyle is a member of both IBM Ring 58 in Knoxville, TN and SAM Ring 271 in Cookeville, TN. A lifelong Tennessean, he currently resides in Knoxville with his beautiful wife and baby girl. He works as a clinical pharmacist at a local hospital.
Misc: Kyle specializes in stage & close-up magic for all ages and is available for performance across the Eastern & Middle Tennessee areas. He also has a gospel illusion show available.