These passionate Kentucky musicians and authors will donate their skills and talents for this unique benefit. It will be an evening of music, readings and community.

It would be hard to find three more empathetic musicians than Jim James, Daniel Martin Moore and Ben Sollee. You can sense it when they’re on stage, inhabiting even ballads to intense, cathartic heights, and in conversation they emerge as thoughtful, grounded citizens willing to engage the world beyond their own narrow confines.

This was all made clear on the 2009 album “Dear Companion,” where Sollee and Martin wrote a group of songs that explored their connections to, and love for, Kentucky. The focus was on central Appalachia and the struggles its land and people have had with mountaintop removal, a particularly devastating form of coal mining that treats the Earth like an afterthought and introduces health hazards to surrounding communities. James produced the album, and loaned his voice.    

The three have performed a handful of shows together since the album’s release, and will come together again Dec. 29 in Louisville, Ky.,  to raise money and awareness for Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, a statewide nonprofit celebrating its 30th birthday this year. KFTC is dedicated to improving the quality of life for Kentuckians, while mountaintop removal has been proven to do the opposite.

Moore has released two solo albums, “In the Cool of the Day” and “Stray Age.” Sollee has released two EPs and two full-length albums, “Learning to Bend” and “Inclusions.”  James sings, writes songs and plays guitar for My Morning Jacket, which was recently nominated for a Grammy in the best alternative album category, for “Circuital.”

James, Sollee and Moore will gather Dec. 29 at the Brown Theatre, 315 W. Broadway, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $35, for all ages, and can be purchased by phone at (800) 775-7777, online at www.kentuckycenter.org, or at The Kentucky Center’s box office, 501 W. Main St.

Jeffrey Lee Puckett | Music Writer | The Courier-Journal | Louisville, Ky. | (502) 582-4160 | jpuckett@courier-journal.com

Proceeds will benefit the work of KFTC, celebrating our 30th anniversary this year. KFTC members are working to protect their homes, water supplies and Appalachian heritage from the blowing apart of mountains and burying of streams that accompany the form of mining known as mountaintop removal. They also are to build new economic power for coal-mining communities by promoting a transition to new and clean energy jobs. 

*KFTC is looking for local businesses to help sponsor the event. Sponsorship comes with preferred seating and other perks. Please contact Colette Henderson at colette@kftc.org or 502-589-3188 for more information.

Tickets are available for $35 at The Kentucky Center or online at www.kentuckycenter.org.