This month in Charlottesville art and activism collide to everyone’s benefit and entertainment. A number of artists have taken it upon themselves to share their love of the mountains and people of Appalachia through their artistic passions -spreading the word about mountaintop removal and raising funds to help stop the devastation.

The best part is that they are all performing in and around Charlottesville this month!

Don’t miss either of the excellent musical performances or the amazing one woman play. A portion of the proceeds from each of these artists goes to Appalachian Voices’ work to stop mountaintop removal. Here is a brief description of each of the performances:

Cry of the Mountain -Playing each Thursday of July

“Cry of The Mountain” is a one woman live documentary play about mountaintop removal in Appalachia conceived and performed by Charlottesville native Adelind Horan. Adelind tells the stories of mining executives, mining industry workers, environmentalists and people who have been personally affected by mountaintop removal through their own words. She plays 13 different real life people, telling their stories as they told them to her in a series of interviews. It’s a lively, educational and dramatic telling of the story of mountaintop removal’s affect on people in Appalachia. There will be a performance in the Charlottesville area every Thursday in July (including today in Barboursville). All showings are $10 and are likely sell-outs.

Dates and venues for “Cry of the Mountain”:

• July 8 – Four County Players -Barboursville
• July 15 -The Hamner Theatre -Nelson County between Nellysford and Afton
• July 22 -Live Arts -Downtown Charlottesville
• July 29 -Play On! Theatre -Downtown Charlottesville

Trees on Fire -Playing tomorrow at the Charlottesville Pavilion

Trees on Fire is a Charlottesville based band that uses unique, catchy melodies and harmonies to create a genre bending sound all of their own. Their first full length album, Organica, takes listeners form the heights of the ancient Blue Ridge Mountains to the buzzing swamps and bayous of Louisiana. While their upcoming show is free, Trees on Fire are donating 5% of proceeds from Organica to Appalachian Voices. So, be sure to see them play and to pick up an album!

Their show is tomorrow (Friday, July 9th) at the Charlottesville Pavilion on the downtown mall as part of Charlottesville’s free concert series: “Fridays after 5:00″. Don’t miss it!

The Appalachian Voices Tour Feat. Yim Yames of My Morning Jacket, Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore -July 27, The Jefferson Theatre

Yim Yames, singer-songwriter Daniel Martin Moore and genre-bending cellist and vocalist Ben Sollee are embarking on a nine date “Appalachian Voices” tour in an effort to raise public awareness of the devastating practice of mountaintop removal coal mining throughout Appalachia. They come through Charlottesville on July 27th -to our own Jefferson Theatre. A portion of the proceeds from the tour will benefit Appalachian Voices. This is not a show to miss!

We are extremely grateful to each of these artists for supporting our work. And we are thankful to all of you who will support them, and us, by attending an event.

We hope to see you at one or all of these top notch performances benefiting the mountains and people of Appalachia!