On November 10th, a special benefit collaborative musical effort featuring country stars Kathy Mattea, Willie Nelson, Ralph Stanley, John Prine, Justin Townes Earle, Bonnie Raitt, Natalie Merchant and more will be released. The compilation CD of music by nationally known recording artists is hoping to raise awareness about and help stop mountaintop removal coal-mining. The CD producers have partnered with film-makers Mari-Lynn Evans and Phylis Geller — whose award winning documentary, "The Appalachians" was widely shown on PBS — to produce the music CD as a companion piece to their new film, "Coal Country.". The CD is called "Coal Country Music." "Coal Country" has been accepted into several film festivals and will be shown on the Discovery channel later this summer and is scheduled to be released on DVD, in conjunction with the Coal Country Music CD in early November.The CD includes liner notes by Ashley Judd and Woody Harrelson and information about the Alliance for Appalachia. All proceeds from the sale of the CD will be used to support the work of the Alliance for Appalachia and be used to stop mountaintop removal coal-mining. Plans already underway for a second CD in the spring.
COAL COUNTRY reveals the truth about modern coal mining. The story is told by the people directly involved, both working miners and activists who are battling the coal companies in Appalachia. Tensions are high. It’s a “new civil war,” as families and communities are deeply split over mountaintop removal mining (MTR). The tops of mountains are blasted away, exposing seams of coal, while debris is pushed into valleys and streams. Residents endure health problems, dirty water in their wells, dust and grime on their floors. The miners are frightened that, without MTR, they’ll lose their jobs and won’t be able to feed their families.
Here’s a trailer of the documentary movie below…
These B-list country hacks should stick with singing and otherwise shut the !@% up.
ReplyDeleteI am not an activist, I get up everyday at 4:30am and I work, county music is my passion I listen as I drive 1.5 hours daily, as soon as I go into my office my radio is turned on until I heard the news above I considered Willie Nelson and Toby Keith two of the real honorable music legends in the business the working mans men, heck they gather to save the farmers, they are real people - I still love em but I can't respect this. I would like to state as a granddaughter, daughter and wife of coal miners that this breaks my heart and I really wonder if they realize that when they take a stand against the big men they are killing the little man. I get it, it's bad when mountains are removed but when you put on your boots in the morning how would you feel if everyday you worried because ledgendary heros where trying to stop your lively hood if you had to wonder how you would afford your sons college tuition so his life can be better than yours was, or pay your electric bill, or put food on the table on a daily basis because that is what you are doing you are lobbing to kill us. And until you've seen your grandfather in pictures and the only thing visible are the whites of his eyes but you know that he did that with pride and he died for it, until your willing to realize that mountains that are mined where we live are all put back and replanted that the strems are protected I don't know how to stop this and it sucks because unless people like Kathy Mattea want to fly over my town and get out of there planes and cry because the people all died from proverty I don't get it are you not willing to sacrifice some mountains for hundreds of jobs. God has a devine plan, in Idaho he gave them potatoes, Texas got oil, Wisconsin got cheese and I am very sorry but Appalachia got coal and that is the only thing we have so let us work and lobby against child abuse, drug dealers and things that won't kill your fans. Michele Hatfield
ReplyDeleteThis type of activism against the working man is dishonorable and further erodes country music's popularity.
ReplyDelete