The first Mountain Aid concert, held June 19 and 20 at Shakori Hills in Chatham County, N.C., was great fun for the crowds of folks who came out to hear some fabulous music and learn more about mountaintop removal.

The concert was a fund and awareness raiser for OVEC, Coal River Mountain Watch and the Pennies of Promise campaign, which aims to build a new school for the students of Marsh Fork Elementary in Raleigh County, WV, where a 2.8 billion-gallon toxic coal sludge impoundment perches precariously above the classrooms.

Thanks so much to all the musicians who performed at the event, including Kathy Mattea, Donna the Buffalo, Ben Sollee, Andrew McKnight, Those Darlins, Si Kahn and more. And thanks to concert organizer Michael OConnell.